The Hunt | Teen Ink

The Hunt

May 22, 2021
By SamMollet03 BRONZE, Jefferson, South Dakota
SamMollet03 BRONZE, Jefferson, South Dakota
4 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Bradley David is an amazing hunter and fisher who loves to be outdoors whether it be with his family or alone. He has hunted everything that can be hunted in the United States from big game to squirrels. Brad has also cooked and eaten all these types of creatures. Now Brad was doing CrossFit to prepare for his next big hunt. He has hunted elk before and is no stranger to the adrenaline rush you get while you are hunting. Elk are giant deer-like creatures that are as large if not larger than a horse. Brad was trying to get in shape to make the hunt a little bit easier because you are constantly hiking and climbing through the hills and mountains. Brad thought about how last time he was elk hunting he thought he saw a piebald elk. Piebald is like albinoism except only the fur is white. 

“Hey Brad mind if I join in on your cardio?” asked John, Brad’s good friend, and hunting partner.

“Sure I’m just riding the bikes for about 45 minutes,” Brad replied.

“Yeah, you would have to run from the wolves if you got lost, huh.” They both chuckled and continued training.

Brad thought to himself what would happen if he did get lost. He lodged the thought out of his head and thought about the piebald elk.

After a month of training, it was finally time to drive to Wisconsin with John and meet the guide at the campground. The drive went by quickly because they were having good conversations about politics and good places to fish. Brad was in really good shape and was ready to take on the rough terrain and shoot a nice elk. Once Brad and John got to the campground, they met Jacob, their guide, for the next week. He would take them through the mountains and find the best spots to take a shot at a good-sized elk. Jacob let them through the woods and up a steep slope. 

“Have you ever fallen down a slope?” John asked the guide out of breath.

“I hope you guys are in well enough shape to keep up with me.” John realized he changed the subject so he just kept quiet. I wonder how well he knows these lands and if he could get back to the camp if he was lost, or if he could even get lost. Brad quietly thought to himself as the three men reached the top of the slope where they could see a far way out into the beautiful land. Brad and John stopped for a moment to take in the view and to catch their breath. The guide retied his shoe and they all kept going. They were walking across the top of the hill which was still covered in trees. They got to a clearing and Jacob stopped them. 

“Look out to the left,” he whispered. Brad and John looked out and saw about ten elk grazing on the tall grass. The elk were so majestic and beautiful, Brad was so excited. None of them were male, however, and it was getting dark so they started heading back to camp. 

“It’s all downhill from here John,” Jacob said with a smile. They all laughed and continued. Once they safely got back to camp they grilled some burgers and bacon on a skillet over an open fire. Once they finished eating and cleaned up, they all went to bed. 

Brad and John slept in cabin 5, while Jacob went to the house that all the guides stayed at. John was a very bad snorer. When he snored it sounded like the trumpeting of an elephant, mixed with the horrifying and mysterious screech of an arctic fox. Brad started laughing when he started to snore really loud. Eventually, Brad got annoyed with the snoring and he went to an empty cabin and slept in a sleeping bag on the floor so he didn’t mess up the neatly folded beds. The next morning Brad woke up to the smell of eggs and bacon, he got up and instantly fell to the ground. He made a strange grunt and put both his hands on his back. He stretched and went outside and greeted everyone who was all going on separate hunts. He found John and Jacob sitting next to a fire. They all ate breakfast and got their bags packed and put on their hunting clothes. Brad slung his 300 Winchester over his shoulder and followed Jacob and John to the trail. They went the same route as yesterday, so brad and John were somewhat familiar with it. They came up to the same clearing in the open woods. Jacob told them that the elk would be coming again to this spot, so they all sat in the tall grass and waited. They were all quiet as to not scare away any elk that came up the slope. Once she observed the area and sniffed the air she bounded the rest of the way up to a patch of grass and started grazing. Once the rest of the elk saw her comfortable they all followed up and started grazing as well. They sat for a little longer until they heard the call of a male elk. Jacob told Brad to get his rifle ready to shoot. 

“I can tell he’s mature,” whispered Jacob, “his call is super deep.” Brad nodded his head and was aiming in the direction that the call came from. They saw the elk’s giant antlers and then saw its thick neck and head, then they saw the rest of its body. It was the piebald elk. Brad cursed under his breath and he looked through his scope at the elk. The elk was so beautiful and everyone’s jaws dropped. Brad took the shot and dropped it on the spot, And Brad started crying with pure excitement and joy. Brad was the 6th hunter to ever shoot a piebald elk.


The author's comments:

Hunter Bradley David is on a big hunt looking for a piebald elk


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