Hunting For Fun & Smiles

[Nameless Range]

So good. Inspirational on a lot of levels. Thanks Fin.

 

[Straight Arrow]

This is a hunt I suspect most would expect to be a hope for big antlers - a migration mule deer hunt in a coveted Wyoming Unit. Yeah, we all dream of the notion that a big old buck could show up, but when the temps are high and the snow hasn't pushed deer to the migration unit, those dreams quickly require adjustment. That's not too difficult for Matthew, as for him, hunting is about the social aspects, the friendships, and the meat. And when we are able to spend some time with a special person who has grown to be a wonderful friend over the last three years, the hunt is just that much more meaningful.

Aiden, is a special guy, who spent much of our summer phone calls grilling me about Matthew's Wyoming migration hunt. He was determined to join us for a couple windy mornings when he didn't have school. His very kind family, one of whom is a Hunt Talker, had us over for dinner, giving us a break from the below-average restaurant food we had survived on most of that week. That night Aiden told us that he had a gut feeling that things would come together the next morning. And it did.

Thanks, Aiden. You are an inspiration to all of us, giving us a great outlook on how much fun hunting should be, no matter the tag, no matter the conditions. You were right, even with no snow to fuel the migration, even with tons of hunters down below us, even with only a couple warm days left in the hunt, it could all come together. Thanks for being there and being, what you call, "An endless fountain of positivity." I look forward to your next hunting stories.


View attachment 247460

Lots more to the five days of this hunt, but this photo is the highlight.

P.S - If you watch YouTube and you are so inclined, please subscribe to Aiden's page at this link - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_cCO_kVlzbTTkc8t-nOQw

That there is what it's all about!

 

[rmyoung1]

Look, @Big Fin and @Cornell2012 , if you’re gonna sustain the narrative that you’re nothing but a bunch of attention-seeking content-producers out hunting Wyoming with pseudo-friends who exist only to lead you to pre-scouted trophy animals, then let me suggest that you’re going about this all wrong.

Good job to the entire crew. It’s always great when hunting is about a lot more than hunting.

 

[targetpanic]

Well done gentlemen!!!! Congratulations on a beautiful WY buck.

 

[Trayball20]

Congrats to you and your son. Thank you for being a stand up guy and involving Aiden and his family in your hunt.

 

[Huntmt28]

Class act!! Cant wait for the footage!!

 

[Stone_Ice_1]

Not sure if its just the picture or angle or what but that buck is a TANK. Always amazing how big a body some of those older mule deer bucks can get.

 

[Mudranger1]

Love the story congrats!

 

[Talk2elk]

This is so inspiring, good people that make me proud to a hunter. Great job.

 

[2rocky]

Matthew, and Randy, congrats on making the best of a weather situation that is not optimal. Thanks for shining a light on the migration issues that the increase in Rural residential, subdivision, and energy development present. I've always felt drawn to that area.

My great uncle used to hunt that migration corridor around Thanksgiving in the 50's 60's and 70's based out of a ranch near Pinedale. My favorite part of his hunting stories was the fact that he met the ranch manager in the bar and asked about hunting. The ranch manager said "I'd take you out and show ya around but I'm building a bridge and I gotta get that done" My GU replied "Well I can run a CAT and I'd be glad to help ya!" and their friendship was forged.

He talked about buying his first down jacket at the JC Penney mother store in Kemmerer and how no one back home had ever seen something like that.

He told stories of The Cowboy Shop opening up after hours so he could pick up Christmas gifts for the family, and taking my great grandfather through there one summer on a family trip. They ran onto a herd of cows strung out along the road. He reached into the back seat and pulled out a bottle of whiskey and held it out the window. Pretty soon the car was surrounded by cowboys on horseback and his ranch manager friend rode up and exclaimed "Well Hell Ken! Whatcha doing up here in this country this time of year?"

My great grandpa thought it was pretty cool that they were a thousand miles from home and his son knew somebody on a deserted road in Wyoming on a first name basis. My great uncle's kids and grandkids never maintained that connection though. It wasn't until my father and uncle started hunting out of Jackson that we got to know folks there again. But the ranch manager, and ranch owner's family have all faded into history.

When my great uncle died and we went through the mule deer racks in the garage, there were NOT 30 inch wide , gnarly racks like the Eastmans would have you believe. It was 22-24 inch wide 3 and 4 points with eyeguards. Nothing spectacular. He was there hunting for smiles, and friendship as well.

 

[Big Fin]

@2rocky - That's some cool history. I'm glad it got passed down to you. Makes me wonder how many other stories like that have faded into the darkness of time.

 

[kansasdad]

Nice of you all to share your hunt, and remind us of the cool cat Aiden.

Congratulations @Cornell2012, really cool buck

 

[Cornell2012]

Not sure if its just the picture or angle or what but that buck is a TANK. Always amazing how big a body some of those older mule deer bucks can get.

There was so much fat on this buck, I could hardly believe it.

One of the more incredible deer I saw on the trip was a doe that almost matched the body size of this buck. You could easily make out the fat rolls on her side. The deer were eating well heading into the migration.

 

[chriswy]

There was so much fat on this buck, I could hardly believe it.

One of the more incredible deer I saw on the trip was a doe that almost matched the body size of this buck. You could easily make out the fat rolls on her side. The deer were eating well heading into the migration.

The one i got also seemed to have a extra amount of fat on him, i think we are in for a big winter

 

[Cornell2012]

I talk about this some in our footage, but these "glory tags" are always a conflicting experience for me.

I don't consider myself a trophy hunter, but if two bucks are standing next to each other I will shoot the bigger one. A tag like this does not come around very often, so I feel like I needed to at least put in the effort so that I did the tag justice (doing justice = putting in effort, not necessarily walking away with a B&C animal). If nothing else it is an excuse to hang around and see even more deer.

I like it when the animals get close and are doing their thing. We saw some rutty behavior and a few other cool things happen. Despite this tag taking approximately a bajillion points to draw, I would have happily shot the first forkie that walked into range on the last morning after spending 5 days hunting hard.

I like it when I can take a good, close shot. When we got to watch this one meander towards us from 300 yards to 200 yards, and present a broadside shot, it didn't take much convincing for me to pull the trigger. My first shot was just a little far forward - it hit a lung and would have been lethal, but expiration took a little longer than I would have liked. He hunkered down just behind this big rock. I was hoping he'd take a step out to give me a clear second shot, but he just stayed put for longer than I would have liked. I moved to a different vantage to try and get a better angle, and my movement eventually got him up and clear of the rocks, allowing for the follow-up.

I had a great hunt and I would do the same again even if I knew a bunch of much larger ones were coming through on the next day. There are some people out there that would consider this a "waste" of a premium tag. I'm not one of them.

 

[jryoung]

This is awesome on so many levels, well done.

 

[elkrchr]

Congrats all the way around! I can't wait for this hunt to hit your You Tube channel. My buddy and I had the same tag back in 2014 and the weather in the high country did not cooperate, but we had an absolute amazing hunt. Saw lots of bucks, most of which were on the small side, but managed (just like your team did) to take two very representative bucks. Had a lot of fun fishing in the Big Sandy as well.

 

[JF35]

Congrats guys! Cool stories all around and an awesome title the thread. Thanks for sharing @Big Fin

 

[Hunter4Life78]

Love those Smiles!!! Love the positivity!!! When I see stories like this gives me the warm and fuzzies. WAY TO GO AIDEN!!!

 

[Little Big Man MT Chris]

Looking forward to watching this hunt, congratulations!