A Week of Hunting

Hunting! What a great week. For all of you that don't know, my siblings Hannah, Molly, Kurt, and I were all drawn for Branch Bull tags this year. I got the happy news while I was in Europe, and we have all been anxiously awaiting October 20 since then. We went up last Sunday(dad and Tim went up on Thursday to set up camp) and got all ready to start hunting on Monday. There were six of us in total, the four hunters and the two guides, my dad and brother Tim. We hunted all this week. Although I haven't brought home an animal yet, it has been one of the most fun weeks. I will admit that I was a little afraid to spend so much time alone, crammed into two little tents, with five other people, but we had a fantastic time. We got up every morning at 5:30, ate breakfast, and started walking. Some of us had farther to walk then others, but we all saw lots of incredible views, and lots of elk. Every morning this week I've watched the sunrise while sitting on the edge of a cliff looking for elk. It was so much fun.

I have all of next week to hunt as well, but my chance of seeing a bull could drop excessively since all the regular season spike hunters will be roaming around my mountains looking for a spike(a spike is a young bull with only one horn on either side, for all you non-hunter types). I don't know if I'll see a bull, but I haven't given up yet.

I took lots of pictures, and here are a few for you to enjoy.

This was the view I had every morning this week. I'm not sure that pictures really do it justice.

Kurt and I hunting right before sunset.

My view of Mt. Rainier

Brian and I


Believe it or not this picture and the one right below were taken approx. 1 hour apart.....the weather can change really quickly.

Before the storm blew in.

(*note* when sitting on the edge of a cliff for hours and hours it can get boring, and taking pictures of your shoes becomes common place. I have so many....but I'll spare you. I'm not the only one either, my sister Hannah has quite a few of her boots as well.)

Kurt packing out his bull.

All the boys walking home after the long, but successful, hunt.

All the girls

Tim looking for elk for me to shoot.