2025 - Former Cromwell grads shoot first Elk

October 28, 2025 • Voyageur Press

Chelsea Swatek shot her first elk in the Big Horn Mountains near Shell, Wyoming, taking a nice 6x6 bull.

The successful hunt was followed by plenty of hard work. Chelsea and her boyfriend hiked approximately 24 miles over two days to retrieve the elk from a ravine, where it had been pushed by another bull after being shot. As daylight faded, they were unable to get the entire elk out in one day and returned the following day to finish the job.

“She was ecstatic,” said Chelsea’s mom, Lynn. “We spent a day cutting it up in our garage. The meat is awesome!”

Julie Decker also recently celebrated a successful Wyoming hunt, harvesting her first elk on Heart Mountain.

“It was so awesome. I was with my husband, and we walked and stalked the herd,” Julie said.



Julie harvested a beautiful 6x6 bull that scored 340. Making the experience even more meaningful was the rifle she carried on the hunt—her grandpa Arnold’s .243, which he gave her before he passed away.

“It made the moment really special!” Julie said.

The successful hunt was especially rewarding after Julie had to miss her opportunity the previous year. She had drawn a tag in the same area as her daughter, Morgan, but was unable to hunt after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon.

“The Game and Fish let me forfeit last year and reissued it for this year, which was awesome of them!” Julie explained.

Although Julie couldn’t participate in the hunt last year, there was still plenty to celebrate. Her daughter, Morgan, successfully harvested an elk of her own.

Now, a year later, Julie has her own first elk—and a memorable family hunting story to go along with it.