Hunting in Lincoln County seems like second nature for many of our residents. Camouflage is a popular pattern for our residents and newborns, and training starts

14-year old Jamie Shark received her first bull elk tag, in area 231 near Eagle Valley. (Courtesy photo)

Hunting in Lincoln County seems like second nature for many of our residents. Camouflage is a popular pattern for our residents and newborns, and training starts young for hunting enthusiasts.

We hear of great tales on hunting trips, tough situations overcome, or the infamous escaped kill. Jamie Shark, a 14-year old girl from Las Vegas and avid outdoor enthusiast, recently shared her glorious tale. She comes from a long line of hunters. Her father, Jeff Shark, said, “We tried to figure it out one time of what generation she was… It was a long list.”

Jamie shoots a Diamond Infinite Edge compound bow that was given to her as an early birthday present for 2013. Before that, she had only shot a few times with her mother’s bow.

In March of 2013, she had put in for an archery bull tag. Unfortunately when the tags came, there was no bull elk tag. She did receive a youth deer tag, and settled on hunting deer with her bow.

After a family trip in July, she received a packet from Nevada Department of Wildlife with an alternate archery bull elk tag for area 231 in Lincoln County. Apparently someone had returned a tag, and she was eligible to receive it.

After she got her deer, she continued to practice with her bow, preparing for her first bull elk. As the hunting season opened and school started for her in Las Vegas, Jamie and her father made weekend trips to the area above Eagle Valley. The scoped the area, made calls, and sat and waited in the unforgiving weather that was in the area during the beginning of September last year. Down to the last weekend for the season, Jamie’s father talked her into missing a couple of days of school to get back in the action. Still wet, foggy and cold, Jamie couldn’t miss her opportunity to get her bull elk.

On her last day, the morning weather started out like all the rest, miserably. The elk had seemed to start responding to the calls, and the Sharks started to follow. Eventually, the calls and bugles died off, so they were back to sitting and waiting. Finally, a bull responded and started coming closer. Jamie prepared and got ready by a tree.

“It all happened so fast. The bull elk was getting closer and closer. I could see the feet of the bull, so I pulled my bow back,” she said.

Then the elk positioned itself behind a tree and blocked Jamie’s shot. “I must have been holding back for at least two minutes, and I remember lightly letting up once, but I kept it held back.”

An annoying branch was pushing against her bow, so she adjusted her stance slightly, which alerted the bull elk and had it turning to run.

Luckily, Jamie’s father was able to make a few calls and got the bull to stop in an opening.

“I aimed and let the arrow fly,” she said. “I hit the bull. Got a good shot and the bull took off running.”

Jamie was shaking with excitement over her victory. She had really hunted her first bull elk. She said it came within 20 feet of her, and “I couldn’t wait to get to him.”

They followed the trail and found the bull about 200 yards away. She said the bull was a seven-by-seven, non typical, and added, “it tastes great.”

Jamie has been visiting Lincoln County for a few years now, and said she was very grateful to go on this hunt. She really thanks whoever returned the tag that gave her a chance to go on the hunt. She said she loves the area, and hopes to become a game warden so she can spend her time, “up in the mountains.”

Jamie, like so many other visitors to the area, will share one of her greatest memories for the rest of her life from being in Lincoln County. While we might not know what the future holds for our county, we can be sure that with all the amenities offered for tourists and visitors, Lincoln County will continue to be shared in other’s memories for years to come.