October is Hunting Season!
Written By: Sarah Reish
Hunting season has arrived and we wanted to highlight the amazing hunting and hunters we have here in Wyoming. We got in touch with our friend, Christine, and asked her to share her journey into the world of hunting. Be sure to check out the video of Christine taking her son hunting after reading this article!
Photo Credit: Jess DeLorenzo
LW: “Did you grow up hunting or is that something you started doing later in life?”
Christine: “I was raised in the Southeast and I spent most of my childhood just fishing bass and bream. I knew many friends and family who hunted but I never really took an interest in it until I moved to Wyoming.”
LW: “Who taught you and why did you choose to learn? Can you share a little about when you learned?”
Christine: “Knowing really nothing about Western big game other than Whitetail I took a job with Eastmans' Hunting Journals roughly 10 years ago. I was in graphic design when I started working there and although I may have known a good amount about design, they taught me about the world of hunting. I was in an environment that focused on every detail of hunting and just by default I learned about it. At work they took us out to target shoot rifles, practice with compound bows and photograph hunts. Eventually I thought I might just know enough to try this out on my own and so I spent time at the range and decided to go out into the field. I quickly learned that reading about hunting and going out in the field is quite a different experience.”
LW: “Which do you prefer, rifle or bow hunting?”
Christine: “This is the first year I'm really giving bow hunting a go. I have had a recurve for several years but only used it for target practice. I recently got in touch with a local trad bowhunter in Cody who helped set me up with a new recurve that I am using this season. Since I've never actually successfully harvested an animal with my bow I really can't make that comparison; however if that day ever comes I would imagine that it would be very rewarding!”
LW: When learning to hunt or when you first started out, did you feel insecure or unsure of yourself? How did you overcome this?
Christine: “Oh heck yes, and still do! There's so much involved in harvesting an animal that it can feel overwhelming. Am I going to place a good shot? What if the animal runs and I can't find it? Am I going to be able to successfully gut it? That's just the start of all the nonsense that runs through my head. I think for me it was telling myself not to take any shot I don't feel comfortable with that helped me overcome those feelings.”
LW: “What is your favorite season? (Elk, moose, antelope et cetera)”
Christine: “Elk! They're challenging but can just surprise you out of nowhere! I never get used to hearing an elk bugle, it's the most amazing sound. I have also enjoyed taking my kids antelope hunting. They're out during the day in fields so it has been a good way to introduce them to hunting.”
LW: “Do you process your kills for food?”
Christine: “Definitely! That's the main reason I hunt. I remember the first time I sat at the dinner table and watched my kids eat meat from an animal I had harvested. Here's an animal that gave its life to feed my kids. And although in America we have an abundance of food at our fingertips, there's something more meaningful about bringing dinner to the table yourself. I think it's important for my children to realize where their food comes from too. I have them participate in dressing the animals, processing the meat, and cooking it. They love it and it has become some of our favorite memories.”
Photo Credit: Jess DeLorenzo
LW: “Do you have a favorite meat and what is your favorite wild game recipe?”
Christine: Axis deer is by far the best game meat I've ever tasted. You can cut the meat into steaks, salt and pepper it, sear it in butter and it tastes amazing. It's unlike a lot of game meat that requires hours of marinating and cutting it with other kinds of meat in order for it to taste ok. When comparing deer I do prefer Whitetail over mule deer, but growing up in the south may play a part in that. My mom always used to make "chipped beef and gravy on toast" or "shit on a shingle" and this recipe from Meateater is one of my favs https://www.themeateater.com/cook/recipes/venison-shit-on-a-shingle-recipe. She would also make what we called "hurricane steak" because during a power outage after Hurricane Fran we had to make use of all the venison that was going to go bad in the freezer so she took strips of meat and marinated them in soy, teriyaki, vinegar and brown sugar and pepper. She'd cook the meat with a healthy helping of ramen noodles and it was one of my favorite dishes ever.”
LW: “Can you share your favorite hunting story with us?”
