Nathaniel MitchellMy first Elk. This is me on the day that I had my very first big game success. After 9 years of trying, many years I just went out during the season without any preparation or knowledge, but the last two of were spend with my new hunting companion, who taught me, tracking and scouting while we both were intensively reading and researching. I finally had my first taste of success.
He knew that I was there, was looking right at me so I avoided eye contact with him and slowly made my way to a nearby tree to use a branch as a rest. This was the first time that I had carried my new Leupold VX-III scope into the field. I had recently purchased it from SWFA along with the mounts and rings. Unfortunately the mount was missing two screws but customer service helped me to contact Leupold and have new screws sent directly to me since that was the faster option than sending the mount back to Texas, then to Oregon, back again to Texas, and then back to me in Washington. Both SWFA and Leupold customer service were a pleasure to work with. Anyway back to the story. I had only recently gotten the scope mounted and sighted in at 200 yards. After what seemed like an hour I had finally picked my way between two trees to a third where I had a clean shot with a solid backstop and a branch on which to steady my rifle. I found the shoulder in the Boone & Crockett Reticule and watched it rise and fall with my breathing and pulsate with my heartbeat, which was racing by now. I took a few breaths, uttered a quick prayer, and let my breath half way out jut like all of the stories, then I squeezed the trigger. The trigger pull on my A-Bolt was never so long! When it went off, it startled me out of what had become a surreal experience. The bull looked at me! I had to have hit him; I was only 90 yards away! He took a step and I hit him again in the shoulder. He took a step then fell down. He turned out to be a 5X5 B&C 261.5” not bad for my first one! Not bad for anyone!
It turned out that I had hit his heart with my first shot; I hear that animals do strange things when you hit them there, and this one just stood, in shock presumably. The excitement was too much to bear, I had finally done what my Dad had never done and I had spent my life dreaming about; nearly a decade attempting. I owe it to lots of things, not the least of which is good quality equipment purchased with the advice and service of a company like SWFA. Credit also belongs to a God and Father, who loves me, a Wife that supports me, and a good hunting companion who is always there to lean on and learn from.
Thank you SWFA for helping me choose the right scope, and mounting hardware, as well as quickly helping in a pinch when everything wasn’t perfect. I believe that character is shown when in a pinch, and you all have defiantly got good, honest, and helpful character!
Sincerely, Nathaniel Mitchell
Silverdale, WA
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