This year I have a decent lope tag here in WY, however it is more of a migration tag and the numbers in late October will be 3-4 times animals.
Along with that I have a general bear tag, general elk tag, and general deer….
The most exciting part is my son is finally old enough to hunt here in WY. We have hunted rofle MT deer last 2 years on the mentor tags with awesome luck. But he shot all summer. Is 12 years old pulling just over 50 pounds. He has shot a lot and is currently shooting well enough to shoot out to 30 yards…
He and I have been chasing lopes last 2 weekends with lots of lopes, but only 2 I want to peruse. My attempts to pursue each have been a joke…
My son will be chasing elk, deer and bears.
We will be joined by a buddy from Iowa later this month who will Be hunting elk and my Wife is tagging along for elk and deer as well…
With all that being said…
One of the best parts of early lope hunting is the ability to sleep under the stars. The first 2 weekends we checked the weather and luckily we were Clear to sleep out under the stars.
This system Works great as you can be super mobile, hunt until dark and camp exactly where you want to start in the am… this allows glassing while some may not be so fast to get up…
enjoy
This is shaping up to be an amazing hunt and thread. Keep it rolling!!
Matt
I think guys hear stories, then they struggle to understand the physics, and fail to practice with the jacks…
I have made my son use the jack at home for practice several times…
They are a great tool that is used properly can really save your butt…
This was about the sketchiest time I had used it, the sand was unstable and even with the drop hitch as my lift, I had to lift the back end above my waist. On the front it was everything I could push to lift the diff wheel a couple inches. But it got done and I never felt in danger!!
Ya have an awesome time and thanks for bringing us along.
Looking to be a great thread!
We left home around 6:00 pm on Thursday after William got done with football practice… Had camp set up around 10:30 and in bed by 11…
Next morning we get up around 4:30 and head out looking for deer in the desert…
After several hours glassing we turn up exactly zero deer. It is hot by 10:30 am into the upper 70s low 80s… We decide to go check one more “Honey Hole” before driving an hour back to camp.
Again lots of glassing and no luck. We head to one last well pad to turn around and head out… 50 yards from the well pad I look off the road and into a little hole… There I see 2 bucks… A little fork horn and a spike.
Going to not here, all summer Will has been holding out for a big one. But the second he glassed the fork horn, holding out went bye bye and instantly he said I would shoot that buck…
Well the wind direction was wrong for an approach and they were both already alert etc. so I decided we would drive past the bucks and onto the pad. There we got out and made a big circle looking for tiger deer with the wind in our face.
All the while watching the area where the little buck had been.
When we got done with the circle we never saw the bucks leave. I figured that since it had been 45 minutes nearly and hour that the bucks might have settled in and bedded in the hole… So another circle to get the wind right and snuck in the area where they had been.
I was leading and without my bow, my son was hot on my tail and my wife bringing up the rear.
We cut into a small wash and slowly made our way around.
Being tall at times has an advantage. I can see just over sand dunes sooner… Sneaking up a little dune and I catch a glimpse of velvet covered antler tips in the sage just ahead. I hit the sand and crawl up. Having my son stay about 10 yard back until I can sort out what we have and options for a shot.
The velvet buck it at 40 yards and feeing away but right under in taller sage is the 2 point. He is at 20 yard but all I can see is the buck raking the brush.
I have my son slip up to me… As he does the velvet 4x4 turn around and heads back toward us. I whisper to Will to hurry and nock and arrow.
He does just as the buck catches movement… the stalemate begins. The buck can easily see me, can see Will and likely can see My wife.
He starts to circle and work towards our wind. He gives lots of shot opportunity but is at 40 yards and Will is only allowed to shoot 30…. Soon the fork horn and the little spike are alert as well and working towards our wind.
The wind swirls and the velvet buck takes. Flight pulling the little buck with them.
As they flee we sit and let ‘em go… They go about 150 yards out onto the skyline and watch us. I shift around, Will puts his arrow away and Melissa comes up and sits down.
