Hunting Stories

His Royal ........
 

By Jim Autrey I shiver when the thought crosses my mind! There are few things in life that can bring a feeling of such exhilaration as the thought of one of these Royal creatures. I have hunted a lot and met a lot of hunters but nothing stirs the emotions of the average hunter like the visions of themselves hunting elk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is it the country?  There is no doubt that the elk herds of North America inhabit some of the prettiest county in the world.  Now, that is the opinion of a man who loves elk country and the very thought of elk.  The question is, what causes such a stir of emotions?  Is it the elk themselves?  You have to admire any animal that can run full speed almost straight up at the altitudes that many of these creatures inhabit.  Running through trees so close together that they keep an old flat lander like myself from falling down the mountain.  These creatures are majestic in every aspect of my thinking.  But, what really causes the stir???  When you live in Texas or many other states, could it be the thought of the wilderness and getting back to nature?  These creatures, for the most part live in remote areas, unspoiled and natural.  Is it the fact that these critters offer a mental and physical challenge?  That many of us feel, we need to experience in order to be an accomplished hunter.  Is it....what?  You may know, but I don't know that I will every understand why elk can stir such a primitive emotion, causing the hair to stand up on the back of your neck, just seeing a shoulder mount of one of these great creatures at a hunting show. I have had the opportunity to see a lot of elk mounts in the last few weeks, while attending the SHOT show and The Dallas Safari Club's Hunters Expo.  In these shows you not only get to experience the feeling yourself, but you have the opportunity to witness others observing in amazement the beauty and size of the preserved specimens of these wild and majestic animals we call......elk. So, the next time you need a little adrenaline rush, think about, look at a picture or better yet, go see one of the greatest of all game animals the ELK.