WILD AND LONESOME
Monumental Bronze, 9’H x 11’7″L x 5’D, Limited Ed. of 15 – Created 2014
“This past fall, Dustin and I went on our annual hunting and wildlife field study pack trip into the Thoroughfare. We packed in all of our food, gear, playing cards, binoculars and hunting rifles … and a bottle or three of Jack Daniels. We traveled 28 miles on horseback into what is considered the most remote spot in the lower 48 states. The mountain trails wound through Ishawooa Pass Creek climbing over mountain passes at 10,000 feet elevation. We saw some of the most magnificent and rugged scenic country in the Washakie Wilderness.
It had been a long year and I was ready to be in the great outdoors with no phones, emails, or any kind of technology to interrupt my time in the mountains … this is my kind of heaven. As we set up base camp, I took the camcorder and recorded the surrounding beauty. The air was crisp and cold, the aspen trees dancing yellow in the fading sunlight and the expectation of great days hunting and being able to study one of North America’s most beautiful creatures filled my mind.
The next morning we awoke to 18″ of fresh snow on the ground. The beautiful fall weather was gone; Old Man Winter decided to come early and for the next several days it continued to snow. There were 7-8 foot drifts surrounding us and my attention was now directed at our survival. It definitely was not a dull time, as for several days we had visitors from the local grizzlies. With 20 pack horses and our horse feed supply now covered in snow, we spent the following days tending to the horses safety and survival as well.
One night as I was sitting around our cook tent’s campfire, I was reminded of the old frontier and what the early Americans went through to settle the West…a wild, untamed territory. For the next 8 days, as the snow continued to build, we were unable to hunt or break camp. However, we were able to watch the start of the great migrating herds of Yellowstone elk from our campsite. They were headed for lower country leaving the land of the wild and lonesome.
On the 9th day we were finally able to break camp. We followed the trails left behind by the migrating elk herds. We were able to make it to the pass and head for lower altitude. During our ride down the snow covered mountain, I had time to think of the beauties and wonders of the wild and lonely places. To some, this may have been a failed hunting trip; to me, this was one of the highlights of my years in the great outdoors.
As we descended, I glanced back at the towering peaks and it was clear to me why the free trapper called this region the Shining Mountains. When I got home to the ranch, I immediately started the work on a 1 & 1/4 life size bull elk. It was in my mind to do this sculpture of the elusive wapiti in the places they roam, the ‘Wild and Lonesome.’ I’ve enjoyed sharing this event with you. Come late September I’ll be back in the Thorofare with plans to sculpt our visiting Yellowstone grizzlies.”
– Vic Payne