We were talking about how cool it was. I was sitting looking west and Will and Melissa south. I spot 2 little fawns take off our in the sage 300 yards away. I say more fawns, both Melissa and Will get bugged eye and say don’t move there is another buck… This one was bigger and a great archery buck. I sat for ever not even able to turn around and look.
The buck has us pegged but we all sit still… He begins to circle, 60 yards, then to 50 yards then to 40 yards… I left my bow in the truck, had I been packing I could have easily got the shot. He kept looking was nervous but would look back then up to where the other bucks were on the skyline etc. eventually he spooks and runs off to the south. Melissa had nicked and arrow as he was about to enter a lane for her to shoot 40 yards. Again just out of wills range.
We laugh and are talking about how close that was when another buck shows up from the exact same location as the last one. And starts to do the same thing… Still always put, the first bigger buck that has just spooked came back on the the little ridge above us. At 36 yards and just before he gave a good shot he spoils again.
As he spoils the “new” bigger buck circles in. After what seemed forever my wife drew her bow and settled in for the shot. The buck locked up and was in high alert. He snorted right as she shot and the buck jumped the string the arrow would have been perfect buck the buck spun and the arrows just missed. A split second slower and that buck was done…
It was a pretty epic end to the morning hunt. How we got 3 people into range of what ended up to be 5 bucks. Nearly killing 2.
On the way back to camp we have a tire go flat. The desert oil and gas roads are hard on tires for sure. The rock did not look that bad but regardless we had to stop the hunt and camp and go for a repair. Swung into the little town. Found a station that fixes flats took the tire off and the rock had created a bid rip. Too big to repair.
Luckily the guy had one tire the right size that was used. $50 to mount and balance and we ended up having a spare again. Going to get new tire this week I suppose.
It was apparent they were headed to a specific spot, the same spot we were wanting…
So we opted for a different direction.
It was hot, 85 degrees, at 4:00.
We haul butt… Get up into a little canyon with water that was a good hard hike… As we get into the canyon we meet a grumpy guy coming out. Said it had been quiet all day. Not very friendly. We went ahead with our plan as he was heading out.
We made a loop up into the water and no sign… but we did have a distraction with a few grouse. Will shot just high…
By this time we were 3.3 miles in and the sun was setting.
So we decide to head back out and hunt the tree edges. As we head out, we look across the sage flat to a hill and spot elk in the sun. We count 13 cows in one group 5 in another and one decent 5x5 bull.
We bugle with the bull and cow call, but wind and time were not on our side. Watching the bull it was obvious he was not fired up but vocal.
As we watched and called a cow showed up behind us and had 2 spikes following her..
We get ready and the cow goes below us. Before the spikes come in the cow gets our wind. Another knocked arrow and a very close chance…
By the time we make the 3 miles back to the truck we are beat and it is 9:00
Melissa was not able to join us, ever since she had covid she gets migraines and the heat and work earlier kept her in the truck sleeping and relaxing…
It was a pretty good day. However the 6 miles did William in…
The second morning neither Melissa or Will got up. I made a loop by camp and did not see much. It is time to pack up for the 2nd evening…
Talk with second truck find out he is on a pond in a tree stand. He says the other truck is also a guy in a tree stand. With that knowledge we decided to put our head down and hike in to the area past everyone else. At 3 miles in we sit watching a valley and 2 ponds. As we near 6 we get to shuffle around and try some calling. We call in one cow right between my wife and son. No shot. She spins and heads out. No bugles, no other elk just a lone cow.
It was a great evening and when all was said and done 6.5 mile hike…
Sunday morning we get up early and head into an area with a crap ton of roads.
Area is marginal at best for elk but has deer. On the way in we see a couple bucks in the headlights. Before the sun peaks out we start working a little loop. About 20 minutes in we spot 3 spikes about 100 yards out. They were bumped from below by a truck, and were initially moving away. We are pretty open so I have Will drop down and get set up. Not anywhere for him to really go. I scramble back to my wife who was bringing up the rear and have her drop with me just off the edge behind us.
