The Opener!!!

Opener weekend, Well lets just say it was one of a kind, hunting... yea a bit, playing and having a great time, Absolutely.... First off Colby and Regen decided they didn't want anything to do with opening weekend of the archery hunt, their intentions were to stay home and go wake boarding on Utah Lake. However the weather didn't fare so Colby got yard work done, Regen, well I'm not sure being the good brother he is, I'm sure he was at Colby's side.
Me (Brian), Jon Hafen, Kenton Gulley, and Shea Haws were headed to Fish Lake for the opener of the hunt. Well Friday around 3 we headed to WalMart to get food, while shopping for food we decided to come back home and hook up to the boat and take it with us, so we could wake board on Fish Lake during the afternoons. The plan sounded flawless and full of fun, however, the water temps at Fish Lake get into the mid 60s is all, a bit on the chilly side but what the heck.
After coming back home loading the boat, switching the rangers into the enclosed trailer we headed for the gas station to fuel up.
Loaded and on the road around 4 pm we headed south on I-15 only to get a phone call from a friend in Page. Let me take you back 2 months ago. I got a crazy hair to buy a boat. Our family bought in on a time share in Powell on a houseboat, long story short I bought a boat, well its first voyage was to Powell, and lets say for lack of my typing skills and length of story the first two days were spent chasing parts and fixing the boat. In that time frame, myself and an employee from Car Quest Auto Parts became pretty good friends. After several hours jerry rigging a part for the boat, we found that we had a common interest, HUNTING! imagine that. Leo (AKA) Car Quest buddy knew of some deer in the southern region, and when I say some I mean like 5 is all.
So back to I-15 south bound Leo (aka car quest buddy) phoned in, and wanted to know what I was doing for the opener. After a few minutes he had twisted my arm so hard that we drove right by the Nephi exit and we were headed to POWELL.

This weekend will definitely go down in the books as one of the greatest openers ever. We arrived in Page, AZ. around 10 pm Friday night, ate at Denny's, met Leo at car quest, parked boat in back storage yard and pulled sleeping bags out, climbed into boat, made beds, laid down, took deep breath, and everyone started laughing about the trip that was about to unfold.

Up at 4 am to meet Leo and head for our scouting positions in hope of finding or even getting a glimpse of one of these desert ghosts. 3 hours into the opener everyone's eyes were having a hard time staying in the glasses. We saw cedars, sand, lizards, ravens, and a few Jack Rabbits. But with the sun blazing at our faces, the reflection of the water on the far horizon beckoned to our sweaty salty bodies. It was time to call it a morning, put away the bow and grab the board and ski and hit the lake. So back in the rangers and back to the trailer we went. A few jack rabbits deterred us along the way, and lets say that we did draw blood the first day. So in the trailer into the bags out with the one swimsuit off with the camo and we headed to the lake. I must say we were a sight for the loading ramp... 4 guys in swimsuits and hunting boots, with camo hats and camo shirts, lets just say the ladies were FLOCKING.

Look at this face, Can you see why we had to beat them off with skis and oars. What a fun weekend, just goes to show you its not always what you harvest, its the time spent with friends and family that make the memories.

The next few days were, SWEAT, SKI/BOARD, HIKE, EAT, REPEAT!!!!!!! Shea was able to hound dog out one of these desert ghosts, While driving the ranger he came across a set of tracks that had crossed in between he and I, and hopped out and tracked them to their beds. Unfortunately some jack---! called his cell phone when he was closing the distance of the last 40yds. The large velvet ghost became a reality as it emerged from beneath the large cedar, only to give him enough of a glimpse to convince him to spend the next 3 hours dragging his tired aching body down through the cliffs and sand. Kenton being the friend he is, decided to go look for Shea because he would not answer his phone. Kenton not knowing Shea was on the hot trail of a large buck, headed out following the small footprints of this Large man. Kenton thinking Shea was only a few hundred yards off headed down the trail without a bow or backpack looking for his little buddy. 3 hours later Leo picked these two very thirsty and very fried, tired men up in the desert. After getting a couple more glimpses of the buck the ghost eluded them only to realize they were a few miles farther away than they wanted to be.

After the pick up of our two sun baked buddies, it was back to the lake, a cold Pepsi, bag of chips and sunscreen, Shea and Kenton were alive and well. We spent the next 3 hours on the lake before our 3 day opener weekend trip was over. John is the guy you see here in the boat holding the flag, he is my brother in law and a great friend. Kenton is the one in the GQ pic with the fence pole, also a great friend and an employee at Humphries Welding Supply. Shea, the big dog is the one standing on the back of the boat getting ready to wake board, he also is a great friend and employee at both welding and taxidermy stores.

Well and I'm this goofy guy wake boarding in my ASAT leafy suit. I hope you all have had a great opener and have many amazing stories to tell. The pics are starting to come in of all of your success stories. Please send a brief story and a picture of your success and we will post it on this sight. Remember its not always the size of the trophy or even the animal that makes the hunt a success. Its our freedom to be in God's country and the memories shared with friends, family and children. I hope the hunting season of 2009 brings memories to all and some meat in the freezer too! Thank you to you all for your support and friendships, we cherish you all and wouldn't be here without you.

Thanks again and GOD BLESS!!!