It’s just before dawn on a crisp archery elk season morning. I’m cuddled in a perfect spot on a downed tree with a bush hiding me from behind but still allowing a view all around me. The frost covers the leaves and bushes and the darkness is being taken over by the first fingers of light.
Kim is tucked in at the base of a tree about forty yards behind me but still within view with a slight turn of my head to the right. He has a vast downhill view and I have the uphill view to the crest of the hill. This is the favorite spot of ours as it’s along the path of the elk between a large bedding area just over the crest of the hill and the water down below.
So far the morning has been silent save for the flitter of the birds waking and the chipmunks emerging from their beds. Off to the right down the hill I hear a snap and I turn a bit to glass the hill for the source, a surge of excitement running through my veins. I hear another break of a branch and finally find the culprit making his way diagonally up the hill below us. A hunter in camo, bow in hand, taking a few steps, stopping, glassing and moving on. My excitement turns to frustration.
I glance at Kim and he too is watching our visitor. Funny how protective you become of an area, and how little you want to share. I continue to watch him ascend toward Kim and soon he is close enough that I think for sure he’s heading up to talk to him.
The man takes another few steps and closes the distance to Kim; stopping right at the base of the tree Kim is sitting at. He stops right in front of Kim. One more inch and he would have stepped on Kim’s foot. I thought they would start talking, but the guy just looked to the distance, trying to spot an elk and determine the path he’ll take.
In that instant I saw the guy jump back, look down and I heard his soft swear as he grabbed his head in surprise. I couldn’t help but let out a laugh. He didn’t know! He had come up to Kim’s toes and not seen him at all! Of all the trees he could have stopped at he ended up at one with a hunter at its base! I couldn’t believe what I was seeing!
Eventually the man moved on and I couldn’t wait to hear the story! Apparently when he stopped at Kim’s feet and looked in the distance, Kim softly said “tough climb, huh?” And the guy about pooped his britches! After he caught his breath and saw Kim finally, he said “wow, that’s good camo!”
Archery and Camo 