I can just see the antler tops of the biggest spike from where I start, William was right in line between us. Hit the call and the one I saw turned and was coming. I drop back in the hole a touch more and call. Will knocks an arrow and sits in suspense. The bulls circle down wind of him as they come in and I am watching. I can’t see the bulls but I can tell what is happening by the way he is shifting. He acts like he is going to draw a couple times but hesitates. They spent a good chunk of time at 30 yards and at 1 point were as close to him as 23… when they circled they ended up18 yards from Where I had my wife posted. But she never got her bow out of the sling. By this time they were past Will to us and any second going to hit the wind. I look at her and say get ready. They are right there, she gets angry at me and says I don’t have my quiver…
Then the elk hit the wind and head out. Another close call. My son was trying to time his draw when all 3 were looking away but never got it. He and I talked that he was right to try and time it, but when they are going to hit your wind it is better to draw and try for a shot then to just let them wind you.
Especially with younger animals, they may just freeze when you draw or on gets excited but the 2 might stand and be dumb…
The second set of cover my son went solo while we sat and watched from the truck. He got into a mother small buck, no shot. He was walking towards the truck, he stopped for a second then he turned inside out trying to leave the area. I laughed as I knew he had ran into a rattler.
He came back told a story about how he was standing there glassing, and then suddenly near his frat he heard the buzz looked down and the snake was only a couple feet away and huge… I laugh as I know that they are always bigger and closer when they startle you… Well I ended up having the same issue later that evening…
Earlier in the week my dad had called and we made plans for him to meet us at camp for lunch… so we headed back to make lunch. As we did I could hear/feel my rear brake dragging a bit. It sounded like metal on metal wear… not good… So we hit camp and I park the truck to where the awning would cover the rear wheel… My dad arrives just was we pull the tire off. It is obvious that something was not right. The outer pad hat 80% of pad left. The inner pad was metal on metal… I take the clipper off and start trying to figure out why…
Inspection I found that one of the retaining clips/guides had broke? But was missing and I found one little piece that was left but chewed up… This caused the pad to angle, the uneven wear bent the caliper pin, which prevented the caliper from releasing and ever time I hit the brakes it ate up the pad…
So a quick call into Craig and we confirmed Orielly had tue parts I needed… We are a pork chop salad and Mac and cheese before driving to Craig and back…
After the trip I had the truck back together and better than new in about 40 minutes… my dad headed home. It was a good visit in the truck to grab the parts…
That evening we headed up to another spot. We found a ton of deer including 7 bucks. My son tried a couple different stalls with no luck. We bumped a spike bull and then a group of cow elk. But no real action. As the sunset we watching a spike and a rag horn, neither one cares for our cow calls…
Monday morning we got to a super glassing spot at first light. We spotted several groups of cow elk, none with a bull. We saw 5-6 bulls all solo. Eating and very lazy. No deer out at all. By the time the sun was up everything had moved into trees. No bugles, no cow calls, nothing. So Monday morning we drove around explored new roads and new areas. Despite no real hunting it was very successful in adding new areas to hunt and finding easier roads to connect areas etc…
1. Hunt above the house and try some new areas
2. Drive 3 hours to our usually stomping grounds
(both my wallet and body were hoping for option 1)
3 hours across the state around 4 we pull up to a hunting area we have wanted to try… There are 2 big camps where we park, but we have no idea where the hunters had went. So we decide to head up… Hoping to out climb the others and find some elk. At 4:15 we are on the trail. We arrive back at the truck around 8:45. On our trek we find a bear track to follow up a trail. We both have bear tags. About 20 yards into an alder/willow bottom we jump a grouse and both of us turn inside out…
Near the top of our hike we start seeing significant elk sign tracks etc. we slow our roll a bit and just before we top out we end up in the middle of a small herd with a bull in the trees bugling. We get one cow to break cover at 28 yards. Despite our attempts the other cows and bull do not break cover until the wind swirls and they break is hard in the wrong direction.
