From an anonymous friend of Karson:
First I will start this post with a message. Warriors come in many forms and Karson is undoubtedly in this category. It was an absolute honor to share the woods and water with Karson and family. Karson is an extremely well mannered and well mentored outdoorsman. I will do my best to take those interested on a small journey that several of us were very blessed to have shared with Karson and family.
This is a summary of several trips condensed but what would be classified as a fishing and hunting vs catching and harvesting. Add to this an extreme dose of tough beyond any reasonable expectations. This kid is a stud and has an amazing family support system.
We will start with the fishing which not to be a spoiler, but it ended without a salmon boated. The fishing was sandwiched into one of the hunting trips. It was a memory maker on one of the most scenic stretches of wild water there is. I truly believe outdoor therapy is both physical and spiritual. This trip was great with silvers jumping throughout but they seemed to have lockjaw to our best offerings. As we navigated the rugged portions of the river our sled pilot showed tremendous expertise. Karson and his dad's eyes were quite large as we passed river rock covered by mere inches of water at 30 plus mph with ease; if you have not experienced this it's quite a rush and seldom "normal". In our adventure we did hook a huge native king with magnificent color but after Karson's epic battle, the net guy (me) managed to turn a fish into a fish story with one poorly placed net attempt. Frustrating but memorable...
Now to the hunt.
We were constricted by several factors but one of the goals was to hear bugling bulls. Working around elk movements, work schedules, medical appointments and several hundred miles of separation we developed a loose plan to attempt.
Trip one- Blinds were placed and elk were in the area however they seemed to go quiet for the first evening. Just as darkness descended, we were able to catch a glimpse of a couple cows and what we think was a spike and smaller raghorn. Morning came and the elk were already in transit to their bedding area with many elk sounds but no aggressive bugling. During the day Karson was catching up on school work, home life and trying to get some rest. The evening came with the first confirmation of bugling bulls. The elk showed just before dark with several bulls that would have been in serious trouble if they were to cross the property line that we needed. Instead they decided to torment us with various displays. The next day was a rinse, repeat with lots of action but no opportunity. We all agreed that hunts happen the way they happen and were very encouraged.
Trip two, this is where scouting is supposed to pay off and all stars seemed to begin to align. I watched several bulls along with many cows exactly where we needed them. I made the call and trip two was underway. The plan was to get into position early and hope for the best. We actually had called in reinforcements due to an abundance of confidence.
I felt like this was the day! We got there early very near where I had put the herd to bed the night before. And........ nothing, and I mean nothing! We scouted a couple different areas and things did not look optimal. Not to belabor the details and accepting that things happen for reasons we agreed that there was a low likelihood of success. With this development the hunt was postponed.
Trip three-
Trip three started with a lot of confidence as elk were scattered throughout the area we were in. We started out amongst a chorus of bugling bulls! I with great confidence decided to move ahead to assess the situation. With a final rise between us and paydirt I approached with great caution only to be busted by a branch bull on the same rise I was on. Now with several minutes before shooting light and elk ahead of us as well as behind us my heart was sinking as we all realized that we (I) had been busted. Although the next hunts continued to provide plenty of bugles, the stars didn't align. At this point there was acknowledgment that it was not if but when this young man would find success. Karson and dad made the long trip home with many memories made. Optimism and determination are an understatement at this point.
Trip four-
This summary will be unapologetically short! Karson arrived fresh off of a medical treatment earlier in the day. It was mid afternoon and we decided to scout a little in preparation for the evening. We went over the same rise where I was so unceremoniously busted earlier and instantly spotted antlers! We dropped back and drew up a quick plan. We moved into position with stealth. We looked and there were two big bulls. Karson sized them up and settled in on the larger of the two. A couple of shots rang out with the speed of a semi auto (Karson shoots a bolt gun) and the elk disappeared into the thick brush. There were a few tense moments of uncertainty as we did not locate blood right away. A short tracking job later Karson approached the downed bull from behind however a finishing shot was not needed as his initial shot devastated the vitals providing a quick end.
In closing I will extend a sincere thank you to Karson and family for allowing me to share the journey with them. Karson is the type of young man that has limitless potential and has already changed the world and will continue to do so.
Friend of Karson.
