Terace Ingle writes, "This was the opener of the 2011 hunting season in Western Wyoming and was also my first time hunting. I did the mentor/mentee program last year to get an idea of hunting, but this was my first real season and my first kill....and my first time shooting at an animal. My boyfriend is an avid hunter here in Wyoming, the reason we moved here, and has been bragging about this for the past week. I thought I'd brag a little too by entering my photos.

There really is not a spectacular story to the hunt. We were hiking on a perfect overcast evening and all the the sudden Ben, my boyfriend, sat down and said, "Babe....elk....grab the gun!" (quietly of course), so I kneeled next to him, shaking already, to see either a 3 point or a 4 point...never really saw it clearly. He saw us first, but I held the gun up towards him anyways, of course, he made a run for it.....and here comes Big Boy right behind him, obviously he hadn't seen us, nor had we seen him. He was just looking around and stepped in between 2 trees and BANG, I broke his back leg. Obviously not too good of aim, but I may have hit his femoral artery because he bled like a stuffed pig. He took about 10 to 15 more then Ben yells "RELOAD, RELOAD, you have to get him again he is moving!" So I reload and BANG again, right in the head, in front of his ear. Down he went, on the spot. I had only practiced shooting the rifle (Remington 300 Ultra Mag) on a table, not free handed. Explains why I hit him where I did. :) That was the first experience of true hunting and all of this went down on opening day. I am now a true Wyoming woman, as I've heard lately. This may not be the biggest elk around or in any of your received photos, but it was one of the best experiences of my life and I think he is well worth bragging about."