Column: Desired vs. Realized success
It was difficult to see if the bird was fully cooked, but based on how long it was on the fire, we were pretty sure.
My wife took her first bite of the grouse and completed the cycle. She had arrowed the grouse earlier in the day and now, between fits of light rain that threatened to turn to sleet, we ate.
On some level it was a successful hunt, but when you’re hunting elk in Wyoming and you’re eating grouse, it’s not exactly the success you’re looking for.
The idea was to give my wife a proper sendoff in Wyoming by calling a bull elk within bow range. She earned her master’s degree there. She learned to hunt there. We had great summers there as she chipped away at her PhD. We returned there after we were married in June for the summer, and spent time backpacking in the Big Horns, Wind River Range and Yellowstone. But when I returned to Alaska to start school, she remained to continue working until she moves up for good later this month. So the plan was an elk blowout to close this chapter.
