Sporting Trophy: A Young Hunter Hangs Her First Pair of Antlers

Charli, Where Did the Hunt Take Place?

Southwest Montana. I don't think my dad or Vinny will let me say exactly where! I am a resident of Montana and bought a general deer and elk hunting license after taking the hunters' education course when I was 12.

Describe The Big Day… How Long Was the Hike In? How Many Days Was This Experience?

The day started very early; we had to wake up around 4 a.m. We dressed in layers of camo gear from head to toe and packed my backpack with tape, a pen, my license, extra layers, a headlamp, snacks, water, binoculars, a rangefinder, ammo, field dressing tools, and bear spray. I then put on my orange vest and ate some breakfast; it had snowed overnight, and it was a very cold morning. We made our way to the ranch (our hunting site), which was in the mountains, around 30 minutes away from where we stayed. This was the third and final day of our hunt; we had tracked some elk but never got close enough. We hadn't got any game up to this point, so for the final day, we were hoping to go big. When we got to the first spot, we hiked around for more than seven hours and saw a few elk in the distance, but they were too far away and too smart to let us get close. As the sun was starting to set, we moved to the other side of the ranch and came upon multiple tracks in the snow. The new winter snow helped us find and follow elk tracks. Following the snow tracks tells me a lot about where the animals are prone to go to and what type of animals they are; we could tell one track was a bull.

We walked for quite a while, trying to figure out how old the tracks were and where they were leading. We went up this final rocky, skinny ridge on a hill close to the ranch's boundary, following the elk tracks. When I belly crawled to the top of the ledge, I was able to look down on the valley— and there they were! My heart stopped, and I had to quickly duck down, as they were about 500 yards away. When I peeked back up, the herd of maybe 10 elk started to walk in my direction, eating grass along the way. They were coming right for us, so we had to set up very quickly. We did not see any bull elk at that time, so I was a little bummed. All of a sudden, Vinny spotted horns sticking out from a large tree. My heart started to race like crazy. I knew this was the chance I had been waiting for.

What Type of Rifle Did You Use, And How Far Away Was the Shot?

I hunt with a 7MMO8. My rifle includes a scope, and we used a bipod. The bipod helps me keep the gun steady and has multiple settings. I like to be closer to the ground, as I can lay my gun on my backpack with the bipod for a steady shot. I don't take shots I am not comfortable with. All three of us could not fit on the skinny ridge line looking down on the elk, so Vinny helped get the bipod set up and measured the distance with his rangefinder, which, for me, is a very useful tool. My shot was about 300 yards.

Vinny, How Did It Feel to Witness Branif and Charli Hunting Together? When Did You First Take an Elk?

Being an elk hunting outfitter in my previous life has spoiled my appetite for doing much big game hunting for myself. I have gotten more enjoyment out of watching young hunters like Charli and her brother, Henry, whom I consider my "Two Borrowed Children," take multiple deer and elk over the last several years than I ever did pulling the trigger for myself. Elk are a challenging critter to hunt, and a lot of things have to go just right to harvest a bull.

I didn't take my first bull elk until I was in college, so getting the opportunity to watch Charli take her first bull elk at such an early age was extremely rewarding. I'm not sure who was more excited— Charli, Branif, or me.

Charli, What Was the Most Exciting Part of The Hunt?

The most exciting part was tracking multiple animals in the snow for quite a ways up to the edge of a rock ledge we could peek over. When we peeked over the ledge, we saw quite a few elk out below us in the field. The bull elk was behind a tree, so we had to wait until it got into our sights. But there were several cows ahead of the bull that were slowly walking up to where we were sitting on the rock ledge. It was a waiting game, and as the cows got to within 40 yards, I was scared they were going to smell us, but we had to wait patiently until the bull elk came out from behind the tree, where I could take a clean shot. It was also terrifying when the cow elk smelled us and started to run as they got really close to me because this meant we almost would lose it and not get a shot at the bull. Luckily, Vinny gave a small call as they were running away, which made them stop for a second. This gave me time to let off only one bullet before they started to run again.

Did You Field Dress and Pack It Out?

I helped field dress the elk, which was gross at first, but I was full of adrenaline, so it wasn't that gross at the time. I was so excited, and my heart was pounding—all I wanted to do was look at it.

All three of us packed it out, which was not easy since the sun was going down. It was tough hiking so far with gear—and it was cold! We took it to the local butcher to package, bring home and eat. I love elk meat. I also held on to the antlers to remember this incredible day in my life.

Was Your Family Relationship Strengthened Through This Experience?

Hunting with my dad has always been a special thing we do together, just him and me. Since I was young and watching my older brother go hunting with my dad, I always wanted to have that special connection with him, too. Through every hunt, my dad and I earn a lot more memories that we can cherish for life.

What Lessons Did You Learn?

I learned that hunting is very up and down and that patience and endurance are important. I like this family tradition and hope to carry it on when I have my own family. We have to enjoy the time we have outside and everything leading up to it. Also, we have to check the wind because that can affect whether or not the animals smell you!

Vinny, Are There Many Mentors for Youth?

I know several people and conservation groups who actively get kids in the outdoors to experience hunting when they usually would not have an opportunity to do so. Our youth are the future of hunting and conservation, and getting as many of them as possible into the woods and fields is critical to keeping the hunting heritage sustainable in the future.

Montana has some of the longest hunting seasons in the West, healthy herds of game, and access to millions of acres of public and private land. Montana wildlife managers structure seasons to provide a wide variety of hunting experiences, with a strong emphasis on sustainable practices and promoting youth hunting opportunities throughout the state.