Columbia Falls youth’s hunting story chosen by governor

Editor’s note: The following story was one of several chosen by Gov. Greg Gianforte in this year’s youth hunting story contest.

Planning to go out in the wilderness I go to bed at 9 p.m. Opening day of archery, I wake up at three in the morning. When archery hunting, daylight earlier so three was an easy morning. After double checking all my gear, my mom drives as close as we can get to our hunting spot. I start a hard hike.

It’s steep, as I go several miles in the dark. Staying alert I look around, and I see two does flagging. About a half mile to my spot, I hear a big pack of wolves howling. It sounds as if they are where I am supposed to be. I am half frightened as the howls float in the tree stand. The excitement is still there so I keep moving. I arrive and begin preparing to go up into my tree stand. Something close by crashes and I see a flash of fur running away, I think to myself, probably those wolves.

 It’s about five in the morning as the darkness was still settled in. I pull my bow out and hang it on the tree next to me. I drift off to sleep. I wake up with the light. A Bambi is sixty yards away. I think, “If only it was a huge five by five!!” I sit in the tree stand for a couple hours. Seeing nothing more, I decide to climb down reaching the base of tree, I hear a strange fizzing sound. Moments later my face is on fire, as I realize my bear spray has sprung a hole! I quickly dump my water bottle in my hands and wipe my face of the horrible pain. I start hiking to my mom and sister.

 I arrive and they are so proud of how I handled the situation. We decide to hunt slowly back to the truck because it is just slightly irritated now. To my disappointment I do not see anything. It’s starting to get late but we know there is one more field on the way down. What feels like forever we get to the field. I edge into it and see a whitetail doe. I range my distance, draw back my bow, breathe out and fire. I see the doe run a little. I am shaking with excitement. The wait feels like forever but then it is time.

 I carefully approach my downed game. Seeing my success I am thankful. I cut my tag and I start gutting my doe. They help me drag it down the trail to the truck. The opening day of archery was a success, even though my eyes still sting and my hands tingle from the bear spray. I am alert when it comes time to hang and skin. 

With the help of my family it goes quickly and they take me home. I curl up in my blankets, after showering that sting away, and slowly drift off to the thrill of my shot hitting the deer.