Christine: “I think my favorite hunting story has to be my first elk. I was hunting them for 2 weeks and had really no faith left. These animals are huge and I knew they were around me but I never even caught a glimpse! I also felt in over my head with this enormous animal, only ever having hunted deer. I can recall every detail of this hunt like it was yesterday, including how I felt. I had found where they had been bedding and instead of racing around trying to find them like a madwoman I decided to stay put where I thought they would return. I remember sitting in the dirt behind a tree for hours; playing in the dirt, listening to every little startling sound in those trees and then finally I heard branches breaking under something big! Then I saw him. A large old red 6x6 bull just slowly returning from his day. My heart went into hyper mode where all I could hear and feel was every beat. I got on my knee with my rifle and had him in my sight about 95 yards from me. I was shaky and remember squeezing the trigger and almost firing and then my brain kicked in and said "It doesn't see you, take your time, make a clean shot". I exhaled deeply and gathered myself as he was still slowly making his way through the trees. I saw that he was walking slowly to my right so I aimed my sight slightly in front of his path and told myself "ok when the back of his shoulder lines up with my sight, then squeeze". He went down pretty easily and put another round in him. He was laying still and I just remember thinking, "Ok now what? Do I go up to him, should I wait?" I was alone and this animal was huge. What felt like a whole year of looking at him, I finally went up to him. I had a rush of very mixed emotions but that's a hunt I'll never forget.”
LW: “What tips or advice do you have for someone wanting to learn to hunt?”
Christine: “Learn your weapon until it feels like an extension of yourself. You don't want to be out in the field worrying about how to operate your weapon. There are so many other things that are going on that will be your focus. 2. Start small. See how it feels to kill something. I don't think there's anything wrong with people who don't want to hunt or people who do, but I think it's a good idea to know how you feel about it. 3. Practice racking a second round as quickly as possible. It was so unnatural to get in that mind set, but it's very important to make sure you do everything you can to make sure the animal doesn't suffer a slow death. 4. Lastly, nothing ever goes as planned; expect the unexpected. I've lucked out and harvested animals within the first day and then I've gone on week long hunts and don't see anything.”
Photo Credit: Jess DeLorenzo
LW: “What tips or advice do you have for someone wanting to learn to hunt?”
Christine: “Learn your weapon until it feels like an extension of yourself. You don't want to be out in the field worrying about how to operate your weapon. There are so many other things that are going on that will be your focus. 2. Start small. See how it feels to kill something. I don't think there's anything wrong with people who don't want to hunt or people who do, but I think it's a good idea to know how you feel about it. 3. Practice racking a second round as quickly as possible. It was so unnatural to get in that mind set, but it's very important to make sure you do everything you can to make sure the animal doesn't suffer a slow death. 4. Lastly, nothing ever goes as planned; expect the unexpected. I've lucked out and harvested animals within the first day and then I've gone on week long hunts and don't see anything.”
LW: “What are some pro tips you can share for our avid hunters?”
Christine: “I’m definitely not a pro (haha) but I can say that having the proper camp gear and clothing can make all the difference. There's a reason they make clothing "systems" and out here in Wyoming every layer matters! Bring an extra pair of socks even if you're just going for a day. Always carry bear protection or another gun. Having encountered a few bears on hunts quickly makes you realize that carrying that extra protection is worth the weight.”
LW: “What are your top gear picks for hunting and why do you love them?”
Christine: “In cold weather my balaclava is my most loved piece of attire. I have a Kimber mountain ascent and I hunt without a sling because it's so light. I wear Sealskinz socks that are completely waterproof. You can stand in a bathtub of water with them and the water doesn't penetrate at all. I also love my Outdoor Edge replaceable blade knife. Fur and skin dull knives so quickly and it's nice to instantly have a new sharp blade.”
I never saw myself as someone who would enjoy hunting but it's so much more than what people visualize. Just as in every sport, there are people who don't respect the hunt, but most of the hunters I've encountered in Wyoming are very conscientious and sincere. It's never a good feeling to take something's life, but when you have gratitude for the animal and recognize that it has given its life for yours, hunting becomes much more than the game that it is perceived as. It's a tradition of people and a way of life.”
Thank you so much, Christine, for taking the time to share with us! We wish you happy hunting this season and can’t wait to hear how it goes!
If you are hunting this year, be sure to share you hunting photos with us on social media and tag us @LiveWYldMag and use #LiveWYld