Pennsylvania Game News - January 2018 - 55

shoulders travel between the trees to present a clean shot.
The tripod is not in a good position to
aid Tom's arms, so it's tossed, and both
Ray and Randy cram their big bodies into
the cab. One lays his back down in front
of Tom's skinny knees to offer Tom a gun
rest, the other extends his strong forearm.
From 50 yards away, Tom fires.
Bam! The elk flinches. Tom hit him.
But the bull moves again. Not fast, but
he moves, and farther away.
You don't track an elk up a mountain in
a wheelchair, following a trail of blood. It
must go down and die where it is. So, the
four-wheeler moves again by a few yards.
Tom takes a second shot, hits the bull and,
again, it flinches. Still not down.
The four-wheeler moves forward
again. Third and fourth shots hit their
marks until the elk finally collapses.
Tom's light blue eyes are soft and full
of emotion. He takes a deep breath and
exhales. His buddies slap palms. They
congratulate the hunter.
I ask him if he was nervous.
"When I first see the animal I am. But
then I know how to calm myself down
and just concentrate on getting my scope
on the animal and getting the shot. That
takes the nerves away."
Bill performs a tobacco ritual, thanking
the magnificent creature that gave its life
and communicating that we all are grateful for its sacrifice.
Tom gets out of the four-wheeler,
slides into his wheelchair and over to the
animal. He bends way down to tag the
big 6-by-7 bull. The men shuffle through
Tom's license case.
"There's every kind of license in there
except for ferret," Tom jokes.
Then he reaches down to make the initial cut in the bull's groin to begin to gut it.
As Tom's buddies work to open the
JANUARY 2018	

cavity, Tom sits in his chair, watching,
quiet, his hands folded in his lap.
The sun breaks through the clouds and
turns the black gum leaves overhead a brilliant yellow. The wind flutters them and
the mountain across the drainage stands
high as a backdrop, guarding the valley.
The place where the big bull lay is
exquisite. The animal seemed to have
cooperated, walking right up to its fate,
moving slowly and steadily, bravely,
while his hunter got into position, offering
himself as sustenance to feed the hunter
and his wife all the next year.
Bill is a little emotional when he says
goodbye. He tells Tom, "It was a great
honor to help an old warrior bag his
Pennsylvania bull elk. I could not be more
proud of a hunt."
Tom replies, "I could never have done
it without these guys."
Everyone embraces. That's the kind of
thing that occurs when you take a disabled
hunter into the woods.
At the elk check station, the crowd of
camo-clad admirers applauds loudly as
Tom rolls his chair over to his hoisted elk.
Watching the great effort Tom must
exert even to move fills any observer with
awe for his fortitude and strength. What do
we have to complain about in life?
I thought of the quote, "There, but for
the grace of God, go I." Another's misfortune could be our own, if it weren't for the
blessing of the Divine, or for one's luck.
One never knows when a candy dish
will get us. The life we know and take for
granted could be snatched from us in an
instant. We must live with gratitude, and
be there for one another.
Indeed, Tom could not have completed
this hunt were it not for the help of his
friends. Still, it seems humble and small,
this help. The hunter gives us so much
more than we can give him.
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Pennsylvania Game News - January 2018

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