We wrap around up high after and as the sun sets we are working 2 distant bugles but neither came in, we did end up with another cow in range but she was flying solo. After dark we hustled down the hill about as fast as my knees could handle…
At first light we go to a great glassing location and a great chance to hear bugles. Nothing exciting. We see 5 cows without a bull at all. 3 bulls running solo feeding and not acting rutty. We did see a bachelor group of mule deer bucks with a solid 4x4 and a cool 3x3, but the fed and bedded in an impossible spot to stalk.
So after that we headed to explore some new areas. Found a spot and made another 3 mile loop. Bear tracks, several mule deer doe, and no elk, no calls nothing…
We have a Peak Chicken Penne for lunch. Very good, along with some salad and chocolate milk. Then it is nap time for me…
For the evening hunt we are going to run and gun from the truck. We start to see the deer up and feeding by 4. We look over several and the only bucks early we see are on private. Around 4:30 we pull onto our preferred ridge…
Immediately we spot a bull across the canyon. Awesome e is solo on the hillside. Feeding and taking a second to rake a tree. We move into position with a decent wind. Let out a cow call he turns looks out way then eats some more… a couple more cow calls and whimsy bugle. The bull decides to bed… Crap!
So then we go to our next spot, go 80 yards over the edge from the truck and call. We spot some deer but no elk….
So we jump to the next spot and call off both sides of the ridge. See a lone elk in our last canyon, but it is a lone bull and feeding. Not even looking at us or our calls…
We go again and find a few deer no elk. We jump into the truck trying to hustle to beat the sun set. Right as the sun sets we look into the next canyon to call and 300 yards from the truck is a good 6x6 bull, 3 rag horn bulls and 5 cows. We drive past out of sight. Work out way back. The 6x6 is gone. The rag horns are hanging with the cows and no response at all to calls. No talking, nothing. Even the rag horns just feed… At dark we hope in the truck to make the 3 hour drive home…
On Sunday William and I loaded into the jeep and were out of the house before 5. We drove up a super rough road hoping the road would serve as a barrier to other hunters. As first light hot we stopped and listened. One bugle sounded off well us we gave chase with no luck. Never seen or heard the elk again.
He shot 20 yards and nailed the grouse. As it was flopping I told him to hurry and grab it before it flies… he hesitates and watches in heartbreak as the bird jump up and take flight with his arrow in tow. The bird flies up out of the trees and out of sight…
Crap!
We start a search, and go a 100 yards maybe more in the direction the bird left. Can’t find the arrow can’t find the bird.
We circle back to the jeep and have a chat. We jump in the jeep and head back down the road. We are chatting see a doe and a fawn, then just over a 1/2 mile from the shot my son says stop I see my arrow. I stop (only was going like 2 mph) and my son jump out. As he does the arrow goes bouncing through the brush…
Quick grab the bow… He makes a move and gets a second shot off. Dead bird.
Who would have ever guessed that bird would fly over a 1/2 mile and land less than 10 yards from the road. Then my son actually spotted it and recovered the arrow and bird…
My buddy is coming from Iowa as I type he arrive today and will hunt the week with me. He has a NR general tag. I hope there is more action for him than what I have had…
This morning I went into a cool set of trees. At first light I left the truck and made it 80 yards before I bumped up a decent mule deer buck. I made a move on him in the trees. He made me look like a fool. Event taking the time to stop and crap 18 yards from my truck. Fresh tracks I followed for 2.5 hours before I lost where he went. I then made a couple 1.5 mile loops looking in all the needing areas I could find but only found a couple doe and fawns….
Dang it…
Tonight if we get time we will make a quick hunt by camp, then in the am on Sunday we will get serious about finding a. Elk or 2…
Last Friday I hooked up and hailed the camper south to hunt for the next 2 weeks.
