For most of us Huntin’ Fools, the application season is one that is full of great expectations and unique challenges. The 2023 season was no exception for me. I had several hunts that I was eager to pursue this season, including a Wyoming mule deer and antelope rifle hunt with my 23-year-old daughter Alden and a general season backcountry mule deer rifle hunt in Utah. I had enough points to draw the Pine Valley hunt in Southern Utah but had no points in Wyoming. Luckily, working with Garth and Shandi and the Application Team at Huntin’ Fool, we drew all the tags we expected for both Wyoming and Utah, with each hunt starting in early and mid-October.
Our Wyoming hunt began first with travel from our home state of Kentucky to Denver on September 30th. The ranch we would be hunting is in the eastern plains of Wyoming north of Lusk and one that I’ve hunted off and on for over 25 years. Since 1998, I have become good friends with the rancher and his family and know the land we would be hunting very well.
Upon arrival at the ranch mid-afternoon on opening day, October 1st, our host, JD, suggested we get unpacked and meet him at his ranch house in about an hour. At the agreed upon time, we met up with JD and began our search for a suitable buck antelope for Alden. It didn’t take long as within minutes, JD spotted a “shooter” buck in one of the large grassy pastures. After several attempts to get Alden in position, she successfully made a “belly-crawl” stalk through the tall grass and cactus to within 75 yards of the trophy buck. After a couple of off-hand shots, she had her antelope on the ground and was ready for pictures.
The remainder of the day, we drove around the 50,000-acre ranch looking over prime eastern plains mule deer habitat. While many parts of Wyoming were hit with record level snow and sub-zero temps the previous winter, the eastern plains game animals seemed to have “weathered the storm” fairly well and were in pretty good shape overall. As we were driving one of the interior fence lines, we saw an interesting, mature, non-typical 3-point buck with split brow tines. He was in a small, fenced-in sunflower field feeding in the late afternoon at a range of about 50 yards. Alden decided to pass on this buck as it was still day one of her hunt.
On day two, we awoke to an early morning fog, which made finding the deer difficult. However, as the fog lifted, we saw a few decent-looking bucks and literally dozens of does feeding out in the open fields on native grasses and sagebrush. We spent most of the morning driving the ranch roads with the landowner and walking the timbered ridges in search of a good buck.
After lunch on day two, Alden decided to take a break and get some well-needed rest at the landowner’s home. I continued hunting with the landowner, and later in the day, we pulled up to a large, open, grassy draw dotted with several ponderosa pines. After glassing for just a few minutes, I spotted three mature bucks grazing together at about 800 yards. The landowner suggested we take a closer look, so we backed out and drove around to the head of the draw where they were feeding. We quietly stalked to within 150 yards, and two of the three bucks looked like shooters. Both had chocolate-colored antlers, one was tall and narrow and the other wide and heavy.
JD asked me if I wanted to shoot, and I replied that I would prefer Alden to have the opportunity on either one of the two big bucks. He agreed, and we quickly got back into the truck and headed back to the landowner’s house. When we arrived at the house to pick up our shooter (Alden), we realized that she had left her youth model .243 Win back at the bunkhouse. This meant that if she was presented with a shot, she would now be shooting my full length .300 Win Mag.
As we made a mad dash to get back to the head of the draw, the clouds had begun to thicken and rain started to sputter. Visibility was starting to become an issue, though we had plenty of legal shooting light left. Within minutes, JD whispered to us that he had spotted one of the bucks and pointed in the general direction of the deer. I immediately got Alden into a shooting position over a blown down tree. She settled into the riflescope as I got in position with my binoculars. We were both looking at the backend of a large buck as he was feeding in the tall grass. After a few minutes, he moved into a quartering away position and raised his head. I could see the mass and tine length of his antlers and gave Alden the green light to take the 180-yard shot. Within seconds, a shot rang out and I could see that the buck was hit hard just behind the ribs. He ran about 20-30 yards down into the draw and then piled up where we could just see the arc of his body and antlers above the yellow grass.
“Did I get him?” Alden asked.
With a big smile and a hug, I said “You drilled him.”
He was laying in the bottom of the draw. To say we were all ecstatic would be an understatement. The rest of our hunting party soon joined us at the kill site to celebrate Alden’s first mule deer. It was an excellent, mature, non-typical 3x3 trophy, and ironically, it was the same non-typical 3-point buck we had seen the previous day at less than 50 yards. It is a terrific trophy, one that most hunters would be proud of. Congratulations, Alden!
