Hunting Wyoming

Last weekend I was afforded the opportunity to go on a Mule Deer and elk hunt in southern Wyoming. I’d hunted Wyoming only once prior and that trip didn’t fair so well. I was in Wyoming’s unforgiving Savage Run Wilderness with rodeo buddy, Ira McKillip. Our hunting trip turned into a survival story at the mid-day point due to the fact we were lost…well Ira claims we were hiking, not lost! I remind him, it may have been hiking, it was just in the wrong direction.

As you can imagine, I was hoping this hunting trip would be more successful. I had been excited about this trip ever since my good friends Kal and Brian invited me. I sighted in my rifle in the Snowy Range, bought camp food, packed my bags and loaded up my truck and headed towards Baggs, Wyoming.

I highly recommend a day trip through the Medicine Bow National Forest. Our route took us on a beautiful drive through Centennial, Wyoming. We made it through a little snow shower just in time to set up camp at Battle Mountain and hike in for the evening hunt. Wildlife is plentiful in Wyoming and we were able to set up hunting camp in a prime area. Kal, Brian and I all passed on mule deer that evening in hopes for, “Walter the Wall Hanger” the next morning!

Before the clock could strike dawn, we were up and eager to hike the mountain. Thank God for Brian’s four-wheeler because without that the trek to the top would have been a solid day’s work. But don’t worry; we hiked our fair share over the three-day hunt. At 8 am Brian and I trekked over a nearby ridge to glass for deer. To my delight, we saw a nice buck but had no luck getting a solid shot. It was a little disappointing to be so close…yet so far away.

By 10 am we met up at the bottom of the ridge and took comfort in the fact that the four-wheeler was still in place! After all, we had seen fresh signs of deer, elk and bear.

Brian spotted another buck Mule Deer and offered me the shot. I accepted! I’d never killed a Mule Deer so I was excited to have the opportunity. Now this is where the story gets good! I had the deer in my scope and could see he was a three-point. Just when I got a steady hand he walked behind some Scrub Oak and out of my scope. Well I was really leaning forward trying to find him…and out he came. I forgot how far I was leaning and pulled the trigger of my 30-06. Next thing I knew, blood was running down my head and off my nose! I asked Brian and Kal, “Did I hit him?” They couldn’t even answer me… not because they were concerned with my bleeding, mind you, but because they were laughing so hard! To make a long story short, I “scoped” myself. When I pulled the trigger the recoil caused the scope to hit me a good one! Good thing I’m used to pain from rodeo because that was a Mike Tyson type blow. I almost forgot to tell you…I did kill him and it was 165 yard shot. They still remind me I drew first and second blood…good friends, good times in good ‘ol Wyoming.











Jeremy's injury on recent hunting trip in Wyoming