___ The initial elk expedition was a trip to British Columbia, on a hunt sponsored by Bushnell Optics and attended by Chuck, astronaut Joe Engle, and several writers. Chuck was shooting a .300 Weatherby Magnum, and we were highly impressed with his shooting abilities as we sighted in our rifles prior to the opener.
___Our group was divided into small parties, each going to a backcountry camp by horseback. Chuck and I were paired together with two guides and arrived at camp in mid-afternoon.
___ On the ride in, I learned just how skilled Chuck is in the woods. A flock of grouse appeared just off the trail, and I suggested that they’d taste great in a stew that night. Yeager rummaged around in his saddlebag, came up with a slingshot, and picked up a few rocks from the forest floor. In less than five minutes, three grouse lay on a log, all hit in the head. Without question, Yeager is a survivor, not only in the air but in the woods.
___I saw a wide grin appear on his face when we rode into camp. A beautiful alpine lake shimmered in the sun just a few yards from the cabin, and we could see trout dimpling the surface. I knew that Chuck’s first order of business after unpacking his gear and settling in was to assemble his pack rod and head to the lake.
