Alice In Chains Guitarist Harvests First Bull Elk In Montana

Who wouldn’t love to grow up listening to Alice in Chains and then share a Montana elk camp with Jerry Cantrell?

To most hunters, that would be an unbelievable hunt. To Montana's own, Tim Montana, that’s exactly what happened.

Tim posted photos and stories from the most amazing elk hunt in Madison County, MT. He was joined by a group of America's top special ops military personnel along with Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains' guitarist/co-founder). Here is the coolest part: Jerry Cantrell bagged his first-ever elk.

Jerry Cantrell Experiences First Time Harvesting A Bull Elk In Montana

I have spent a great deal of my life chasing elk throughout Montana. That is why I can truly appreciate the unique experience of harvesting your first bull. Regardless of whether you're a regular dude from Montana or a legendary musician, you’ll never forget it.

According to Tim’s social media post, Jerry Cantrell was not alone in experiencing his first elk. All of the special ops personnel who participated in the hunt also harvested their first elk. Not to mention our buddy Tim Montana successfully took down his own impressive bull elk. Tim described the experience by writing that if you had asked his 14-year-old self what he thought he’d be doing when he grew up, hunting elk with Tier 1 operators and Alice in Chains would have certainly made his list. That is quite a crew to have at an elk camp. I’m sure many interesting stories were told around the campfire during this hunt.

Shout out to the extremely generous Clark Adkerson and Yanira Larisch for putting the crew up and keeping them fed and warm during the hunt.

Two Rock Stars & Some American Heroes

This was more than two well-known musicians getting together to go elk hunting.

Tim also worked to organize for the special ops personnel to attend through an organization called Special Ops Xcursions. This non-profit organization arranges outdoor adventures (hunting trips, fishing excursions) for active duty, retired, and reserve U.S. Military Personnel and their Families. Their purpose is to provide a chance for military personnel to take a break from their demanding jobs, spend quality time with fellow veterans, and enjoy some of the great things that nature has provided us.

Tim supports this organization through the proceeds of his annual American Thread Sporting Clays Shoot in Nashville. All funds raised through this event are used to donate to various military-related charitable organizations.

Helping Get Veterans Outdoors Is Something Near & Dear to My Heart

This subject is near & dear to my heart as we recently hosted our first evet Outside the Wire fundraising event earlier this year in Missoula. Tim Montana performed an acoustic set for us during the event to raise money for the Veterans Bear Camp Program.

Our purpose in sponsoring the Outside the Wire series is the same as their sponsors'.

I believe we would all prefer to get our veterans out into the woods and into nature, whether it is hunting, fishing, or just sharing your own experiences with others who know what you went through.

There is something magical about being in nature. Especially places such as Montana. Whether you stand still under a tree waiting for an elk to bugle or sit around a campfire listening to each other tell war stories, there is a sense of peace found in nature that is very difficult to find elsewhere.

I am thankful for groups such as Special Ops Xcursions and many others that support them. It does not always take monetary contributions to help people. Sometimes it is just providing the opportunity to get away from the daily grind, enjoy the beauty of our mountains, and make some memories that will last a lifetime.

Congratulations to Jerry Cantrell on his first bull in Montana and to Tim on a very successful hunt.

But HUGE congrats to the military personnel who got to experience something they'll hopefully remember for the rest of their lives.

And Jerry, welcome to elk hunting. Just remember, the expensive part isn't getting your first elk. It's everything you'll buy trying to get your second one.