A weekend with the Goldsteins: Laughter, lessons and gratitude on their first deer hunt through CPW's Rookie Sportsperson Program

Joey Livingston
Statewide Public Information Officer
303-345-4658 / [email protected]

Adventures of a Rookie Sportsperson

By CPW Public Information Officer Joey Livingston Editor's note: 'Adventures of a Rookie Sportsperson' is a regular column from Colorado Parks and Wildlife designed to promote programs that help people engage with the outdoors through hunting, angling, camping, hiking and wildlife watching.  A weekend with the Goldsteins: Laughter, lessons and gratitude on their first deer hunt LIMON, Colo. —  "What about those ones?" whispered 13-year-old Elias Goldstein, pointing toward a group of deer only 200 yards away. 

His hunting mentor, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Officer Aaron Berscheid looked around in shock, quickly dropping to a crouch and signaling for silence. With just 30 minutes of shooting light remaining, this was the opportunity we’d been hoping for all day, and Berscheid didn’t want our voices to scare the deer off.

Elias’ mother, Glynnis Goldstein, and his younger brothers, 11-year-old Keller and 9-year-old Beck, watched intensely from a nearby garage. The brothers were quieter than they’d been all day as Elias inched closer and closer to the herd. I stood beside them, peering through my binoculars. The tension of the day’s hunt, of a rainy weekend and of an entire year of preparation peaked as Elias and Berscheid crawled up a small hill to set up for a shot.

Elias laid down in the prone position, a steady position he'd practiced during his time in CPW’s Rookie Sportspersons Program (RSP). He handled his rifle carefully and deliberately—skills he had been learning in the program over the past year.

Every sound seemed amplified as the family and I waited, hardly breathing. Suddenly, we jumped as a loud “kapow” echoed through the air. We looked at each other wondering: “Did he get one?”

After a wet and cold night of tent camping in a remote field in Limon, followed by a long day pursuing deer, I’d all but given up on this hunt ending with meat on the Goldstein family table. 

I had arrived for the hunt in the dark the night before, driving and then hiking through a rare Eastern Plains downpour.

As I stumbled into camp, soaked and muddy after abandoning my car, I was greeted with amused looks by Glynnis and Adam Goldstein – the parents of Elias, Keller and Beck. 

“That was you out there in the middle of nowhere?” Glynnis asked, jokingly. “We wondered who that was!” 

Their jovial response, despite such miserable conditions, set the tone for the weekend. No matter the weather, we were going to have a great time.

We were all here for the long-awaited RSP big game hunt—an opportunity for the 2024 class of RSP participants to take home dozens of pounds of fresh, antibiotic-free, organic, free-range game meat. 

This October weekend was the culmination of nearly a year of mentorship, training and classroom studies hosted by CPW, and everyone was excited despite the rain, mud and the cold night ahead. 

After struggling to set up my tent, I joined the pre-hunt briefing that night where Officer Berscheid outlined the plans for the next morning: Younger hunters, including Elias, would hunt mule deer, while adults, including Adam, would hunt pronghorn. With a long day ahead, we all returned to our tents to try to stay dry and get some sleep.

By early morning, the rain had eased, leaving behind a damp chill. Families and mentors moved quietly in the predawn darkness, organizing their gear. I met up with the Goldsteins, who told me that their first night had been rough—they hadn't layered properly and had struggled to stay warm. Despite this, the whole family was eager to get moving.

Elias was the only one eligible to hunt deer, as Colorado law requires youth to be 12 years old to hunt big game. Keller and Beck were excited to watch and support their brother. Glynnis would accompany the boys and me, while Adam would hunt pronghorn with Officer Ben Meier.

The 45-minute drive to the hunting property was quiet—the boys had fallen asleep after the cold night and early wake-up call. 

When we approached the property, the misty morning revealed something extraordinary: a massive herd of nearly 300 elk grazing just a few hundred yards away. It was a rare sight for eastern Colorado, as most elk reside in the high country to the west.

Officer Berscheid gave Elias and his brothers a quick lesson on stalking techniques, emphasizing silence and wind awareness. Soon after setting out, we spotted a group of 10 deer. Berscheid and Elias moved in and began stalking the animals, while Glynnis, Keller, Beck and I stayed behind to observe from a barn on the property.

As we waited, I tried to keep the younger boys entertained but quiet.

Suddenly, Berscheid and Elias appeared, waving us to follow behind them. We moved as quickly and quietly as possible. As we followed, Beck whispered, "This is just like Mission: Impossible!"

Unfortunately, the deer wandered off, but the day was still young and our hopes remained high. As we regrouped, Berscheid pointed out fresh animal tracks—deer, coyote, elk and horse—and taught us how to tell which direction the animals were moving. For example, dirt pushed forward at the edge of a track indicates the direction the animal is heading.

As we listened to his lessons, we heard gunshots in the distance. He used the opportunity to explain how to tell if a shot hit its target based on the sound. A single "pow” usually means a miss, while a "kapow" sound indicates a hit.

By mid-morning, we went to another area where Elias and Berscheid set out on their own again. They discussed how deer position themselves relative to the wind, typically keeping their backs to it so they can smell predators approaching from behind. For this stalk, they had to hike into the wind, meaning the deer wouldn’t smell them but could still see them if they weren't careful.

Glynnis, Keller, Beck, and I stayed back in the car with spotting scopes and binoculars to observe from a distance. Watching them stalk the deer through the binoculars was exciting, especially when it looked like they were setting up for a shot. We kept scanning the field for animal movements, staying alert to what might unfold.

