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The best things in life are worth waiting for - that’s the old saying which many of us disregard as hogwash.  Not local business owner Vince Marier.  The owner of Lindstrom Wheelhorse recently was rewarded for his patience, 26 years of patience.
 
Marier recently took a trip to the southeastern corner of Utah to hunt elk.  Vince has hunted elk before but never in this region.  For the last 26 years, Marier has applied for an elk tag or preference point to be eligible for the opportunity. Each year that one applies their chance the next year increases.  This year Vince was drawn to be one of only two non-resident tags given out in the San Juan hunting unit.  Once that step is achieved, there is the part where you pay the state $1,000 for a tag.  All worth it, according to Marier.

What made this trip even more special was Marier was joined by his daughter Joelle. While she did not hunt, she joined him in the field, by helping spot and helping with carrying gear.  

Marier purchased the assistance of a guide service with the full intention of not shooting an elk unless he saw the perfect size and age bull.  Every day they were up at 5 am and back at camp around 9 pm.  Not much time for anything else but hunting and sleeping.  Elk in the San Juan unit are managed for more mature bulls and are usually taken between seven and eight years of age. At that time they have passed their DNA to offspring and they are starting into their quality decline.
 
It took Marier five days to see the elk he desired.  

They had seen plenty of elk prior but none fit his criteria.  Then it came, a beautiful 800 plus pound bull that was a couple of miles away.  The hunting group relocated closer and Marier saw an opportunity from about 300 yards to finally take a shot.  The bull had a rack of over 4 ½ feet wide and Marier estmates he took home close to 250 pounds of meat.  

When asked what was the most interesting thing or event that happened during his many hunts, Marier pointed out an area in South East Utah called Bear Ears National Monument where they did some hiking after he had gotten his elk.  Marier said the area is filled with artifacts from many Indigenous Tribes including tons of painted pottery pieces and cave dwellings with markings.  

Will Marier try to get another tag in the future? “They put you back to the bottom of the list after you get a tag, so most likey not,” he concluded.

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