Wyoming Antelope First Timers

[CouesPursuit]

One of my best hunting partners and I drew any antelope tags for the 2016 Wyoming season for our first ever speed goat experience. We departed Phoenix at 11AM on Friday, successfully arriving at our hunt destination outside of Laramie at 4am on Saturday 9/17, which was opening day for our Hunter Management Area.

 

Like many of you, I can't remember a big game hunt where I could actually fall asleep the night before upon closing my eyes. However, a 15+ hour drive made it more than easy to fall for a short nap in the front seats of the truck as we awaited the opening day's sun and much needed warmth.

 

As if there was a silent alarm clock, we woke at the first sense of daylight. We scurried to our tripods and binoculars in our clothes from the day before, and the hunt was on. Having not been acclimated to temps in the 30s in many months, it was cold to say the least. Thankfully, just as it was described by our friends that led us to the hunt and area, it was like a pinball machine keeping us warm and attentive, although our Carhartt jackets probably helped some too. There were antelope and ducks everywhere!!

 

A picture through my binoculars the first morning -

 

 

We glassed in awe for an hour. "Got some over here" quickly became a popular and overstated phrase. Without a tree in sight, we watched antelope from 400 yards to many miles away. I got excited with the first few bucks I spotted near the 4-600 yard mark as if to make a play on them, but I quickly realized they were everywhere, and with us standing around the truck, they probably weren't coming in much closer. At that time, I decided I didn't want to shoot one opening morning, and that I wanted to milk this experience for everything it was worth.

 

After the first shot rang out within the hour, my hunting partner Steve couldn't resist. We did a lot of load development and shooting in preparation for hunt, and when a group of hot does with a good looking buck hung around at the 450 yard mark for more than a minute, I heard the truck door open and the rifle case unzip, with a confident "I'm shooting him." Not 2 minutes later, and Steve had his Wyoming buck down with a shot to the vitals, just off the buck's shoulder, perfectly placed without an ounce of meat lost.

 

Steve approaches his downed buck at just over 400 yards -

 

 

We had an antelope down within an hour of opening day, without even leaving the truck! As many will say, and I learned then, "That's Wyoming!"

 

 

We brought various vacuum sealed packages of coues, mule deer, javelina, and dove. We ate meat and veggies like kings off the charcoal grill in our Motel 6 parking lot every evening of our 5 day stay. I didn't think there was anything better than coues, and although the jury is still out for me, I think we've found it folks.

 

Javelina backstrap that I brought from AZ and fresh Wyoming antelope tenderloin -

 

 

The next morning was my turn, it was forecasted to be a very windy day two with 35+ MPH gusts. I decided to get low and prone, away from the truck and within shooting distance of 2 tanks from the first photo above at first light. Steve stayed back and was to call me if something good popped up around the truck.

With the moon still up, and before the wind kicked in, I spotted a really good looking solo buck at 1000 yards. After the chaotic opener, he had just watered at dawn and he stood on a small slope getting a good eye on things before he decided on his next move. Steve called me to tell me a truck pulled up 500 yards away. I watched 4 hunters in a lot of orange get out and begin walking to the tank on their side of me, opposite of the buck. The guys made it not 10 yards from the truck and the buck took note, making his way up and away in elevation. The other hunters never saw this buck. The instant he moved behind a small hill and out of sight, I picked up my tripod and rifle and ran as quickly as possible to where I thought he could and would settle back down.

 

On my gloved hands and padded knees, I crested over the hill and regained sight of him right where I hoped he would be at just 428 yards, feeding with his head down. I crawled to the 400 yard mark, and set up my rifle for the shot. The wind had picked up and was directly in my face. I have to be honest, I practice and know my rifle pretty well, but I have never shot in that kind of headwind. A touch of anxiety took over me as I take one shot one kills very seriously and with a lot of pride. I wasn't sure if I was willing to take the shot with the conditions at hand, especially without a spotter.

 

Before I could wait for a break in the wind, out of my peripheral, I see a white object pop up right in front of me. It was a doe ranged at 60 yards, and she was very curious to what I was. Not a minute later, with the big buck watching at 400 yards, a second buck appears just behind the doe. He noticed the doe noticing me, but would not lose pace with her, especially with the bigger buck watching. I had an awesome dose of adrenaline come over me, realizing that I better come to a decision, and quick, before the doe busts and takes both bucks with her.

