Thirteen years ago, my wife, Kresta, and I brought our frstborn son home from the hospital. Brodie was born November 10, 2004 at the U of U Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was two and a half months early and weighed a whopping 1 lb. 11 oz. I will never forget that tiny, E.T.-looking baby the doctor delivered by C-section and handed to the nurse that early November morning. It had been quite a ride the previous 36 hours since our doctor had told us something was wrong and we needed to get to Salt Lake City. Needless to say, the ride had actually just begun.
Today, Brodie is a healthy, smart aleck, know-it-all teenager who has a love and passion for life that makes this world a little better. He has had a few setbacks and surgeries due to being born premature, but he has never let them keep him down. One instance is last August when we were scheduling Brodie’s leg surgery and the hospital wanted to do it in September. Brodie looked right at the doctor and said, “That’s hunting season. We are going to have to reschedule.” He ended up having the surgery in November.
Having this young man in my life has shown me just how precious our time on this earth is. I try to make the most of every day and every opportunity given. As a wise man (or maybe an old cowboy) once said, “Live today to the fullest for tomorrow is guaranteed to no man.” I would like to encourage everyone to go do the things you love to do with the people you love to do them with.
I talk with Huntin’ Fool members all the time who want to go on an elk, a deer, or even an antelope hunt but say they can’t draw a tag. That is a common theme for all of us hunters, being unsuccessful in the draw. However, there are some great opportunities out there that you can take advantage of while you’re waiting to draw that coveted tag. For example, landowner tags are available in several states, such as Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. You can purchase vouchers for a variety of species. The prices vary depending on unit and the trophy potential of the area. Colorado is a great state to look at when considering a landowner tag. Elk, antelope, and deer vouchers are available for purchase across the entire state. The go-to state for elk landowner tags is New Mexico. With several hundred tags allocated to landowners every year, there are tons of opportunities to hunt elk. Utah and Nevada both have great landowner tag options as well, but due to limited numbers and trophy quality animals, these tags can be more expensive.
Over-the-counter tags are a good option in several states. These hunts can be a little more challenging with high hunter numbers and rougher terrain. However, they are inexpensive and if you are willing to put in the extra effort you can beat the crowds and be successful. The point I am trying to get across is that there are other options out there when that “Unsuccessful” monster rears its ugly head. Give our office a call at 435- 865-1020 if you are interested in obtaining a landowner tag or an over-the-counter tag. Brodie and I will be taking advantage of some of these hunts, and we hope to see you on the mountain!
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