My son unfortunately had school so he was not able to join me…
My buddy got into town around 2:00 pm. We met at Walmart and he followed me to camp. About 30 minutes from camp we spot a herd of elk off the highway. We mark the location and finish getting to camp. After getting unpacked we head back up and try to call in the elk with no luck.
Sunday morning is his first true hunt and I pick a decent spot that typically has a few elk. We arrive just before legal light and exit the truck. We try a couple bugles into the south canyon before working the draws to the north. Nothing no luck…
We leave the truck and get about 20 yards down the trail and look to the east to see a bull in the skyline… A young bull and perfect for calling. We set up about 100 yards from the truck hit the cow call and in he comes. Fast…
My buddy misses the shot low… Crap, sun is not even up and shot opportunity.
We continue into the draws. In the last one we can check we find 3 bulls and a couple cows…. Set up again. 15 minutes in a see a bull leaving with wound.
Buddy shot higher and clipped the back. Dang 1st morning 2 opportunities.
That night we go on a death hike up into the forest. Right at dark we ended up in a pile of elk. Had cows at 40 yards and at least 4 bull bugling. It was a miserable hike out in the dark…
After lunch we headed up higher and worked a series of canyons. We end up seeing 6 elk. 3 cows and 3 bulls. We worked a spike for almost and hour. He got to 50 yards and caught a swirl of wind. Just 10 more yards and he would have given a great shot. On the way back to camp we see a single bull in the head lights and decide that he will be our starting point in the am.
Tuesday am we get out early. We were the first vehicle up the road. As the sun rose in the skyline I see 3 great mule deer bucks. One is a real solid buck. I make a plan and try to get into position no luck. As I make a play on the deer an atv passes us. We chat for a bit. They were a couple good dudes from Oregon. They were up here archery hunting and scouting for the deer season.
We headed on in, after letting em know we were looking hard for elk.
We worked a good chunk of country with no elk at all. Nothing. By 9:30 the sun was high and hot. We start working our way back out. We meet up with the atv guys again. They wave us down and give us some hot intel on a group of elk.
We make a plan and see what we can do. After a 2 hour stalk. I have cows in front of me at 20 yards and the bull is bedded I front of my buddy at 60 yards… we were “in” the elk for 20 minutes… eventually the cows I front of me made me, and decided to leave the bull never stepped out of the brush… again another crazy cool experience…
The trip back to camp was awesome…
Since this lope was in a stalk able location I decided to give it a try.
I drive past the group about a 1/5 mile and grab my orange hat and my bow. Law says you have to wear orange during the rifle hunt.
I sneak back crawling the last 40 yards… I get to the last cover nock and arrow and draw before I stand.
I stand and all the lopes stand as well. I wait for a doe to smear and shoot the buck for 40 yards. The buck spins as I shoot and the broad side shot turns into a hard quarter too shot. He is hot pretty hard but not any place good. Watch him go out of sight. We are 400 yards from camp so we go to camp and wait… After waiting 2 hours we head back to pick up the trail. We go about 100 yards and find him bedded but alert. Wait… An he gets up and no shot. Hours later and 3 miles on foot I get a second shot at 68 yards and seal the deal…
Not how I wanted it to go, but it was done and done with my bow.
We get him quartered and into the cooler. Loaded and head for my house to get the goat in the fridge. That took up Tuesdays night and Wednesday morning.
Tomorrow is the rifle opener for deer. This will conclude the archery portion of the story. Be warned I will come to use the thread to high light the conclusion of our season…
Rain and more rain…. The entire unit got soaked. On Saturday morning we get up and out of camp. The place was a zoo. There were guys parked any places they could. Campers stuck side ways across the roads, trailers in the ditch and the rain was still falling. Honestly some of the worst rain I have seen in this country. The roads are usually ok but a hundred vehicles, Highway tires and more just trashed them.
We drive out to our area and I can’t explain the amount of rain. There were cut washes running full of water, that were easily 9-10 feet deep. Culverts Over running and 40 miles in it was a little nerve racking.
