As I rolled across the broad valleys of west-central Montana, a warm-fuzzy feeling began to flood over me. It was early September, a new bow season was upon me and I was about to spend a good deal of time in wild places. With a tag in my pocket that allowed for an elk, a deer, small game and fishing, I was "loaded for bear." The next few weeks were going to be an excellent adventure!

West-central Montana is a beautiful landscape, rich in scenery and big game. This is a bowhunter's paradise!

During the 1,500-mile drive from my home in Oklahoma, dreams of big-antlered elk had constantly floated through my head. Being an elk junkie from way back, I was very excited about the prospects the "Big Sky" state offered. I knew I'd be in some game-rich areas -- the rest would be up to me. As always, it would be in meeting the challenges of a classic "self" hunt that I would find true success. Whether the hunt ended in tag soup or meat for my family, I would come out of the experience a much richer man. Memories for a lifetime lay straight ahead. Adrenaline and testosterone flowed through my veins.

Could a guy be more alive?

Surprise Start
As I rolled through foothill valleys, I was "winging it." Having failed to put together much of a game plan during my pre-trip research, I found myself relying on an approach that I'd used on many previous outings -- simply get there, find good-looking country, then hit the ground running. Wondering at the naivety of my approach, I nevertheless found great solace in the simple-mindedness of the entire idea. Hey, whatever will be, will be!

Since my primary focus was on elk, I headed toward the national forest ground that blanketed a nearby mountain range. As I wound along a road that closely followed a creek drainage, I couldn't help but notice the gorgeous game habitat that surrounded me.

Lush alfalfa fields dotted the river bottom, while oak brush and aspen thickets covered the surrounding hillsides. Brush-choked ravines intersected the landscape at regular intervals. From research, I knew most of this country was privately owned and harbored tremendous populations of both deer and elk. My plan was to set up a base camp inside the forest boundary then pack into some of the more inaccessible areas of public ground that sat directly above the premium private ground. Surely this would lead to some good elk action, wouldn't it? I couldn't wait to find out.

When I passed the national forest boundary sign, I began to look for a secluded spot to camp. Turning onto a rough, two-track road, I soon found myself in a perfect location.

There was ample grass and water for my mule nearby and a nice, flat spot for my camp.

In less than an hour, I'd set up housekeeping and my mind began to fill with wanderlust.

With a few hours of daylight remaining, I decided to get in my truck and go for a look-see. Heading back to the main road, I rolled slowly along, sipping on a cold soda, soaking up life to the utmost.