Guest Posts Archives - Smith and Edwards Blog

Lauren Clark wrote in with her Summer Adventure:

Adventure is in the eye of the beholder. There are many adventures around every corner. An adventure can be as simple as a picnic with the family, to something more complex, such as a vacation or a new living location. We can choose whether what we are going through is an “adventure” or something else.

This summer, my adventure included spending time with my family while in Oregon USA. We were able to go on a family trip for the first time in 3 or 4 years. It was great to reminisce about old times and build new memories together. We were able to see some beautiful sights and enjoy the surroundings of nature.

We were able to go zip lining.

I loved walking along the beach for miles and miles. It was amazing to see the vibrant green color, and the enormous size of the Redwood Trees.

The highlight of this adventure was finally being able to see Crater Lake. It was a beautiful sight that will not soon be forgotten.

Everything from seeing these beautiful sights, to having our car overheat and the AC not work, made this trip the perfect Summer Adventure.

This Oregon adventure was a well timed event, because just as life seemed to be getting settled, it threw us another adventure.

No matter where life takes us, we have to embrace the adventure. I am so happy that I got this time with my family and was able to make those memories that will last a lifetime.

Thanks to Paul Rochell for sharing this awesome tale.

This is my second bull elk, the first was a general season elk tag. This 6X6 bull was a limited entry Manti tag that took fifteen long years to draw.

After several trips this summer scouting for elk, my cousin found this bull two days before the hunt opened and was able to video the bull with his phone skope.

Opening morning me and several of my family (Wife, 2 sons, grandson, brother, 5 cousins, uncle, and 2 aunts) surrounded the canyon the bull was spotted in trying to get another look. My brother spotted the elk, but by the time I got to him, he slipped into the pines. Later that evening, my son Jory and his family watched the canyon to make sure the elk stayed there and that nobody else was after him. In the meantime, me and the rest of the family were checking several other canyons looking for other elk we had seen during the summer.

After returning to camp that evening, we sat around compared pictures and decided this bull was well worth taking. The next morning we all set up around the canyon in search of this bull. With no luck spotting him, we knew he was still there from his distinct bugle. So rather than trying to sneak in on him, I decided it would be best to wait until evening.

Early that afternoon myself and all of my family surrounded the canyon again. A short time later my cousin Markus had the elk in his sights, so I quickly moved into position. After a few bugles the elk walked into a small opening and presented me with a shot. But after the first shot, the elk quickly disappeared.

At this time we were not sure if I had hit the elk. A short time later (which felt like hours) the cows walked back into the same clearing… followed by the bull.

The second shot was definitely successful. When the bull hit the ground, we quickly followed up with yelling and screaming of happiness. This indicated to the rest of the family scattered around the canyon that the bull was down.

This hunt was the greatest hunt of my life due to the fact of my wife, sons, grandson, and the rest of my family were there to be a part of it.

I carry some good memories of this hunting area because it was also the same limited entry unit that my dad waited 14 yrs to draw at 75 years old. I was fortunate enough to join him on his successful lifetime bull elk hunt in 2011 a couple years before he passed away in 2014, and I’m sure he was cheering along with the rest of the family.