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WY Hunting Trip
So, this trip was several years in the making. We've wanted to take our boys to hunt with their "papa" in WY ever since my in-laws moved there. This year we were finally able to make it happen.
We drove from OK to WY last weekend. Here are a few pictures as we got close, went through the mountains, and came in close to the in-laws house. As you can see, we came across some antelope when we were on the road to their house.
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One of the oldest's groupings.
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So, Sunday night we went out for the first hunt. My FIL's buddy took us out to several spots that had potential. A lot of what we went through was sage brush areas of the foothills where we were driving access roads and we would stop and spot for a while. As we got close to the end of the evening we went in an area that was near some sugar beet fields and spotted several doe and a couple bucks. We decided my FIL and I would post up on a couple bluffs across from the fields with my youngest. The oldest went with my FIL's buddy to a different spot looking near those same fields.
We had a deer walk right below the bluff, cross the creek and go into the field. It was a nice 6 point mule deer and was definitely a shooter. I could see the youngest getting ready to shoot as soon as it was across the creek and in the field. It seemed there was a struggle and I later found out the gun was having problems. My FIL gave him his gun to use, but it was too big. My son got a couple shots off, but missed. I managed to get a picture of the deer standing on the other side of the field.
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My oldest saw several nice white tail bucks, but didn't have a great shot and wasn't 100% sure our tags covered white tail, so he didn't shoot.
Monday morning, we went back to the same general area, but went down on the fields. We saw a few small doe and that was about it.
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On Monday evening we took my oldest up in the foothills to see how we could do there. We drove the logging roads and jeep trails up into the hills. After we had been at it for a while, we came upon a bunch of deer out about 75 yards. We started glassing and noticed there was a decent buck in the back of the group. My son and FIL tried to walk up a bit as they scurried off a little. They weren't able to get a good view, so we drove a bit further. We figured they were long gone, but then we came upon them again. We got my son in a position where he might be able to shoot and I tried to get up a small hill to get them scared out into the more open area. That wasn't looking like it would work well, since they were moving the opposite direction than we wanted. I backed off and we just watched for a minute or two. The buck moved into a position where my son had a shot. My FIL asked if he wanted to take him and my son responded with a definitive nod of the head.
Driving and getting close to the spot...
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So, now it was time for my youngest son to get his deer. We went out and did some hunting Tuesday morning and evening, with no luck. We went out in the morning on some of the public land in the foothills. We saw some doe, but that's about it.
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We went out with my FIL's buddy in the evening and saw a few deer, but still didn't get a great shot. He decided it as time for my little man to get a buck, so he set us up on his step dad's private property for the next morning, which was a good field area down in the valley near town. He told us to post up near the hay roll stacks, which we did. We got there just before sunup and posted up. We were seeing doe all over the place and waiting for something good. After a little while, my son whispered to me " Dad, there's a buck". I said "Where?". He says, "Right behind you." I turned around and there was a buck walking along the fence line near the hay area we were in...probably 20 yards away. I told him to stay still and wait until it passed by and got close to the filed to the east and we could move and get him set. The deer walked by as if we weren't there...once it was about 20 yard in the field we moved. Of course, we spooked him a couple times as we moved and got set. I had him sitting on a hay roll with the gun up on a bipod and ready to go. The deer had gone a good distance across the field and then turned broadside. I told my son, "Get those crosshairs on him and take a shot". Not a second or two later...BOOM! He hit him in the front side and he went down. He got back up and lunged forward, and I lost him in the binoculars. I thought he ran off. We called my FIL and older son over and told them what happened...they decided to take the truck over the that part of the field ad we walked over to see if we could find the deer. Expecting to find the deer off the field or chase him down, we were surprised to find him about 10 yards from the initial shot. After we got ready to take care of him, my FIL ranged the shot from his truck to the hay rolls and he was in shock. After he showed me the distance, I ranged it from the deer itself. His range was 320 yards...from the deer it was 302 yards. So, my boy basically made a ~300 yard shot. He hit the deer in the front quarter about 3" forward of the perfect kill shot. Like my oldest, it was down in one shot.
His deer...
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With papa and proud bro...
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It was interesting to see how the boys treated things differently. My oldest wasn't too interested in gutting and skinning, or processing. The youngest dove right in...
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On Friday, my FIL's buddy showed up, asking for some strong boys to help out. He had taken another friend out and gotten an elk. We went to help load it up and the boys got a chance to see a nice 5x5 elk up close and help load it up.
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Later on Friday, we did some shooting, then prepared to head home.
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Overall, it was an amazing trip. I am so proud of my boys for being able to get it done and learn about what it takes to put some meat in the freezer. They also showed a lot of responsibility with their shooting, patience and the time they spent outside of hunting helping their papa chop wood, riding around on the four wheeler and the RZR. They were so well behaved and everyone we were around complimented on what good boys they were. They did a great job helping out processing the deer and taking care of things on our trip out and back. I am beaming with pride and wondering what the hell I did to deserve this. We are already thinking about another trip and maybe considering putting in for elk tags.
My in laws sent us home with about 20# of elk burger from his elk this year and 4 quarters off a deer a friend shot and gave to them. Our freezer has about 150# of meat and we have some great memories. Does life get any better?
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Well done, it sounds like a ball. You'll have to try colorado some time.
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That would be cool. I'm already contemplating going back to WY for elk some time in the near future.
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Did the WY Hunt myself 2 years ago, was a blast. Did a meat trip for some Antelope Doe, and Mule Deer Doe. What Unit you in? I hunted 97
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46, 47 and 50 was where we were most of the time. My in-laws live in Hyattville and we stayed in that general area.
