Re: Elk & Muley Hunts 2023???
[Re: ScottW]
#7984196
11/01/23 03:11 AM
11/01/23 03:11 AM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 3,302 S/W Wisconsin
rpmartin
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 3,302
S/W Wisconsin
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Nice bull Sask!! That bull's got some of everything. Looks like solid 330" to me. Huge congrats.
Life member, NRA, NTA, RMEF, Pheasants Forever. WTA,TTA,FTA,SA,GOA, member
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Re: Elk & Muley Hunts 2023???
[Re: ScottW]
#7984224
11/01/23 06:15 AM
11/01/23 06:15 AM
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,531 Fingerlakes New York
robert.d12
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,531
Fingerlakes New York
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I hunted mule deer in Wyoming Region Y for my first western hunt this year. I was with three buddies that had hunted the other side of the bighorns, but this was new ground to all of us. I had a blast, and I’m sure I’ll be back out there soon. It’s amazing country out there.
Anyway, we were skeptical drawing this new unit without any preference points. Online research didn’t look too promising with many hunters reporting no bucks or only spike bucks.One of the guys I was hunting with was able to do a few days of scouting before the rest of us got out there the day before the opener. He found some decent bucks and we narrowed it down to one large chunk of BLM that we wanted to hunt opening morning. The plan was to camp in the trucks/tents and pack in each morning. Opening morning rolled around and there were just three of us because one guy wasn’t able to make it until the second morning. The other two guys sat together on top of ridge and I sat just below them on a second ridge/finger about a half mile away. Us easterners aren’t the best at navigating the mountains in the dark so by the time we were setup it was already getting pretty light. It didn’t take long to start seeing bucks. I immediately had two spikes 400 yards in front of me and shortly after I noticed four more bucks sneaking up the canyon on my left about 700 out. There was a 4x4 in there but I decided he wasn’t a shooter. After watching him a minute I looked up and there were now more bucks with the spikes I front of me. One of which was nice a 4x4. All five bucks went behind some rock and I moved to be prepared for a 300 yard shot when they came out. I waited a while, longer than it should have taken, and they never showed up. I moved back to my original glassing spot and found them coming around the other side much closer than I expected. I made the final decision that he was a shooter and took a 106 yard shot at a 29 degree downward angle. The buck ran about 20 yards and stopped with blood just dumping out of his chest before tipping over.
Within a minute, one of my buddies shot and killed a smaller 4x4 on the other ridge. Just like that we had 2/4 tags filled and we were only 30 minutes into opening day. Opening night and the second morning were fairly uneventful and we noticed the bigger deer had pushed further into the public land. We weren’t really prepared and hadn’t planned for it, but we decided to pack in a few miles with enough gear to stay a couple nights. I’m sure proficient backpack hunter would have found it funny how heavy our packs were for two nights. Anyway, we got to where we wanted to camp just before sunset the second day and decided to scout for our glassing spots before dark and then set up camp in the dark. We were just over 3 miles in and it was some rugged stuff. Wouldn’t you know it, the third guy shoots a buck just as the sun is setting. We packed it back to camp for the night and then him and I packed it back out to the trucks at sunrise. We hiked back in to camp and shortly after getting back we got a call that the last guy filled his tag. We loaded up with all of the camp gear and the last deer and hiked out with some real heavy packs with smiles all around. We had all planned to hunt 10 days but the four of us tagged out in three. We spent a day butchering everything and a day coyote hunting before heading back home. It was an awesome trip, looking forward to doing it all again someday.
The beauty of the second amendment is it wont be needed until they try to take it. -Thomas Jefferson
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Re: Elk & Muley Hunts 2023???
[Re: Yes sir]
#7984321
11/01/23 08:16 AM
11/01/23 08:16 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,072 MD
DaveP
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,072
MD
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About about a hour from shooting light here on first morning. Fired up and ready to go! Good Luck! And thanks to.others for pics and stories, living vicariously through you guys!
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Re: Elk & Muley Hunts 2023???
[Re: ScottW]
#7984522
11/01/23 12:06 PM
11/01/23 12:06 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 3,302 S/W Wisconsin
rpmartin
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 3,302
S/W Wisconsin
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Those kickers are pretty darn cool. Nice buck!! Congrats
Life member, NRA, NTA, RMEF, Pheasants Forever. WTA,TTA,FTA,SA,GOA, member
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Re: Elk & Muley Hunts 2023???
[Re: ScottW]
#7984554
11/01/23 01:14 PM
11/01/23 01:14 PM
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 3,134 Ks
Flint Hill fur
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 3,134
Ks
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Re: Elk & Muley Hunts 2023???
[Re: ScottW]
#7984564
11/01/23 01:42 PM
11/01/23 01:42 PM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,395 Northern MN
Osky
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,395
Northern MN
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Great hunts guys, congrats! Mine starts in a week or so. Probably my last, I hope i do as well.
Osky
"A womans heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth, and I can find no sign on it" Jabless in Minnesota www.SureDockusa.com
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