Skip to content

Big game, big country, big rifle

2015 September 28
by Rachel Turiel

This idea blossomed much like many wayward marital brainchildren: my husband cajoled; I laughed and blew him off. The cajoling continued for five years, becoming such a regular seasonal exchange I could have penciled it in each spring. What seemed fraught with obstacles to me seemed perfectly clear to Dan: if I, too, became an elk hunter, we could double the chances of filling our freezer with meat.

Read the rest here

big game

Scouting the big game in the big country with the big rifle (actually, that’s Col’s .22, unloaded. Just practicing hiking and quick aiming with a gun).



13 Responses leave one →
  1. Sara permalink
    September 28, 2015

    Go for it, man.

  2. Becky permalink
    September 28, 2015

    WOW is about all I can say about your post………Looked like you were ready, able and willing to overcome all your obstacles except I didn’t see what you are going to do with Col and Rose

    • Rachel Turiel permalink
      September 28, 2015

      That’s a whole blog post in itself. Oy.

  3. Molly permalink
    September 28, 2015

    I am ready to silk screen your fan club t-shirts. On pre-existing t-shirts, upcycled style, of course. Say the word. Or tell the kids, so they can design the screen.

    • Rachel Turiel permalink
      September 28, 2015

      Can they be camo? :)

  4. September 28, 2015

    Nice. The closest I’ve come is to a local farm’s turkey “processing day” on the Thanksgiving the year I stopped being vegetarian. Elk hunting in the mtns is a big deal! Go for it!

  5. Valeta permalink
    September 28, 2015

    humbling, beautiful, honest, non-ideal, vulnerable, courageous, humorous, reality brilliantly written.
    thank you Rachel (and Dan) You are a gift in my life and reading.
    In all ways, love and deep respect.
    valeta

  6. Crystal permalink
    September 28, 2015

    I am a hunting novice too! I’ve gone out quite a few seasons, but I’ve never gotten an animal. I guess you’d call what I do “hiking in the woods with a gun.” I know we’ve met only once or twice, but if you ever want the company of another woman at the gun range, I’d be happy to go with. Either way, good luck!

    • Rachel Turiel permalink
      September 28, 2015

      Wow, what a nice offer. I’m still really intimidated by the gun range, but have been having success target shooting out “in the field.” I’d love to meet up and talk hunting with you.

  7. Leah permalink
    October 1, 2015

    I am still at reconciling the plain panic of holding a rifle let alone shooting it and resources of food. Holding the .22 though, and hanging out around when daughter practices.

Leave a Reply

Note: You can use basic XHTML in your comments. Your email address will never be published.

Subscribe to this comment feed via RSS

%d bloggers like this: