At the bark of the gun, the bull moose flinched, staggered, and began to turn away from me. His large paddles made small circles in the air as he questioned his ability to stand on four legs. I chambered my second round, and as I slowly exhaled while gently squeezing the trigger, the bull collapsed and fell to the ground. My eyes watered in the cold, 30 mile per hour wind, and as evening approached, I knew it was going to be a long night. Thankfully, I had talked my friend and fellow hunting guide, Nate, into helping me on my moose hunt. Boy, was he in for a surprise!
Nate and I guide for my parents’ outfitting business. Our hunters had tagged out early, so we jumped in my truck and drove the four hours to Eastern Idaho where the majority of Idaho’s moose population is still intact. The four trips scouting and hunting the area had paid off, but a sad euphoria fell over me as I began to walk towards my downed trophy. My days of hunting trophy species in Idaho were done, and what should have taken three lifetimes took only six years. I drew a mountain goat tag at the age of 13, a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep tag at the age of 14, a California bighorn sheep tag at the age of 16, and now a Shiras moose tag at the age of 18. I thought I must be the luckiest person alive. In fact, the only person I know who can draw a tag faster than me is my little brother. He has drawn antelope, elk, moose, and Rocky Mountain bighorn. What are the odds? Well, they are getting tougher. Of the 7.8 billion people in the world, it feels like half of them want to move to Idaho. Couple that with Idaho Fish and Game’s declining trophy species tags and a hunter’s chances of drawing a trophy tag keep diminishing.
In the late 1980s, Idaho sold just over 200 sheep tags, and they now sell about 80. About the time I was born, Idaho offered over 1,200 moose tags. They now sell about 600. Almost all cow moose tags were eliminated this year. The decline in moose numbers seems to correlate with the introduction of wolves. In the wilderness areas where wolves are the hardest to control, moose populations have taken a nosedive. Even though this seems elementary on the surface, Idaho Fish and Game has chosen to look elsewhere for the problems. The latest moose plan adopted by the Fish and Game commission lists habitat, noxious weeds, global warming, and winter ticks as culprits causing the moose decline. I’m sure they will spend copious amounts of money to study these effects, but I do question what they will do with the answers.
How did I draw four tags in a six-year period? What is the secret? I’ll tell you. The simple answer is I have been blessed. Just like everyone reading this, I have been blessed to even be born. Out of the 7.8 billion people in the world, I have been blessed to be a part of the 330 million who live in the United States. With this citizenship comes fairly liberal gun laws that grant me the right to hunt, fish, and recreate in any state that my time and checkbook allow. I have been blessed with a great family who exposed me to hunting from the time I was born. My mom and dad own Mile High Outfitters, and I learned to work hard. If you wanted a drink of water, you packed it from the spring. If you wanted to stay warm, you hauled wood. If you wanted to hunt, you climbed mountains. I have been blessed to work for an amazing registered guide in Alaska named Lance Kronberger. He and his crew have allowed me to help guide for Dall sheep and mountain goat. Lance, his wife, Nikki, and their two children hold a special place in my heart. I was also blessed to have amazing coaches and teachers throughout my junior high and high school years. They helped instill a work ethic and gave me time off to go on these once-in-a-lifetime hunts. Even though I have graduated, they are still just a phone call away. Most of all, I have been blessed with health and determination to make my own future.
When you add it all up, Idaho trophy species tags are a wonderful addition, but they are a decimal point in a fraction of what I should be thankful for. If you are reading this article, chances are you have also been blessed. Take time to give thanks for what you already have.
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