By John Weiss

Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN 

BYRON -- It was the first morning of a hunt of a lifetime and Nicholas Jorgensen thought he blew his first shot at a big bull elk.

He fired at about 250 yards and the bull didn't move.

"The guide told me to shoot again," said the Byron teen. "Then he went down and we got excited." The first shot had hit the bull in the shoulder.

When he got closer to the bull, "I was amazed," he said. "It was pretty good sized, (I was) pretty happy."

The bull was a 5X5 Nicholas shot during a trip he won because of an essay he wrote about what hunting, and his father's military service, meant to him. When his father, Allan Jorgensen, was deployed, the two missed two deer hunts together. His father was gone 14 months in Iraq and 12 months in Kosovo.

This time, his father was with his son and loved the hunt as much as Nicholas. He could have hunted too, but decided no. "This was all about Nicholas," he said. "It wasn't about me."

They went to Elkhorn Lodge in Craig, Colo. That's about 6,000 feet high and from there, went by vehicle or horse to about 9,100 feet. It was mid-October and there was patchy snow.

In the first morning of the hunt, Nicholas wore a microphone because the hunt was recorded to be shown on Jim Zumbo's outdoors TV show.

As they rode up, Nicholas enjoyed the scenery while the guide bugled for elk. "The third time we did it, we heard one," he said. "We started moving toward the call."

They spotted a large bull and Nicholas used cross sticks to steady his rifle. He shot and the bull didn't seem to be hit. He shot again and it was down.

When Nicholas walked up to it, he realized how big it was. His reaction: "Oh my God, an elk," he said.

"He was pretty excited," his dad said.

It weighed about 700 pounds.

Nicholas was then interviewed again about his experience and recreated part of it for the camera.

Both father and son praised the group putting on the special hunt for helping military families.

The hunt was actually a bit too fast for Nicholas. It would have been nicer to take a few days, see more scenery, have more time with his dad.

The elk hunting might not end there.

Both loved it so much that they are thinking of going back.

"I'd hate to think it's the last time we ever go elk hunting together," Allan said.

"I will sure remember that for the rest of my life," Nicholas said.

And he has not only the memories but information for some another essay, this one for classes at Byron High School.

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