D.Camilleri
Well-Known Member
September 15th is in my blood as a day to look forward to for the whole year. Opening day of high country mule deer season in Western Wyoming. This year was no different than the rest with the exception that I had to hunt alone. Luckily a fellow hunter also was hunting alone and was able to help me out in recovering my trophy. I spotted a nice buck on Sunday Sept, 12th and counted 6 points on one side and 4 on the other. As I thought about it over the next days and hours, I knew he was the one. The nice weather that I rode in on, upper 70's was quickly replaced with rain and later snow. My spike camp is located at 9300 ft and my camp is less than 400 yards from where I made my kill shot on this years deer. Opening morning was a bust, heavy rain over night gave way to dense fog and rain showers in the am. After sitting on my stand for over an hour in the fog, I decided a nap in a warm down sleeping bag was in order. Around 11 am I went back to my stand,( a steep side hill under a fir tree) and the fog teased me by lifting for about 20 minutes in which time I didn't see anything and then it was back and down to zero visibility. Back to the tent for another nap. Around 4:00 pm the fog finally lifted and I could see. I once again went to my vantage point and quickly picked out several bucks. One was a small 4 point and the other was a forked horn. I waited, glassing the high Shute that I had seen the 6 point two days earlier. Nothing up there. Then I spotted a buck high up on a ridge and he turned out to be a respectable 3 point all by himself. Back to the two bucks I had seen earlier. Now there was three, and then four. Still no shooters. Back to looking at the Shute, nothing there. Back to the four bucks below, oh crap, number 5 and he is a shooter, heavy with lots of points. I grabbed the G7 and ranged him, 486 with a ballistic solution for my 338 Rum loaded with 300 grain Berger OTM's of 7.2 MOA. I dialed the turret on my Sightron SIII, cranked the power up to 32X and waited for the buck to turn broadside, crap he is going directly away from me and he could end up in a hidden draw in seconds, so I took a quartering away shot. I placed the cross hairs in line with a exit on the off side shoulder which put the entrance just forward of the near side hind quarter. I let the Berger fly and heard the distinctive WHOP, big buck down!
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=56aaad3cd6defa221469c81406eaef5d&oe=5667C76B
If this photo didn't load right I will repost the picture tomorrow.
When I got to the deer, there was no ground shrinkage, he was the buck I had seen two nights prior. He has 7 points on one side and 4 on the other. He is extremely heavy with very long tines. I expect he will go over 190 gross non typical. Hopefully tomorrow I can get a tape on him. Dear Santa, I need money for the taxidermist again.
I feel I need to give recognition to a fellow hunter and sportsman, Mike McGuire from Rock Springs, Wyoming, he offered to help me get my deer out and he helped quarter it up, helped prepare the cape took pictures and kept me company. Good luck Mike, I hope you get a great trophy too. Normally he hunts with his buddy Scott, but Scott couldn't make the trip this year. I look forward to hunting with you guys any time.
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=56aaad3cd6defa221469c81406eaef5d&oe=5667C76B
If this photo didn't load right I will repost the picture tomorrow.
When I got to the deer, there was no ground shrinkage, he was the buck I had seen two nights prior. He has 7 points on one side and 4 on the other. He is extremely heavy with very long tines. I expect he will go over 190 gross non typical. Hopefully tomorrow I can get a tape on him. Dear Santa, I need money for the taxidermist again.
I feel I need to give recognition to a fellow hunter and sportsman, Mike McGuire from Rock Springs, Wyoming, he offered to help me get my deer out and he helped quarter it up, helped prepare the cape took pictures and kept me company. Good luck Mike, I hope you get a great trophy too. Normally he hunts with his buddy Scott, but Scott couldn't make the trip this year. I look forward to hunting with you guys any time.
