Elk Yeah!

Insight Into a Hunter’s Tenacity

Dubois, Wyoming

Photography by Blaine Limpus and contributed by Carston Atkins

The afternoon fall sun danced across the walls as golden hour approached. The smoke from the Fish Creek wildfire had only recently subsided, and the mountains, finally clear, were starting to flaunt their first speckles of fall colors. 

Blaine and I sat at the kitchen table with Carston Atkins and his wife Autumn, filled to the brim from a succulent barbeque lunch we ate by the river. Shadows from the front aspens flashed over the many antlers and mounts that decorate the Atkins’ cozy living room.

We were fortunate enough to be spending any time at all with Carston as–aside from his busy schedule running Noon Rock Pizza in Dubois, Wyoming–it was the second week of open season for elk hunting.

“Growing up in small town Dubois, the mountains were what we did for fun,” Carston said, reminiscing. “As for sports, I only played basketball because it was the only one that didn’t get in the way of hunting and shed hunting.”

But basketball is a thing of the past for Carston. His lifelong passion is, and will always be, hunting. 

Carston’s first memory was likely following his stepdad on a hunt in the surrounding mountains of Dubois. From the moment he was able to walk they went on hunts together, and he was taught different strategies, breathing skills, and how to become a great hunter.

“One of the coolest elk experiences I’ve ever had in my life was when I was around 14 years old with my stepdad,” Carston told us. “The elk were bugling nonstop. Two of the biggest bulls I’ve ever seen were fighting over about 75 cows. Those two bulls fought forever. The pure, raw power was amazing. We didn’t even kill anything that day, just sat and watched in awe.”

Watching him recount that memory, we could see the twinkle in his eyes as he remembered the impact that day had on his life. Carston is an extremely dedicated and passionate hunter. He’s hunted essentially the entire state of Wyoming, and has traveled for hunts  in Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, and for fishing expeditions in Canada, Alaska, Florida, Oregon, and California.

“Carston is very brave. When we were dating, there were nights that he just wouldn’t come home because he would fall asleep under a tree,” Autumn said. “He finds peace in the woods. He finds so much clarity out there and his brain can just let go of all of the stress for a moment. The mountains are definitely his element.”

While Autumn is not the hunting enthusiast her husband is, she still grew up hunting as well. Not long after the two started dating, they opened Noon Rock Pizza. Carston ran the restaurant full time and Autumn helped out in the summer since she was a teacher at the time.

“We hunted together in the beginning, and it was fun, but our life moved so fast when we started dating,” Autumn said.

They got married nine months after they opened the restaurant, and nine months after that, their son Barrett was born. With four-year-old Barrett, two-year-old Trent, and another little one on the way, Autumn’s life stays plenty busy.

“I think bugling is Carston’s love language,” Autumn laughed. “It’s almost like he’s in rut when they’re in rut.”

We had a good hard laugh at that one. But it is evident that Carston loves elk. He even admitted that he’d work a lot harder if there was an elk standing next to his desk bugling at him. 

Last year, Carston got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hunt a bull moose when he drew a tag. After 55 days spent in the mountains both scouting and hunting, and passing up 30 bulls, he was able to shoot his dream bull.

Carston’s moose hunt story is a gripping thirty-minute tale of pure determination, relentless perseverance, and a lot of grunting (moose calling). To top it off, he even showed a short video that he had made from all the moose hunt footage. 

“I could watch this forever!” Barrett exclaimed as he climbed onto the table to get a better look at his dad’s phone. 

We had a good laugh at that one, too. Like parenting, hunting has incredible rewards, but requires patience. Scouting, tracking down the ideal animal, finding a good shot–it all takes time. 

Being able to hunt an animal in a desired area can also be a long wait. Carston’s dream hunt in the states is a bighorn sheep. Having applied for a sheep tag for 19 years, he has yet to draw one.

“What I learned from that moose is not to sacrifice the timing of a hunt,” Carston explained. “I had an area that I wanted to hunt, but I was short a few preference points. I had the chance to draw in a different, more challenging area, though, and luckily ended up getting the tag.”

There was a time when a person could purchase a hunting license for just about any area that they wanted to hunt. Today, with the increase in demand for hunting, the number of applicants has skyrocketed, making it much more difficult to draw a license for big game.

Applicants now have the option to put in and apply, and if they don’t draw, they receive a preference point. Preference points are a way to improve the odds of eventually drawing a license in a hard-to-draw hunt area. The more preference points one has the more likely one is to draw a tag. For Carston, these points are crucial for his dream bighorn sheep hunt.

“I’m just going to hold out, wait, and draw the area that I want. I’m hoping by that time, my oldest can go with me,” he said. 

Just as it is with most outdoor lifestyles, there are challenges that come with hunting. Like all small towns, Dubois has seen a lot of change over the past few years. The most significant change, according to Carston, is actually the wildlife.

He explained that the increase of predators around the area is something that many of the locals have noticed. Starting with the introduction of the wolves back in 1995, the entire ecosystem has since changed dramatically. 

“The rut season for elk is way different than it used to be,” Carston said. “They used to bugle all morning. Now, a pack of wolves come through the area, and those elk won’t make a peep.”

Carston also recently filled a wolf tag. He pointed out his front window to the mountain bordering town to where he shot it.

“It was so close to town that my wife could’ve seen me from our house. There were even locals texting me asking if I needed help hauling it down the mountain,” he said.

“When I was younger, we never saw grizzly bears. They’re getting more and more comfortable around humans,” he added. “Back in the day, I’d hunt by myself and never worried about it. We’d walk for hours in the dark. Now I’m constantly looking over my shoulder.”

Like Carston, other Dubois locals spend thousands upon thousands of hours in the mountains. There are dozens of outfitters in the area that offer hunting packages. These people are very passionate about wildlife and rely on a balanced ecosystem to maintain a flourishing economy.

“I feel very fortunate. Hunting gives me something to look forward to and gives me that drive to be good at something,” Carston said. “For me personally, it’s respect for the animals, wildlife conservation, and the meat is an added bonus. With the money I’ve spent on hunting, I could’ve bought a herd of cattle by now, but I’d rather feed my kids pure and natural wild game than beef anyway.”

It’s true, though. Every time Blaine and I visit the Atkinses, they send us home with some sort of wild game. Whether it’s moose steaks, elk burger, or antelope jerky, it’s always delicious.

Carston, Autumn, and their soon-to-be family of five have big plans for the future. They’re currently trying to sell their house and Noon Rock Pizza so they can move closer to family in Michigan, where Autumn is originally from.

Though their departure will leave a giant Atkins-sized hole in Fremont County, we wish them the best of luck with their transition to Michigan. And, we have an itching suspicion that Carston will be back every fall. After all, is there really any better hunting than right here in Wyoming?

“I really want to focus on taking my kids hunting when they’re older,” Carston said. “You never realize how much of a role hunting can play in your life. The things I’ve learned and the amount of friends I’ve gained through the hunting world is amazing. I want that for my boys.”