After the meat was ready, I got a good fire going and sat alone for a bit, writing in my journal and thinking again about the week…and how lucky I was. It had felt like we'd been gone for weeks, a good sign that I'd really broken away from everyday life.
Since the only wood to burn was pine, I got a good hot bed of coals built up by dark so that I could cook with little to no smoke on the meat. As dark settled in without a sign of Sam and Derek, I began to get hopeful that he'd pulled off a little last-minute magic. When they finally pulled in 15 minutes later, with a smile on Derek's face, I was certain of it.
However, it was not to be. He'd had a great encounter with the bigger 6 pt. from the wallow the night before. He’d had a couple cows with him, and was down near the bottom in and around the willows. Sam stayed up high while Derek dropped down and tried to make it happen. At one point he could see the bull's rack over a bunch of willows not 40 yards away. He thought he had him, but their dance never put the bull in the open within bow range. He worked till the last minute, finally giving up with a grin as shooting light disappeared, knowing he'd given it his all. His consolation prized was on the fire.
