Story By: Cathy Swanson
Sometimes opportunities present themselves in unexpected ways and times. I had a very special and unique experience present itself in the spring of 2024. Life is a journey and often has twists and turns that provide us with joy, adventure, and sometimes challenges.
So was the case for our family in the spring of 2024. We are lifelong residents of Colorado, and we are passionate about our state and the opportunities it provides us as a hunting family. Colorado has been generous to us. As young parents, we were committed to raising our two sons to enjoy the outdoors and to enjoy the sport of hunting. They became very accomplished athletes, requiring discipline and dedication, yet we were dedicated to having them become multidimensional and have the enjoyment of a lifelong endeavor, the sport of hunting.
Just as we had done for decades, we all applied for a variety of species with fingers crossed. When the Colorado draw results were released, I had the most pleasant surprise of all. I had drawn a very coveted hunting license, a Shiras moose license to hunt a bull. After all, I had applied for 26 years to have the opportunity for this once-in-a lifetime license.
However, my excitement was tempered by an unexpected personal health crisis. That very same week of receiving my exciting hunting opportunities, I was having surgery in Denver for a diagnosis of breast cancer. My supportive husband, sons, and family gave me courage, strength, and faith along with the belief that come October 1st, I would be hunting Shiras moose in the mountains of Colorado.
After viewing the draw results, we contacted Rocky Mountain Big Game Adventures LLC in Idaho Springs. The owners, Mark and Stephanie Turner, are well known for their expertise, skills, and integrity in providing their clients with successful and quality experiences hunting Shiras moose. Mark Turner’s confidence, reputation, and wisdom provided us with enthusiasm, an action plan and belief that soon I would be having the opportunity at a great bull moose.
Colorado’s hunting community is filled with numerous quality individuals who we’ve learned from, benefitted from, and have cultivated lifelong friendships with. One of those individuals is Brandon Powell. He is revered for his bowhunting skills. He is a World Champion archer and has had a phenomenal career spanning numerous decades. He had recommended I apply in this unit and also recommended I contact Mark Turner, owner of Rocky Mountain Big Game Adventures LLC.
After my surgery in April, my oncologist prescribed a regimen of daily radiation treatments that lasted all of June and into part of July. My husband, Mike, took me faithfully to my daily radiation treatments. I received the best of care by a team of amazing doctors, nurses, and technicians. In mid-July, my job was to get back to full energy, to the rifle range, and get physically and mentally ready for October 1st. I had 10 weeks to prepare! My husband, family, and grandkids are great energy sources that provide me with faith and purpose.
At the end of September, we headed to the mountains to meet up with Mark and Stephanie. It was fun to forge a bond of collective belief in securing a great bull with Mark, Brandon, and Tony. Tony, otherwise known as Anthony Robert Buckley II, was guiding in, as he would say, “his hunting backyard.” Tony grew up in the unit I was hunting. His roots to this area run deep. Tony’s athletic prowess in the sport of hockey vaulted him into another world of competition, skill, and purpose. Because Tony’s skills as a hockey player were special, unique, and amplified, he spent many years as a developing hockey player in Northern Minnesota and Canada. A center for a hockey team has the mindset, skill, and physical attributes of a grizzly bear.
Lucky for me, I had the benefits of three unique hunters: Mark, Brandon, and Tony. In the wee hours before daylight, we enjoyed the benefits of Stephanie’s amazing breakfast burritos, great coffee, and our collective belief of finding a great bull. Stephanie is an amazing archer as well!
We headed off in the dark up the mountain with our collective efficacy that we would indeed find THE bull I wanted. Late on our first afternoon, we headed into the interior of the unit with Brandon’s fierceness that we WOULD find the perfect bull. Earlier, we had glassed several good bulls, including a great bull we nicknamed “Styracosaurus.” He earned this nickname because he indeed resembled one. This was the nickname I gave this bull because of my paleontology knowledge, courtesy of my grandson Elten. Styracosaurus was not about to slow down and commiserate with any of the girls along his way. He quickly disappeared, and we had to accept that we would not have an opportunity for a late afternoon stalk, so Brandon and I set off into the interior of the unit.
It was very late before we returned to camp. Yet, we knew we had exhausted every corner, turn, and possibility. We remained optimistic that tomorrow would bring opportunities.
Sure enough, day two presented itself with more opportunities to scour every corner of the unit for a potential shooter. I had a grand time with my GIANT of a guide, Tony. I enjoyed his positive attitude, eagle eyes, and patience. Tony could locate moose in an instant. I was astounded. We hiked into the unit, knowing a potential bull was moving across the willows below us and we might have the opportunity to better assess if the bull was a shooter.
Realize, giant Tony, a hockey center, was hiking alongside me at 13,000+ feet. He was so patient, kind, and supportive. I had the mindset I could hike after all those treatments, yet my body indicated resistance and I was frustrated with my shortness of breath, a new barrier for me. Tony’s positive attitude and efficacy for me emboldened me. As we returned to camp, I will always remember Tony’s words, “Tomorrow, you should be sure to go to an area of the unit we have yet to explore. It will be the place that will provide you with the best shot at a moose.”
Day three brought us the agreed upon plan to explore the area we had yet to scour. I headed up the trail with Mark as daylight broke. This part of the unit was very steep and rocky, and the willows and river paralleled the trail. We immediately saw several moose. However, they were clearly not what we wanted.
Mark kept us moving and searching. Again, he found several smalls bulls but not what we had hoped for. It was mid-afternoon, and we kept moving up the mountain. Sure enough, Mark bellowed, “We’ve got a shooter!” I was elated and startled. As we looked down the valley, there he was at least half a mile away. I didn’t need binoculars to know he was big. What a thrill as we high-tailed it down the valley.
Everything was happening so quickly and in just the right way. I remember thinking, “This is just what I hoped for,” and kept assuring myself I could do it. I kept saying to myself the words my grandkids say to me, “You got this, Grammy!” I repeated them over and over again as I ran to keep up with Mark. He got me in the just right spot and provided me with a great rest, “The Death Pod.” The bull was in the willows. I could see antlers and just needed a good shot. “You got this," I said to myself. My shot rang out, and I dropped him. Mark had me move a little to another spot to place another shot to ensure we indeed had got him. I was so unbelievably thrilled and grateful. Mark had got me on a great bull and put everything in place to ensure my success. A hunt to remember with gratitude for a lifetime. My husband and I had the privilege to hunt with four special and unique people: Mark, Stephanie, Tony, and Brandon. Lucky us!
Darkness was quickly approaching after I got my bull. Because of where we were, it took Steph, Brandon, and Tony until 9:00 that night to get to where Mark and I were. The cavalry had landed to help field dress and pack out my bull.
Hiking in the dark with headlamps in the willows and the streams at 13,000 feet provided me with a new experience. The willows were way over my head. It was dark, but I knew I had to keep up with everyone. It took a while for us to reach my bull. He was HUGE compared to the elk I’ve shot. After a lot of field photos, the work began. The amount of work Brandon, Mark, Tony, and Steph did was unbelievable. I benefitted from their dedication, hard work, and sacrifice all for me to be successful getting my Shiras moose bull.