It’s the deep embrace and shoulder squeezing among family and friends, the roaring laughter and witty smiles during the driveway reunion.
The dirt-rimmed fingernails that mean your cot will be level. Mostly.
A muffled crackle in the belly of an iron woodstove, flickers of orange and yellow from its maw dancing across a seasoned canvas backdrop.
Feathery silver plumes of breath rising before you in the golden light of sunrise.
The savory, decadent scent of aspen logs blending into cherry-red coals during the wee hours of the morning.
Stealing through the forest after a cold September rain. Moving one single step at a time. Pausing. Listening. Watching. Taking one more step. Pausing. Listening. Watching.
Waking with a small stir on a carpet of spruce needles and aspen leaves. Noticing how the shadows have rearranged themselves amidst your early afternoon slumber.
Watching with great amusement as the ladybug winds further up your leg before weaving away on a light breeze.
Tracking the cluster of mocha-colored hides through binoculars as they emerge from the dark timber some thousand yards away.
The comfort of a home cooked meal and the squeak of shifting weight in an old camp chair.
Gazing into an endless ocean of twinkling diamonds and the great unknown above. Wondering. Finding your own sense of place and purpose among the vastness.
The rhythmic thunder in your chest as the first elk appears in the clearing. Hearing its breath come in smooth, steady measures after conquering terrain that burned your own lungs and forced you to the ground hours ago.
Submitting to the erratic, instinctual shaking and forgetting the gentle, metallic clatter of an arrow in its rest.
Flinching at the heart-stopping bark of the herd matriarch, her piercing call echoing down the wooded ravine for all the world to hear.
The soft bugle welcoming dusk at your back while headlamps shepherd the journey toward the truck.
Longing for another lifetime to spend in the mountains. Longing for another day of it. Another hour. Another minute.
Seeking something wild and ancient in the rugged hills and high country. Finding something wild and ancient within yourself.
It’s memories that last a lifetime, the ones that can be recalled instantly. Ones that can be dusted off and admired. Ones that bring joy and comfort no matter the distance and time between them.
It’s elk camp.
It’s what keeps me coming back.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife sincerely thanks hunters for their vital role in wildlife conservation! Your contributions make a significant impact. To discover how hunting and angling license revenues bolster conservation efforts in Colorado, we invite you to explore our website. Wishing you a safe and exciting hunting season filled with unforgettable experiences! Thank you for your passion and support!
Written and photographed by Forrest Czarnecki. Forrest is a Colorado hunter and angler and a Digital Media Specialist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.