Doug in Idaho
Member
I've wanted to hunt deer in Wyoming for as long as I can remember. I started building points years ago while I was in college but with new jobs, small kids, etc. I had never had a good chance to use them yet. I decided this year that I was sick of holding onto my points and just wanted to go hunting finally. I had more points than necessary to draw the tag I wanted so I split a few with a good buddy and we drew our tags. Several scouting trips produced lots of deer and several big bucks. The time came for the opener finally. My friend was in Alaska hunting moose so i'd be by myself, and the Sept. 15th corporate tax deadline kept me from getting over as early as i'd have liked to. Got up early and headed into the basin I wanted to get back into. I spotted 2 pretty good 4 points after awhile and I could tell one of them was fairly tall and had good mass. Based on what we had seen while scouting, he really was one of those bucks you hate to see on opening day, a little narrow but still a good buck. He finally turned his head and I could see 2 cheaters coming off of his back left fork. That really helped to make my decision for me. I decided that he was good enough for me and closed the gap from around 625 yards down to 400. I gave him 1 warning shot and then dropped him with the 2nd shot. He dropped immediately and I could see antlers behind a bush through the scope. Here's what I walked up to.
I admired him for a minute, but it was getting hot and my shade was quickly leaving. I started taking some pictures but I am no whiz with a self timer
I boned him out and loaded up for the pack out. The pack out was fairly brutal and the Mystery Ranch proved again that it can handle more weight than I can. All in all, I really enjoyed my first out of state hunt and my only regret is that i'm going to have to wait to be able to draw the tag again. My wife was happy that I was home early and I was able to save more time off for my elk hunt coming up here in Idaho shortly.
I admired him for a minute, but it was getting hot and my shade was quickly leaving. I started taking some pictures but I am no whiz with a self timer
I boned him out and loaded up for the pack out. The pack out was fairly brutal and the Mystery Ranch proved again that it can handle more weight than I can. All in all, I really enjoyed my first out of state hunt and my only regret is that i'm going to have to wait to be able to draw the tag again. My wife was happy that I was home early and I was able to save more time off for my elk hunt coming up here in Idaho shortly.