To get to our “spot” we had to cross a main Wash. I have been out in this country for over 20 years never had much issue. But when we get that the entire thing was a mess and they were pulling and oil and gas worker out from the other side. That shot the spot.
We got about 1 hour break from the rain and saw no deer.
Plan… Drive home 3 hours, pack up the old jeep onto the trailer, drive back 3 hours and hopefully start over on Sunday…
At midnight we made it to camp, jeep unloaded and ready…
5am we get up and load up. 3 people with packs and rifles in the jeep is tight. But it worked.
I drove headed back out to our desired hunt location. Some were more than tired…
We get out to the same spot we went opening day archery. The weather is threatening rain but we bail out if the jeep to go hike while we can…
We get about 80 Yards from the jeep and cut some fresh tracks… we decide to follow. At least until the rain came and it came hard. We tried making the loop but both the wife and son got too cold. I try to convince them just one last hole and they can’t. So they short cut back to shelter in the jeep, I go to the hole. The rain had just barely stopped and I pulled a towel from my pack to dry my glasses and binos. The weather is going to get nice. Right after I dried my eyes, I look up and see 7 bucks across the way. 3 are really good bucks… I range the 2nd largest at 250 yards. But decide just to watch as the deer are spooked and getting ready to leave. I watch them run a little over a mile as the sun comes out. To another little ridge where they hang out feeding for bit then started to bed. Perfect now how do we get 3 people across the wide open?
I return to the jeep. We take a break and air out all out clothes and let thing dry in the sun and wind…
Finally they all bed just out of sight. We can see antler tips in sage. So we make our move. About 3 hours later we have snuck to within 130 yards. We sit and wait.
William and I passed time drawing pictures in the sand.
The buck stays on the skyline just out of view, we wait. A second little buck joins him.
At first my son said he would pass. I said like hell if you pass I will shoot. Then he looked closer and was animate he would take the shot if given opportunity…
The buck fed down and into a good shot location. Unfortunately the 2 point was with him. William waited for the 2 point to clear then settled in for the shot.
He did awesome, the buck kicked went about 20 yards tipped over. The others bucks stood and looked but did not spook. So we get the wife ready. Another bigger buck nearly stepped out, but no luck.
It was a good salvaged hunt. Broken truck, rain, vehicles stuck and more but in the end we spent an entire day hunting and never saw another vehicle at all, not another hunter, no one but us and the wilderness…
Monday night I decide to drive the jeep up into a hole where there are usually lots of deer. Seldom any good bucks but it is worth checking. I get up in the hole and am starting to glass deer. As the sun sets I jump in the jeep and push in the clutch, bam it goes straight to the floor with a loud smack… crap the clutch linkage. Get out assess the situation take it apart and reinstall looks alright. Adjust it and am feeling pretty good. Get in push the clutch down easy then letting back off bam it pops off again. What the heck…
Further inspection I notice that the linkage it not lining up right and soon I see why. The driver side motor mount is broke and the engine has shift down and back. Not much I can do in the field. Luckily I have completely disabled the clutch and neutral safety switch so I start it in gear and power shift my way back to camp. Since the initial rains the truck has dried out and the 4wd issue is fixed. So I transfer all my gear back to my truck and prepare for a hunt in the early am.
At 4:45am I am woke up by a truck that is in my camp. I go to see what is up. A couple of guys had been lost trying to find the Highway. They were having engine issues and had an early morning appointment in town with the shop. Lucky for them I was heading to the Highway and if they gave me 10 minutes to dress and brush my teeth they could follow me out. I got them on the road and then heading out to hunt an area I have never explored.
At sun up I am picking a spot to drop the vehicle and go for a couple mile hike… As I do so I spot a good lope buck and use my binos to glass him up. As I do this I catch a glimpse of a deer waking in the brush behind him.
I can’t believe that I randomly picked a spot and found a deer before leaving the truck. I grab my gun and shooting sticks and jump up on the first sand dune… I look and the deer is a dang good buck.
So in a split second I am on the sticks watching the deer tip over…
