THAT WAS AMAZING, GRACE! BOWHUNTER’S FIRST MOOSE, CALL TO DAD MAKE FOR PRICELESS MEMORY BY BRIAN WATKINS
T
here are times in a hunt when you feel the moment more than any other. It might come out of nowhere, but you know that it will be a lasting memory. It sinks deep into your body with lasting force. There’s a connection in your heart that you know will last forever. I’ve had those moments and they happen out of the blue. Whether it be the perfect sunset, or perhaps the silence of the forest, these moments come without notice. This story is one that I cherish, but I’m sure the huntress holds deeper.
MY ROOMMATE OF NINE years, Grace Hunt, had started shooting one of my bows in 2012. Her draw length was shorter than mine, so she often left the range with huge welts on her forearms. When you shoot a bow with a longer draw length, it makes you “reach” for the bow as you settle into position. The forearm cuts the pathway of the string as you release, slicing into your skin. If you’ve had it happen, you know the pain. Grace powered through the pain of the “string bite” and still fell in love with shooting bows. Grace’s father Dave bought her a brand new Bowtech for her birthday in 14
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
Grace Hunt first shot author and roommate Brian Watkins’ bow in 2012, and though she suffered “string bite,” became hooked on archery. (BRIAN WATKINS)
NOVEMBER 2021 | aksportingjournal.com
