A Gold Star Son Learns the Hunting Lessons His Father Left Behind

The solar was sinking towards the mesa after I pulled into the ranch. I parked the rental SUV, already lined in thick Colorado mud, simply as Alex Nehl was gearing as much as re-check the zero on his scope. 

Alex, a 14-year-old freshman from Washington, settles on his stomach behind a traditional Remington 700. I study later that the gun was his late father’s searching rifle. Alex shuffles into place, and I instantly see he’s comfy behind it. I say as a lot, and Alex’s uncle, Daryl Thies, confirms my suspicions. 

“He’s been taking pictures since he was 5,” Thies says. “He began on a Crimson Ryder BB gun. He had to make use of three fingers to tug the set off.”

Alex’s father, James, re-barreled the Remington for 7mm WSM earlier than he died in fight in Afghanistan. Alex is the one particular person to ever hunt with it, and he’s used it to drop mule deer from over 400 yards. 

“He doesn’t wish to sneak,” says Thies, who served alongside Alex’s dad as an Military Ranger. “He likes to take lengthy photographs.”

When Alex’s first shot hits the goal fewer than two inches proper of middle at 200 yards with a gentle crosswind, I consider it. Why sneak when you can also make photographs like that?

Eric Schlukebir, an skilled information and co-owner of our internet hosting clothes shop, Whitaker Brothers Hunting Company, will get excited by the goal. 

“Tomorrow goes to be enjoyable,” Schlukebir says. “He’s going to make my job so much simpler. That is essentially the most assured I’ve been earlier than a hunt.”

A Gold Star Household

A Gold Star designation signifies that a household has misplaced an instantaneous member of the family who died whereas serving in a battle. The time period originated throughout World Warfare I, when households displayed service flags with a blue star for every member of the family preventing within the armed forces. If a member of the family was killed in fight, the household would substitute the blue star with a gold one.

In October searching model Kuiu, in partnership with the Three Rangers Foundation, sponsored an antelope hunt in Trinidad, Colorado, to honor a Gold Star household. Josh and Jason Whitaker, together with their long-time enterprise associate and searching buddy Eric Schlukebir, have been the unique donors for Kuiu’s first Gold Star household hunt in 2020. They’ve graciously donated a hunt yearly since. 

The hunt’s residence base can be the remoted Hidden Lakes Ranch, which lies 13 miles east of Trinidad on the foot of Horseshoe Mesa. 

Alex, Thies, the guides, and I all traveled to Colorado to honor a hunter who’s not with us: Military Capt. James D. Nehl, who was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, sixteenth Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Fight Crew, 1st Infantry Division from Fort Riley, Kansas. He died Nov. 9, 2012, in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, from wounds sustained from small arms hearth whereas on patrol throughout fight operations. It was his first deployment to Afghanistan, though he had beforehand been deployed to Iraq. He was 37 and left behind a spouse and a 2-year-old son — Alex. 

A Google search of James Nehl’s identify brings up pages of outcomes, largely hyperlinks to information tales about his demise. All of them present the identical primary details about his rank, age, and reason behind demise. 

One element that’s lacking from most of those tales is that Nehl was hit when he bumped into enemy hearth to tug wounded Sgt. Michael Maki to security. Maki had taken a bullet to the chest that broke 4 ribs and hit his left lung. Maki made it residence. Nehl didn’t. 

Nehl was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star medal for his heroic service in fight. 

In the event you click on on any of the information tales, you will notice strings of feedback. Many are random messages from grateful residents thanking Nehl for his service, wishing his soul peaceable relaxation, and providing prayers for his household. 

Others are from individuals who knew him — buddies, academics, and males who served with him. The feedback paint an image of a quiet, variety, typically humorous younger man.

“He was most likely one of many nicest children within the class. He was variety to everybody. I keep in mind he helped me with math,” wrote Tammi Cruise, the president of Nehl’s graduating class. 

“Quiet man, honest, not a typical teenager, very disciplined,” one in all Nehl’s high-school academics told the Oregonian. “I believe he was dwelling his dream and sadly died his dream. He needed to be an Military Ranger.”

Daryl Thies met Nehl after they have been children. On the time, Thies was relationship Nehl’s older sister, Charlene, who later grew to become his spouse.

“After I’d already been within the Military, and he was graduating highschool, [Nehl] referred to as me and requested me for some recommendation about what he ought to be doing after faculty. It’s a dialog I’ll always remember as a result of it was a type of I’d assume again and marvel if I had carried out one thing completely different, possibly life can be a lot, a lot completely different now,” Thies says. “I gave him a particular ‘sure,’ [about joining the Army] and satisfied him to come back do what I used to be doing.”

Thies and Nehl have been household in additional methods than one. Not solely did Ties marry Nehl’s sister, making them household within the eyes of the legislation, however additionally they served collectively within the Military, making them brothers in arms. 

