Rookie Recipe for Elk - Short Story

Short Story - The herd bull chews his cud and gazes out across the mile wide bowl he knows so well. As the days grow shorter his agitation and lust begin to build. The bulls of his summer acquaintance have now moved off to their own haunts and share his short temper. Their bugles announce their position and warn lesser bulls. He rises out of urges he does not understand but simply obeys. He must find the cows and guard them until the time of mating. The crisp air of the season cools him in his heated search. Soon younger bulls will press him for his hard won mating rights. Even now they move about restlessly out of his sight. The ancient cycle of the rut begins anew...

Twelve hundred miles away ambitious plans were being made. Could three rookies really expect to challenge this mighty bull? The following is the story of that undertaking.