The Best Season

Bob Cummings
Oregon, 2008, DIY, Public Land 

Normally, I wait until June to start my exercise routine, but this year was different – I had drawn bull elk and antelope tags in Oregon. I knew I would need to be prepared for my two special hunts, so I began riding my mountain bike earlier and longer everyday. Thinking of cool fall days, smoke from tamarack campfires, and damp pine smells of elk camp helped spur me on.

After 13 years of applying for an antelope tag, I was anxious to get to the desert. Warren, my hunting buddy of over 40 years, and I saw several mature bucks on opening morning. I was beside myself with anticipation; this hunt had been a long time coming. That afternoon we spotted a dandy buck with his does, and just that fast, I had taken my f irst antelope.

With that hunt done, we were anxious to get to the elk hunt. We left at 3 a.m. and reached our destination ten hours later. It was a closed road area, which makes for some great hunting.

We set up the wall tent giddy with anticipation. With the lantern making that hissing sound and the stew cooking on the Coleman stove, we were finally really at elk camp.

For a full account of Bob's adventure, go to page 52 in the June/July 2010 issue of Eastmans' Hunting Journal.