After a few hours, we spotted a point of orange moving far in the distance. Berscheid and Elias were making their way back. They had spotted a deer and gotten quite close. They even set up for a shot. But then they noticed the deer had small antlers. It was a young buck. Since Elias had a doe tag, he wasn't permitted to take the shot, and we decided to take a break until evening.

At camp, we learned three pronghorn hunters—Amber Cizmic, Alex Navon, and Josh Gallegos—had successfully harvested animals and were breaking them down, turning carcasses into food and putting the lessons they learned in the RSP big game processing class to use. 

Meanwhile, the Goldstein boys were playing hide-and-seek with the children of other participants, providing a humorous contrast to the seriousness of the hunt and the processing of game meat. This moment, watching families bond, share stories, and celebrate successes, really captured what the RSP program is all about.

A few hours before dark, we drove back to the same property to try our luck again. Berscheid presented Elias with two options: sit in a hunting blind or stay in a nearby garage to watch for deer from a distance. Elias opted to stay in the garage, which made sense given how boisterous his two younger brothers were.

While waiting and scouting, we all discussed hunting strategies and shared stories. The boys were fascinated by Berscheid's experiences as a wildlife officer. 

The sun began to set, and our anticipation grew. With every scan of my binoculars, my hope for success was diminishing. Deer often make a nightly journey to feed or bed down, and we expected them to move by our location as the evening wore on, but we hadn't seen them yet.

Suddenly, Berscheid spotted a group of deer several hundred yards away. He started planning a slow, careful stalk with Elias to try to get him close enough for a shot. 

Just then, Elias noticed a second and much closer group of deer. It was as if those deer were stalking us!

The family and I waited in silence as Elias and his mentor approached a small hill and set up for a shot. As the tension grew, the crack of a gunshot rang out, echoing across the property. The family and I looked on, wondering if the shot had been a hit. A second shot rang out, and a large doe dropped suddenly, lying still in the distance.

Excitement and cheers erupted through the group. Beck jumped up and down, shouting at me, "Write that down! Write that down!" Glynnis could barely hold her phone steady as she tried to capture the moment on video, her voice was shaky and filled with pride.

We ran out to join Elias and Berscheid. Elias was shaking and smiling broadly as his brothers ran up to congratulate him. Keller and Beck showed genuine joy in their older brother's accomplishment. All of the family's hard work had paid off, and Elias had secured months' worth of food for his family.

As we approached the carcass, the group turned solemn and respectful. Glynnis made sure the family paused to say a prayer, thanking the animal for its sacrifice and acknowledging what this loss of life would provide for their family. 

This moment of gratitude reinforced the importance of respect for nature and wildlife when hunting—a value emphasized throughout the Rookie Sportsperson Program.

After teaching Elias how to use his carcass tag to properly and legally claim the deer, we began the field-dressing process, a critical step in cooling the meat and preventing spoilage. Elias was excited but thoughtful and serious during the process. 

The weight of taking the life of such a large animal was evident on his face. This connection and respect for the food you eat is something many will never experience.

When we walked into the main tent back at camp, the other RSP participants erupted in cheers. The support and camaraderie were deeply moving, and you could see the pride on Elias's face.

Over dinner, we recapped the day, briefing Elias’s father, Adam, of the events. You could see the pride he had in his family. As I told the group about the funny jokes Beck had made throughout the day, Officer Deme McDowell proclaimed Beck the "Walking One-Liner," to which Adam proudly responded: "That's my boy!"

After dinner, Elias and Adam worked on processing the deer. It was a late-night effort, stretching until midnight, but Elias was diligent, understanding the responsibility that comes with harvesting an animal.

The following morning, I had a chance to sit down with the Goldstein family to reflect on their journey in the Rookie Sportspersons Program and the weekend's events.

Glynnis told me that the program had exceeded their expectations. "We knew some of what to expect after hearing about it through a friend on social media, but it has been beyond what we could have hoped for," she said.

Elias spoke about the moment he took the shot. 

"I was pretty nervous but also really excited," he admitted. "I just knew I had to get the job done and it was nice to have Aaron [Officer Berscheid] there with me."

I asked his father Adam how he felt when he found out about Elias getting a deer. "I was over the moon,” he said. “Part of the reason we even got into this was because of Eli’s interest. He has friends who are hunters, and he wanted to try it, which got us all looking into it. When I found out he’d gotten one, I’ll admit, I shed a little tear. I was so proud of him."

Keller and Beck shared how much fun they'd had supporting their brother and learning about wildlife. Even though they weren't old enough to hunt big game yet, they were excited to be a part of the experience and try some deer steaks.

For Elias, his first successful hunt was a milestone that will stick with him for the rest of his life. 

As I packed up my gear and prepared for the journey home, I felt incredibly fortunate to have been part of the Goldsteins' adventure. Seeing his father’s pride, watching his brothers cheer him on and his mom lead the family in a moment of gratitude for the deer's sacrifice was deeply moving. Their humor, resilience, respect and genuine enthusiasm throughout the experience made this one of the most rewarding weekends of my life.

It was a reminder of why the Rookie Sportspersons Program is so important. This program does more than teach people how to hunt. It fosters a deep respect for wildlife and the natural world. It brings families together, instills values of responsibility and gratitude, and it creates memories that will last a lifetime.

Check out some more pictures from this RSP adventure. Stay tuned for the next chapter of our “Adventures in the Rookie Sportsperson Program.”

Joey Livingston is a public information officer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Joey has lived in Colorado for nine years and loves the outdoors. If you have a question, please email him at [email protected]

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