Assembly Alex 

Alex could also be expert with a rifle, however he’s removed from cocky. Through the hunt he was quiet, possibly a little bit melancholy, and did an entire lot extra listening than speaking. 

He ultimately tells me he’s a ninth grader at Olympia Excessive Faculty in Washington. He retains his solutions to my questions brief, often just one or two phrases punctuated by shrugs. He performs soccer and rides dust bikes. After I ask about his favourite topic at school, he jokingly solutions “sleep,” with only a trace of a smile at one nook of his mouth. 

He brushes off the joke rapidly and modifications his reply to math. 

“He’s depraved good,” Thies interjects. “He makes nice grades. Performs 4 devices.”

At his uncle’s bragging, Alex simply geese his head.

Chasing Pronghorns

The morning of Alex’s hunt, Jason Whitaker pulls as much as the ranch bunkhouse and informs us that he has excellent news and unhealthy information. He’s noticed a slug of a buck tending a harem of does, and they’re all holed up in a creekbed simply on the opposite facet of the street. 

Schlukebir tells us that Jason is darn close to not possible to impress, so this buck should be an actual monster. 

As a result of he’s within the creek backside, there will probably be loads of cowl, which is sweet when attempting to stalk in shut sufficient to make an excellent shot. The unhealthy information is, he’s in there with a bunch of mule deer and that backside can be stuffed with crunchy lifeless leaves. 

“Making an attempt to stroll by means of there quietly will probably be like attempting to tiptoe by means of cornflakes,” Schlukebir says. 

Jason is anxious about spooking the mule deer, who will begin their little foot-stomping and blow out the antelope.

“You bust one, and the jig’s up,” Jason says. He and Schlukebir make the robust choice to ship solely Alex in there with Jason. Which means the remainder of us, together with Uncle Daryl and I, will wait on this facet of the street.  

As soon as there’s a plan in place, Alex begins suiting up within the required blaze orange vest and hat. Thies begins lobbing suggestions at him whereas he’s preparing.  

“Take your time. Sluggish is clean; clean is quick. Don’t take the shot until you’re positive of it.”

Alex simply nods as he fumbles together with his vest after which hundreds his dad’s rifle. 

“We’re going to quietly slip up this backside,” Jason tells Alex. “The wind is coming in gently out of the west, which is cash.”

As Alex and Jason cross the street, Thies jumps up on {an electrical} field so he can watch them disappear into the cottonwoods. 

“It’s that massive expanse of the unknown that will get to me,” Thies says from his perch. He’s attempting to maintain Alex’s blaze orange in sight so long as attainable.  “But when I wasn’t assured together with his capacity, this may be a lot harder.”

As soon as they’re out of sight, there’s nothing left to do however wait. 

Searching Buddies

“James is straightforward to characterize however exhausting to speak about for lots of various causes,” Thies tells me later. He had cautioned me that Alex’s dad is a uncooked topic for {the teenager} to debate. I had observed: After I requested Alex about his dad’s rifle, he clammed up instantly. However I ponder if it’s nonetheless a uncooked topic for Thies, too.

Alex was solely a toddler when his father was killed in motion. He solely is aware of James Nehl by means of tales and pictures. Thies has advised loads of these tales. 

Thies and Nehl have been Military buddies, searching buddies, and simply buddies usually.

“After we have been each stationed at Fort Lewis, we spent loads of time within the woods collectively searching and fishing and simply screwing off,” Thies says.

Thies was contemporary from a deployment to Afghanistan when Nehl was killed. He had solely been stateside a couple of days earlier than heading to Judith Hole, Montana, to hunt elk and mule deer. He had been in Montana for simply three hours when he received the decision from his mother-in-law informing him that his finest good friend was gone. 

“Something associated to searching with that boy brings up recollections of his dad,” Thies says. “Searching with Alex makes me miss him extra.”

“Of us will say that loads of issues are discovered habits, however I’m telling you, Alex is the spitting picture of his father. His seems, his mannerisms, and his demeanor are a lot James, it’s virtually eerie.” 

Large Buck Down

Quickly after Alex and Jason disappear into the creek mattress, a practice comes rumbling throughout the prairie. We are able to really feel it vibrating the bottom, and it makes loads of noise to drown out any sound the pair is likely to be making as they transfer by means of these crunchy leaves. 

Simply as everybody again on the bunkhouse is getting antsy, Schlukebir will get a textual content from Jason: “Bought him in our sights. Too many cattle within the background.”

So long as the antelope don’t spook, Jason plans to attend it out, hoping the cattle will graze out from between them and the pronghorns foraging alongside the creek. 

After about one other half an hour, one other incoming textual content says they are going to attempt to transfer to get a greater taking pictures angle, taking the massive cows out of the equation. 

A couple of minutes later, we hear a single shot.

Schlukebir will get the decision from Jason that the massive buck is down. They’re ready for Thies to come back out earlier than they stroll up on him. Alex desires his uncle there when he first places his fingers on his antelope. 