A special thanks to our friend and landowner, JD. Over the past 25 years, JD and his family have provided many great hunting experiences and memories for my friends, family, and me.
Our Wyoming hunt began first with travel from our home state of Kentucky to Denver on September 30th. The ranch we would be hunting is in the eastern plains of Wyoming north of Lusk and one that I’ve hunted off and on for over 25 years. Since 1998, I have become good friends with the rancher and his family and know the land we would be hunting very well.
Upon arrival at the ranch mid-afternoon on opening day, October 1st, our host, JD, suggested we get unpacked and meet him at his ranch house in about an hour. At the agreed upon time, we met up with JD and began our search for a suitable buck antelope for Alden. It didn’t take long as within minutes, JD spotted a “shooter” buck in one of the large grassy pastures. After several attempts to get Alden in position, she successfully made a “belly-crawl” stalk through the tall grass and cactus to within 75 yards of the trophy buck. After a couple of off-hand shots, she had her antelope on the ground and was ready for pictures.
The remainder of the day, we drove around the 50,000-acre ranch looking over prime eastern plains mule deer habitat. While many parts of Wyoming were hit with record level snow and sub-zero temps the previous winter, the eastern plains game animals seemed to have “weathered the storm” fairly well and were in pretty good shape overall. As we were driving one of the interior fence lines, we saw an interesting, mature, non-typical 3-point buck with split brow tines. He was in a small, fenced-in sunflower field feeding in the late afternoon at a range of about 50 yards. Alden decided to pass on this buck as it was still day one of her hunt.
On day two, we awoke to an early morning fog, which made finding the deer difficult. However, as the fog lifted, we saw a few decent-looking bucks and literally dozens of does feeding out in the open fields on native grasses and sagebrush. We spent most of the morning driving the ranch roads with the landowner and walking the timbered ridges in search of a good buck.
After lunch on day two, Alden decided to take a break and get some well-needed rest at the landowner’s home. I continued hunting with the landowner, and later in the day, we pulled up to a large, open, grassy draw dotted with several ponderosa pines. After glassing for just a few minutes, I spotted three mature bucks grazing together at about 800 yards. The landowner suggested we take a closer look, so we backed out and drove around to the head of the draw where they were feeding. We quietly stalked to within 150 yards, and two of the three bucks looked like shooters. Both had chocolate-colored antlers, one was tall and narrow and the other wide and heavy.
JD asked me if I wanted to shoot, and I replied that I would prefer Alden to have the opportunity on either one of the two big bucks. He agreed, and we quickly got back into the truck and headed back to the landowner’s house. When we arrived at the house to pick up our shooter (Alden), we realized that she had left her youth model .243 Win back at the bunkhouse. This meant that if she was presented with a shot, she would now be shooting my full length .300 Win Mag.
As we made a mad dash to get back to the head of the draw, the clouds had begun to thicken and rain started to sputter. Visibility was starting to become an issue, though we had plenty of legal shooting light left. Within minutes, JD whispered to us that he had spotted one of the bucks and pointed in the general direction of the deer. I immediately got Alden into a shooting position over a blown down tree. She settled into the riflescope as I got in position with my binoculars. We were both looking at the backend of a large buck as he was feeding in the tall grass. After a few minutes, he moved into a quartering away position and raised his head. I could see the mass and tine length of his antlers and gave Alden the green light to take the 180-yard shot. Within seconds, a shot rang out and I could see that the buck was hit hard just behind the ribs. He ran about 20-30 yards down into the draw and then piled up where we could just see the arc of his body and antlers above the yellow grass.
“Did I get him?” Alden asked.
With a big smile and a hug, I said “You drilled him.”
He was laying in the bottom of the draw. To say we were all ecstatic would be an understatement. The rest of our hunting party soon joined us at the kill site to celebrate Alden’s first mule deer. It was an excellent, mature, non-typical 3x3 trophy, and ironically, it was the same non-typical 3-point buck we had seen the previous day at less than 50 yards. It is a terrific trophy, one that most hunters would be proud of. Congratulations, Alden!
A special thanks to our friend and landowner, JD. Over the past 25 years, JD and his family have provided many great hunting experiences and memories for my friends, family, and me.