DIY/Public Land/Non-Resident/NE Wyoming Whitetail

[morley.tyler]

I had the opportunity to mix a hunt with a scheduled work trip this year to NE Wyoming, so I picked up a leftover tag before they were all gone and rolled the dice. I was able to spend one day scouting this summer, so I was no doubt taking a flyer...
Opening morning, I was parked at my trailhead (Public Land) a little more than 1.5 hour before shooting light, hiked in and sat in the dark for about 45 minutes. As daylight began to break in the dark timber, a shape that did not belong materialized infront of me. After straining to make my eyes work, I saw an ear twitch. I continued straining to see more in the dawn break. After a few minutes, more light began to filter through the woods and i fully saw the doe that was standing 60 yards in front of me. As I scanned left and right I made out more deer. Six deer in all, that I could see. As even more light seeped into the world, one of those six deer turned into a buck, right before me. He wasn't huge, but considering I only had two days to complete a DIY, non-resident, public land hunt, I concluded that he was the perfect buck. One Nolser Partition in the boiler room and it was all over.


The second half was great too. I was hunting uphill from the truck and I had an inch or two of fresh snow for the drag.

 

[LCH]

Looks like a fine Wyoming buck to me. Congrats!

 

[Kiwi]

Too easy! Well done, nice buck.

 

[YankeeHunter66]

Nce Job

 

[duckhunt]

Congrats

 

[efw]

Nice work your scouting paid off that looks like one heckofa nice buck to me!

 

[Gonewest]

Yup. That would be a shooter for me. Nice work!

 

[Mark251]

Congratulations!

 

[Walkathon]

Nice Buck!

 

[3855WIN]

5x5? Way to go.

 

[1_pointer]

Very well done!! Congrats!

 

[Crumb]

If you were hunting where I think you were that’s a real good buck .

 

[morley.tyler]

@3855WIN- There is a little cheater, so one could claim a 5x6, but I'd never do that...

 

[Duck-Slayer]

wow talk about lucky! Congrats on the great WY whitetail.
Matt

 

[morley.tyler]

@Duck-Slayer- Thanks for the congratulations, I am a very lucky man for sure.

+I'm lucky that I have had the opportunity to hunt Western Whitetail deer in the timber for 32 years.
+I'm lucky that I was able to make 2 trips to the unit, driving 1200 miles each way = 4800 miles.
+I'm lucky that I was able to take days off of work to scout and hunt.
+I'm lucky that I had the cash to spend on NR tags and fees.
+I'm lucky that I was able to spend time scouting and picking the right spot.
+I'm lucky that I made the time to spend dozens of hours e-scouting via Google earth and OnX maps after my wife and kids went to bed at night.
+I'm lucky that I was able to call the local Game Warden, Wildlife Biologist and County Road manager to get their input over the preceding year.
+I'm lucky that I was up super early and drove past every camp that was warming up the truck and making coffee while I was 1st to the trailhead.
+I'm lucky that I placed myself in the right spot.
+I'm lucky that I made a good shot and killed the deer w/ one shot w/in 25 yards of where he stood.

I was incredibly lucky. I will grant that having these deer walk in front of me at first light was a great bit of luck, but me being seated in that spot was no accident.

Every hunter (public or private, rifle or bow, compound or traditional, black powder or modern) makes his/her own luck, we all exert effort, time and resources in pursuit of our passion. It does not matter if you're the guy who grew up in rural Idaho (as I did) or a hunter who lives in a major metropolitan city (as I do), every member of the hunting community makes choices and sacrafices in pursuit of sucess.

Two old adages:

Luck is when preparation meets opportunity
and
The harder I work, the luckier I get

 

[pointingdogsrule]

Congrats!! Hunted northeast Wyoming for many years.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[SteveE]

@Duck-Slayer- Thanks for the congratulations, I am a very lucky man for sure.

+I'm lucky that I have had the opportunity to hunt Western Whitetail deer in the timber for 32 years.
+I'm lucky that I was able to make 2 trips to the unit, driving 1200 miles each way = 4800 miles.
+I'm lucky that I was able to take days off of work to scout and hunt.
+I'm lucky that I had the cash to spend on NR tags and fees.
+I'm lucky that I was able to spend time scouting and picking the right spot.
+I'm lucky that I made the time to spend dozens of hours e-scouting via Google earth and OnX maps after my wife and kids went to bed at night.
+I'm lucky that I was able to call the local Game Warden, Wildlife Biologist and County Road manager to get their input over the preceding year.
+I'm lucky that I was up super early and drove past every camp that was warming up the truck and making coffee while I was 1st to the trailhead.
+I'm lucky that I placed myself in the right spot.
+I'm lucky that I made a good shot and killed the deer w/ one shot w/in 25 yards of where he stood.

I was incredibly lucky. I will grant that having these deer walk in front of me at first light was a great bit of luck, but me being seated in that spot was no accident.

Every hunter (public or private, rifle or bow, compound or traditional, black powder or modern) makes his/her own luck, we all exert effort, time and resources in pursuit of our passion. It does not matter if you're the guy who grew up in rural Idaho (as I did) or a hunter who lives in a major metropolitan city (as I do), every member of the hunting community makes choices and sacrafices in pursuit of sucess.

Two old adages:

Luck is when preparation meets opportunity
and
The harder I work, the luckier I get

Well said!

 

[targetpanic]

Congrats on a great buck! Love the dark antlers!