Schlukebir, Thies, and I pile into the side-by-side and head throughout the creek. We spot Alex’s orange vest first, transferring up the underside towards a bunch of black cows. Then we see the buck, mendacity simply on the other facet of the stream, white stomach shining towards the golden brown prairie grass. He’s surrounded by a herd of cattle. Two of them virtually stand on the physique, staring down as we method. They mosey off slowly as we get nearer. 

The ambiance turns electrical as quickly as we hop out of the side-by-side. It’s crammed with fist bumps and hefty pats on the again. The boys are as excited as Alex, possibly extra. It’s exhausting to inform simply how a lot pleasure is effervescent underneath his usually quiet demeanor. The one factor that breaks his calm exterior is a touch of a crooked grin that slowly spreads throughout his face as he grips the buck’s horns. It’s an enormous buck with horns measuring not less than 14 inches. 

Alex tells us how he belly-crawled by means of the cottonwoods, scooting his dad’s rifle forward of him inch-by-inch, attempting to not crackle an excessive amount of by means of the fallen leaves.

“One doe noticed us and simply checked out us for like 5 minutes,” Alex says. “She was giving us a critical mother stare.”

The shot Alex made was good. 

“In the event you drew an ideal image of the place to shoot an antelope, this may be it,” Schlukebir tells Alex as he wipes blood from the buck’s flank.

Jason asks Schlukebir for a rangefinder, and so they vary the shot at 160 yards. The buck had gone solely about 10 yards from the place he was standing.

Alex asks his uncle to run again to the truck to get his fortunate hat. It’s the primary kill he’s made with out it, and he desires it for an image. 

“Why is it your fortunate hat?”

Alex shrugs. “I don’t know. I used to be simply sporting it, and I killed a deer. I figured it was fortunate, so I simply stored sporting it.”

“Perhaps it’s not the hat,” Schlukebir says. “Perhaps the hat is like, ‘I’m on my fortunate hunter at the moment.’”

Footage are snapped from each angle, with and with out Alex’s fortunate hat. Then, whereas the guides make fast work of quartering the animal, Alex Facetimes his grandmother. 

“She’s Alex’s greatest fan,” Thies says. “She’s the one he calls first after each profitable hunt. Her front room is jam-packed with searching photographs of Alex hanging beside searching photographs of James.” 

Caping the Buck

After the hunt, we’re all again on the bunkhouse, killing time earlier than lunch. Alex is antsy. He’s having a tough time sitting nonetheless and is working out and in of the home, looking for one thing to do. He isn’t like most youngsters his age. I by no means as soon as noticed his nostril buried in a cellphone display screen. 

“Come on, Alex. Let’s go cape this buck,” Thies says to his nephew, and so they head out the ranch home door and out to the shed. 

Schlukebir tells him to not fear about it, that the guides will deal with the caping. He’s anxious a couple of wayward blade nicking the conceal and ruining Alex’s first antelope. 

However Thies desires the child to learn to cape his personal animals. In his thoughts, the lesson is price a possible mistake. So within the shed, Thies walks Alex by means of the method, explaining as he goes, slicing alongside the horn base, detaching the ear, and eradicating the eyelids. 

Then he fingers Alex the knife so he can do the opposite facet. 

“Sluggish is clean. Clean is quick,” Thies reminds him. Thies talks him by means of eradicating the ear. 

“Me and your dad had an settlement. I’d bone, and he would cape,” Thies tells Alex. “He was actually good at it. That’s your objective, buddy.”

When Alex will get to the attention, he hesitates earlier than handing the knife again to his uncle. Eyelids are delicate work, and the boy isn’t fairly prepared for the duty but.

Later, I ask Thies about what it’s like for him to hunt with Alex now, after so a few years of searching together with his father. It takes him a minute to reply, like he’s sorting by means of previous recollections. He clears his throat earlier than he speaks. 

“I suppose you simply discover your area of interest when you might have a searching buddy that you just do so much with,” Thies says. “James all the time caped, and I all the time deboned. We have been extra environment friendly that approach.”

However Thies is fast to elucidate that he’s simply attempting to mentor Alex and train him the talents essential to be an excellent hunter.

“I’m much less involved about searching after I’m out with Alex.” Thies says. “It’s extra about handing down the traditions and instructing him the issues that his dad would need him to know. My objective is to point out him what his dad can be exhibiting him if he have been right here.”

Learn Subsequent: Want to Honor Our Military Veterans? Take Them Hunting

Over dinner that night time, we retell tales of the hunt and drum up recollections of previous hunts, sharing them with one another. There’s loads of laughter. Even Alex is smiling, joking,  telling tales. The hunt appears to have helped break by means of that quiet exterior. 

“One of many issues that we do after we hunt, particularly after we’re profitable, is we go go to his dad within the cemetery,” Thies tells me. “We simply go and inform him a narrative in regards to the hunt.”