 

But not before I could get a video and snapshot of this unreal situation!

 

 

I put the phone down and made my decision immediately. I may have practiced for the long shot, but at this point in my hunting career, having not taken an antelope yet, with an Arizona tag to come eventually, only a fool (my opinion) wouldn't capitalize on a 60 yard chip shot in the conditions, even if the distant buck was still noticeably bigger.

 

Laying prone, I reset for the shot on the closer buck, with nothing but grass in my scope. Luckily my bipod legs extended quickly and quietly, and I looked through the scope again. The most handsome critter to ever fall within the eye of my scope at any similar range just stood there, staring. I put the crosshairs on his leg crease and moved them back a couple inches for meat safety. A quick, gentle squeeze of the trigger and the plains went silent. At 7:30AM on our second day, I had just taken my first antelope with Steve watching from another 1,000 yards behind me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were tagged out and out of the unit by 10AM on day 2. Luckily, I brought a couple of fly rods. We visited a local fly shop, got some information and fly patterns for the area, and visited some local lakes to throw streamers on day 3.

 

 

My first fish was my biggest trout on a fly since I got into fly fishing a few years ago -

 

 

Notice my hat blowing off as I tried to get in the sun for the next photo. The wind didn't let up, but I enjoyed every, difficult, minute of it!!

 

 

Day 4, it was off to the trophy trout waters of the North Platte River, just south of Casper, WY.

 

 

An antelope buck says hello as he takes a drink while I was tossing the fly around.

 

 

The scenery here was awesome, and more, bigger trout were caught as I learned the river and new fishing tactics through the course of the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I caught some smaller ones too.

 

 

We kept a couple. Best trout I've ever had.

 

 

We bought a few blocks of ice and used the Motel 6 ice machine to fill in the gaps. We had a cooler to be proud of!

 

 

Before heading home, we spent one day exploring some public land for future knowledge and do a couple predator stands. The Medicine Bow National Forest did not disappoint and while coyote calling we encountered a group of mature mule deer bucks at just 60 yards.

 

 

 

 

 

Driving through the town of Medicine Bow, we spotted deer in the residential area so we pulled in for a closer look. Out of 100s of deer in and out of people's yards, we found this happy buck, bedded and resting at the safest place in town. Notice the sign in the yard (left).

 

 

 

The people, scenery, and experience were all amazing. Can't forget thanks to member wildwoody for some great unit information. Thanks Steve for being such an easy going and awesome hunting partner and friend!

 

Thanks all for looking! If you've thought about doing Wyoming, GO.

[5guyshunting]

Thats an awesome 1000th post congrats. That blood trail on the one antelope is great.

[bigorange]

Sounds like an awesome trip...thanks for sharing.

[Big Browns]

Great story buddy! It looks like you guys had a fantastic hunting adventure! Congrats!!!!

[Allforelk]

Awesome writeup sir! Loved the picture tale that accompanied it just as much.

[6ANut]

Wow what a write up, congrats on a great adventure.

[Zeke-BE]

Great write up thats awesome! Next year for me

[Cazador]

Great writeup and nice goats! I'm very interested in going up to Wyoming for an Antelope hunt. Probably the best tasting game meat there is!

[firstcoueswas80]

Great story buddy! It looks like you guys had a fantastic hunting adventure! Congrats!!!!

Dude I'd do a trip like that (but hopefully a few more tags mixed in) every year!

[wildwoody]

Very well done. Congrats , maybe next year we can meet up in unit 43. Glad I could help.

[tjhunt2]

Congratulations Shea on you and your friends goats. That was an awesome write up. Them were some nice trout as well. Thanks for sharing it all.

 

TJ

[SO I HUNT]

Way to go Shea... Nice lopes and the fishing looked pretty good as well.....

[WampusCat]

Brother! I was just thinking about you guys. Glad to see your success. What a great year you are having! Thanks for sharing the great write up and pictures.

[Explorer]

Awesome story!!

[StickFlicker]

Great write-up! Thanks for sharing it. I've done that trip 3 or 4 times myself, but not in recent years. It truly is amazing to see the shear number of antelope virtually everywhere in that state.