A last-minute decision leads to an opening-day record-book Roosevelt's elk.

By McKenzie Spencer  

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A few days before the 2022 rifle elk season opened, my dad asked if I wanted to get my tag and give hunting a try. I was hesitant at first, having been sick for a few days and remembering that previous years hadn’t gone very well, but I decided to go for it. Looking back, it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

When the season finally arrived, my dad and I set out on opening day, hoping to find a herd we’d been tracking. We had carefully mapped out several glassing spots, so we decided to check those first to see if the elk were nearby. At our first stop, we parked the truck early and hiked the rest of the way in. Once we reached a vantage point, we realized the herd was actually on a completely different clear-cut than we expected.

With the sun just rising, we hurried back to the truck, determined to reach the new location in time for a shot at the bull. We found a good spot to glass, but at first, we didn’t see any elk. After scanning the area a bit longer, we finally spotted the herd below us, only about 100 yards away. I quickly dropped my pack, set up my rifle, and tried to find a clear shot. The steep downhill angle and lack of a solid rest made it challenging. Sensing my struggle, my dad grabbed a large branch to use as a shooting stick. I lined up on the bull, but a cow stood in front of it. As soon as she moved, I steadied myself, lined up my shot, and pulled the trigger.

My adrenaline was up, and I was so nervous about making a bad shot. But when I looked at him, he started to roll a bit, moved a second, then stopped. When I saw he had completely stopped, I knew I had achieved something not many people get to experience. My dad and I walked down to see the bull. It was a nice 6-point, and I was so thankful to have such a fortunate day. We ended up having some family and friends help with the pack out, and had a good time back at the trucks.

The Future of Fair Chase 

We know that the future of conservation rests squarely on the shoulders of tomorrow’s hunters. That’s why we’re celebrating the stories of our youth hunters in this section called The Future of Fair Chase. Many of these stories are plucked straight from the pages of our 32nd Big Game Awards Book. Other stories have been submitted by young hunters, who are rightfully proud of their achievement. If you are a young hunter or know a young hunter who might like to submit a story, please email it to editor@boone-crockett.org.