September 7th was a day to remember for Chris, a high school teacher in Mineral County. After seven years of dedicated archery hunting, Chris finally bagged his dream bull—a massive 7×7 elk. It all happened on the opening morning of the season, and the excitement was shared by everyone around him, especially his wife, who couldn’t wait to share the story.
With the help of his hunting partner, Jim Warnken, Chris called in the bull to just 10 yards away and landed two well-placed shots. The hard work didn’t stop there, though. As soon as Chris’s wife got the call, she rallied some friends from church and headed up the mountain to help with the quartering and packing out of the hefty elk. The pack-out was tough—a mile on a gated road with a heavy load split between four people—but the excitement and pride in Chris’s achievement made it all worth it.
Now, the adventure continues as Chris’s wife gears up for her own hunting experience. Inspired by Chris’s success and fueled by a summer of archery practice, she’s ready to buy her first elk tag. With a hunting partner arriving from Tennessee soon, she’s looking forward to chasing bulls of her own.
Chris’s journey from dedicated archer to successful hunter is a testament to perseverance, teamwork, and a love for the great outdoors. This dream come true is only the beginning, and the hunt isn’t over yet!
