Home From Wyoming Antelope & Deer Hunt

Colorado Cowboy

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Jun 8, 2011
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Dolores, Colorado
SUNDAY Sept 29
Left home at 5:00 am with my 2 hunting buddies from California. Everything went well until we got to Meeker, then the wind started. Pretty miserable drive the rest of the way to Waltman, Wy. Saw lots of antelope on the way, looks like the rut is on. My cargo trailer containing the sxs & quad and most of our gear was really moving around in the wind. Got the key to our mobile that we were using and unpacked. Getting everything ready to begin hunting tomorrow.

MONDAY Sept 30.
Left about 7:00 am and didn't get 2 miles down the road until we started seeing lots of goats. Took a 2 track into a walk-in area and one of my buddies Todd spotted a nice buck he wanted. Stalked about 300 yards and setup. One shot from his .308 at about 250 yards and we are now 1 for 1. Got it gutted and back to the side by side and started down the 2 track again. Another 1/4 mile and my other pal Ken picked out a buck he wanted and did a 400 yard stalk. One shot from his new 7mm short mag and 300 yds and we are 2 for 2. This is Ken's first antelope and he is stoked! Wow ...hunted a half and hour and 2 pretty good bucks. Took them back to camp and got them skinned, quartered and on ice.
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Ken 's buck
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Todd and Ken

We had lunch and decided to look at the area I would be hunting deer on opening day, Tuesday, Oct 1. Went 17 miles in the sxs and Ken on the quad. Started snowing and windy, made it pretty miserable. Got to the area I wanted to Hunt and it was so cloudy with snow, couldn't see 50 yards. Got off the mountain and started back to camp. I knew an area I wanted to look at for my antelope. Took a 2 track and started seeing lots of bucks. I saw one I liked and stalked and crawled to the top od a small knob about 250 yards away. Laid down and dropped a nice buck at 300 yds with my trusty old 25-06. Now 3 for 3 on the first day....oh yes, only 3 shots fired by all of us.
Back to camp and had him skinned and quartered by dark. A libation or 2 and homemade enchiladas and the celebration was on!
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My buck.

TUESDAY
Opening day of deer season. Up at 4:30 and after breakfast, drove the 17 miles to the hunt area. Wind blowing 25 and sleet in our faces. Stayed for a hour and couldn't see at all. Decided to go back to our antelope area so the guys could fill their does tags. Got that done and had dinner. Tomorrow is another deer day.

WEDNESDAY
Left camp again at 4:30 am. Got up on the mountain and solid fog. Stayed 5 hours and it never lifted. Went to a couple of other areas I knew held deer. Saw does and a couple of small bucks.

THURSDAY
Another 4:30 am morning. Sunny and clear....whoopee! We eased up to the saddle I knew held the deer I was looking for. It was still very windy, probably 30+, it was going to make shooting a little tough. I looked down in the canyon that I had always seen buck in and there were 7 feeding. 5 smaller and 2 real monsters. They were 375 yards away on my range finder. I settled on the biggest one, I estimated 30" + and at least a 200" buck. I squeezed one off and I could not see a bullet strike and neither could my buddies that were glassing them. I shot again with the same results. They were hauling ass out of the area now, so no more shots. I was pretty bummed out. I had missed the biggest buck I had ever seen and had a shot at! I saw several small forkies and does, I could have filled my e/s tag, but just couldn't do it with these small deer after the giant I had missed.

Friday

Drove home. Windy again!

All in all a great time. I spent my 13 NR points on deer, so I will probably never get to hunt deer in that unit again. Boy what a buck! It was a tough shot, but I had to give it a go, Without the wind, I probably would be going to the Taxi today to get it mounted. That's hunting.........
 
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RICMIC

Veteran member
Feb 21, 2012
1,966
1,706
Two Harbors, Minnesota
Weather was definitely in play. I brought several hundred pounds of it coating my truck, trailer and ohv's.

How hunting?
Hunting was a lot tougher this time for our doe tags. First off, the antelope numbers seem to be way down from previous trips, this is my 4th trip in the same area since 2015. I took a 78 yr. old with mobility issues, his son who just got out of the Air Force after 24 years and missed all those years hunting with his dad, and finally, the old guy's brother. That guy was my best friend for most of my life, and has just recovered from death's door after 5 years of serious health issues. So, this was more of a "share the experience and time together" hunt than any kind of trophy hunt. The hunting was tough, and we only filled two of our 8 doe tags, but it was truly another grand adventure.
Three of us hunted on foot right from camp for two days until the weather cleared, and on the first sunny day drove to what I call "The Sarengetti" where I have always found good numbers of antelope. Well, we never made it. One of the Rangers blew a belt 14 miles back on a gumbo road, so the brothers drove back to buy a new belt. The 46 year old kid and I had a great time walking for a couple hours before my buddy returned to tell us that the older brother had driven his truck off the road and was now waiting for a wrecker. We rode out, shot two does on the way, and were able to tow out the dead machine after a few more drying hours. We are all home safely, and I'll be cutting up meat later this morning to deliver to our sausage maker. Then several hours with a pressure washer to spread some of WY around MN.
I was gone on my own hunt for much of Sept., and had a great time with no issues for the whole time. I will give a full story with some photos from my elk hunt after I catch up on things here. I do have a couple memorable pics of our antelope trip, one of which is a pickup with Wisconsin plates that was completely covered in gumbo mud, pretty much abandoned close to where the Ranger blew it's belt. Excuse me for running long, but you did ask. Rick
 

Prerylyon

Veteran member
Apr 25, 2016
1,334
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50
Cedar Rapids, IA
Hoping I can coordinate scheds w/my buddy (we applied & drew together) so I'm not solo like last yr for just these reasons-even with the best prep, gear, & skills; weather and bad roads can conspire to get ya. Weather last yr was good-prob too good-so the dirt two racks were pretty mild and kind to me. Regardless, if I end up having to go solo again, I know I won't be going in as deep without backup...
 

Colorado Cowboy

Super Moderator
Jun 8, 2011
8,074
4,300
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Dolores, Colorado
Monday Morning QB......

Looking back, I probably should have taken my .300 Wby. I thought about it, but I have total confidence in my .25-06. The .300 with my 180gr elk load would have been better in the wind that we had. It shoots sub moa groups out to 500 yds and has a Leupold Ballistic Turret for my load. The shot was also really at a low angle and instead of shooting dead on, I probably should have shot lower because of bullet rise.