Josh woke Jake up for the second time as they sat on the deer stand overlooking a small clearing not too far from Wolf Creek. Josh whispered to his sleepy son, “You’ve got to stay awake, the sun’s coming up. This is when the action begins.”
Jake took the granola bar his father offered and ate it quickly, scanning the clearing for any sign of activity. Randy’s voice came over the two-way radio, “Josh, are you two still awake?”
“Roger that,” Josh answered with a wink at Jake.
“I’m going to move up on the ridge. I can see several bulls just out of range for a good shot. They should be heading your way soon unless I get them first.” Randy whispered across the radio.
Josh handed the radio to Jake and let him answer, “Roger that.”
“Let’s meet up at the river at noon if we don’t get a kill.” Randy added, “We can head back after dinner for another try at nightfall.”
“We plan on getting a big one soon, so unless you plan on sleeping, we will see you way earlier than noon.” Jake boasted into the radio.
Josh grinned and patted Jake on the back. Randy smiled and climbed out of the deer blind that consisted of a few tree limbs with camouflage netting stretched across the front. He headed slowly through the trees as quietly as he could toward the ridge. Just as they reached the top, he heard a gunshot. Randy reached for his radio just as Jake’s excited voice announced, “I got one! An elk, an elk! I got one!”
Randy laughed and responded, “Great work! I’ll go get the ATV and head your way!”
Once they quartered the elk, loaded it on the ATV, and carried it back to the truck to debone and pack it in the coolers, it was late morning. They stopped at a local gas station and filled the coolers with more ice, then headed for the one local diner in the nearest town for lunch.
Randy’s cell phone rang when they headed for the small motor inn on the edge of town to shower and take a nap before returning to the woods. Randy answered, “Sheriff Connor,”
Josh pulled into the motor inn that looked like a string of mobile homes, linked together end to end. They parked in the open spot in front of their door and Randy quickly climbed out of the truck. His face had a sour expression. He listened to the voice on the other end continue to speak without interruption.
Finally, Randy said, “Okay, let me know what you find. If I don’t answer the phone leave a message, and I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”
Randy glanced up to find Josh staring at him with the intensity of a puma stalking a deer. Randy’s flashed him an innocent smile and said, “Work, sorry.”
“The stalker?” Josh asked quietly, glancing at Jake who was pulling the coolers from the truck.
“I'm following a hunch.” Randy said quietly, “I’ve broadened my search a bit. My deputy has been doing some research for me, and he has a lead. I’ll let you know if anything pans out.”
“Are you getting close?” Josh asked nothing more. He knew Randy would tell him if he had anything more than a suspicion.
“I hope so.” Randy glanced at Jake and added loudly, “What are we going to do with this boy? That was a ten point elk. I can’t compete with that, and I’m an expert marksman.”
Jake’s head poked out from the back of the truck, and he said, “It was an incredible shot! Right through the heart, just like dad taught me.”
“And this afternoon or tomorrow you get to watch me shoot a 12 point,” Josh teased, messing up Jake’s hair.