Jolie Edwards 091resize.jpg 

Well, let’s see, I have spent many years of my life writing songs for a living so you would think writing this story would be a piece of cake, but somehow I’m scared I’m not going to be able to sum it up and describe the feeling well enough…. I will do my best.
 

Let me first say that the couple of days that I had to hunt were packed full of excitement!  Besides obviously coming home with this incredible buck, I was in the thick of things for 2 days. The thick of things meaning I was at full draw on 2 different muleys - one being at 5 yards, a 170 inch trophy - (deer stood up with no shot, mahogany bushes covering vitals, then blew), and I was at full draw and 30 yards away from a 300+ bull elk who made my knees so weak I’m still having trouble walking straight! - (again, that darn mahogany, he was supposed to come in below us, he came in above, I had to get around the bush, he busted me!) I mean to tell you I was in their world! I have never in my life been that close to such magnificent creatures. Did I mention, that this was my first hunt that I did not sit in a blind but stalked these animals for the first time? Do I have to even tell you that I will probably never sit another blind? Did I die and go to heaven or what? What an experience it was to climb a mountain, to crawl, to overcome obstacles, one quiet step at a time, to get as close as a human possibly can, to these incredible animals! What a small but wonderful feeling!
So, with all the close encounters that I had, I still had not closed the deal and it was my last day and really down to the last hour because my hubby and I were supposed to be checked out of our room and on our way back to Nebraska by the time our last opportunity had arrived in the late morning. Wes and Marty had spotted some deer up on a ridge; they thought there were 7-8 deer with a couple of possible shooters. We discussed the options, talked about how horrible the conditions were, in fact we all made the comment that this was our worst set up of the whole trip. We’d had incredible wind the last 2 days that allowed us to move in very close, but this day there was absolutely zero wind! It was so still and quiet, we thought we would never get close enough, plus if there were 7-8 deer think of all the eyes and ears! The side of the mountain that we would have to take is full of mahogany bushes and big boulders, good enough cover I guess, but would we be able to even get through the thick bushes? This was it though, we either made a play or my hunt was over and we headed home. I actually said to Wes, “This is our worst day for conditions, which means it will probably happen”, so with that we headed out. Now, I have forgotten to mention that in these worst conditions that we have to stalk through with no wind and many deer, we are going to go ahead and try to not just get me close enough, but 4 of us! Wes, myself, my husband Marty and Wes’s wife Rachelle. Why? you may ask yourself? Well, because I HUNT LIKE A WOMAN, and I wanted my man and my best friend with me! Rachelle and I have become super close due the fact that we have set in a blind together hunting for apprx. 120 hours….something like that. You get pretty close to someone when you’re in solitary confinement with them for that long!  We managed, together, to kill my first antelope last year. Rachelle got the whole thing on video and it was just an awesome thing to share together, so I knew she had to be there if something happened. And, guess what, the impossible became possible when Wesley Atkinson got the 4 of us 20 yards from this beautiful 3×4, 6 1/2 yr old muley! I thought about trying to describe the stalk, but really it’s not describable. I will just say that it was a team effort, holding branches out of the way for each other, handing off my bow to Wes so I could crawl under bushes, lending hands to muscle our way over boulders, I mean it was intense! I wish I would have timed how long it took us - a long time. Wes could not even film any of the stalk like he normally does because it was just too woolly. So….we finally stopped when we thought we might be getting close enough.  Wes peeked over the top of a big boulder and spotted some tines sticking up through a mahogany bush. We ranged, closer than we thought, 20 yards! Marty helped me up and helped me keep my balance on the rock by holding onto my waist. He kept whispering in my ear sweet nothings! No, just kidding, he was whispering “CALM DOWN, SLOW DOWN, TAKE A BREATH” my whole body was shaking!  Marty said, “When the deer goes to stand, draw your bow and be ready.”  Well, I stood like that for probably 10 minute or so and then it happened! The deer stood, I drew, there were once again mahogany bushes covering his vitals, I heard Marty whisper, “Wait, wait…”  The deer took a couple of steps in our direction, his vitals opened up, Marty said, ” If you have a shot take it!”  I had the shot so I let ‘er fly, perfect shot! Double lunged!  We watched the buck go about 60-70 yards and fall over! To say that I was overcome with emotion is such an understatement. I always get a little weepy when I shoot something, (HUNT LIKE A WOMAN) but this one really got me. Not sure if it was just because it was my first stalk and I felt more like I earned it, or whether it was the fact that I was so in awe of being so close to these animals for 2 days that it just had a different feel to close the deal. I have to say that I have never in my life had a feeling like I had when I finally got my hands on that gorgeous animal. I cried like never before. I feel sorry for the folks who will never have the feeling I had. I thanked God for the deer, for the good shot, for the clean kill, for the food, for the gorgeous surroundings, and for my husband and my friends that helped make it happen for me. I sat with him for some time, just soaking up the moment and putting my hands on him. I felt so privileged to be in his world and to be so close to him that I could touch his nose. It was a Sunday, and I definitely made it to church!! I know some may think I get too mushy about my huntin’, I don’t really care, I take it pretty seriously when I take an animal’s life, that’s a big responsibility that I will never take lightly, those who do I feel sorry for and give this advice…. HUNT LIKE A WOMAN!  then you’ll “get it”!
   

A very grateful hunter,
Jolie