FIRE LIGHT: both the fires crackle and roar around me. One on each side of the elk to provide light while I work, as well as add some comforting warmth. Inventory of flashlights between the three of us was dismal at best... the count revealed two in total, both were failing, and just cell phone lights remaining for the long journey out. We need to conserve batteries...bad! I snapped this picture with my phone then turned it off as a back up light. "Well, I will have to work by fire light in order to quarter and skin the bull." I said. This was going to take some extra time, as well as man power to keep the fires burning bright. "Gather up pine sap" I said to Jamison. "Pack it in the root end of a small dead pine and light it up as a torch." The sap torch helped cut the shadows allowing me to see my cuts as we flicked off our flashlights to save batteries. The warm glow of the torch, the surrounding snow, the crisp air, and the blade of my sharp knife gleaning in the fire light. This is elk hunting. A bull, hunters willing to work for it, and a memory of an amazing adventure. #livewildhunthard #guidelife #huntingstories #hunting #huntergather #elkhunting @uahunt @gerbergear