Hard Work and Patience Pay Off

No matter where your adventures take you, there are two things every hunter can do to increase their chances of success. Hunters who are willing to work hard and stay patient, even after several grueling days of hunting, will ultimately enjoy a more rewarding experience.

It Begins With Hard Work

This brings to mind a particular story. It was a wilderness elk hunt, guided by my friend and excellent elk-hunting guide, Bob Terwilliger. Bob and his client, Darnell, had put in four hard days of September hunting when the daylight hours are especially long. They were into elk every day that week, but had no shot opportunities.

As high country hunting goes, they dealt with constantly shifting winds. Darnell had been close to a couple of bulls but had to back out each time because of changes in wind direction. They played cat and mouse games for four days but never got within range. Long hikes and long horseback rides were standard each day.

Despite it all, Darnell kept his motivation and willingness to do what it took. On the morning of the fifth day they made another long ride and put in some difficult hiking. Bob had them into the elk, but once again they were unable to get a shot opportunity. Near the end of the morning, they attempted one last bugle and were thrilled to hear a response from the dark timber about 300 yards away.

They closed the distance and moved into position. Bob bugled again and received an immediate response. They had a bull moving in, and were excited that their work might finally be paying off.

Patience Closes The Deal

Hard work is only half of this story. Just as they got set up, the bull went totally silent. After four days of working for a shot opportunity, this is when many hunters might lose patience and make a mistake. Bob set up about 35 yards behind Darnell, gave a couple of soft cow calls and broke a few sticks. Still, there was no response. Bob put away the calls and the timber was still.

This went on for more than 15 minutes with no sound from the bull. Yet Darnell kept his cool and didn’t move a muscle. His patience paid off. Like a ghost emerging from behind a tree, suddenly an antler was visible and then the elk stepped into the clearing.

Darnell was tempted to shoot but the bull was quartering toward him, not offering a shot. With the bull facing him, it would have been dangerous to draw without being seen.

Eventually the elk became suspicious and turned to leave, quartering away from Darnell. When the elk’s head was behind a tree, Darnell drew his bow. As soon as the elk stepped out on the other side, he let him have it.

During those long, silent minutes, it was difficult to remain perfectly still. When the elk finally appeared, it took an incredible amount of patience to wait for a good shot opportunity to unfold. Darnell’s patience was rewarded with a nice, five-point bull.

For many of us, getting up early on those first couple days and putting in the work it takes to pursue game in rugged country is an enjoyable chore. Yet after the third and even fourth day, many hunters begin to wear down. It becomes hard to motivate yourself to make those long hikes or rides. Even worse, hunters often begin to lose patience, losing shot opportunities because of movement or hasty decisions at the wrong time.

In addition to good physical conditioning and proficiency with their weapon, hunters must also come equipped with a tough mental attitude. By the end of a long hunt, staying alert and ready might be more difficult that you think. If you can hunt as hard and stay as patient on the last day as you did on the first, you’ll be taking a long stride toward success.