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The Quest for a Boone and Crockett Antelope
Posted by Wes on 30 Sep 2009 | Tagged as: Antelope
With three preference points for Wyoming antelope in my pocket my ambition was to harvest a Boone and Crockett buck. Last year I talked to Wes about how to possibly do this and he informed me of a new property he had leased in central Wyoming and told me it would be a great place to use my preference points to fulfill my quest. Knowing how hard Wes works to exceed hunters’ goals and the trust I have in him I applied for my tag. After the results came out this past spring I checked to see if I drew and I did. The hunt was on!!!
I rode to Wyoming with Wes the day before the rifle opener to find our buck. We scouted out some real good bucks but couldn’t find our book buck. The next day we hunted hard and located several bucks that were bordering on 80 inches. We passed on many great looking bucks that were borderline shooters. We even stalked a couple bucks to get a better look but after we got close we decided to pass. We knew if we were patient we would find a shooter. The second day was just like the first. We covered about 500 miles and spotted tons of great bucks but not the Boone and Crockett buck we were looking for. Thinking a shooter might move in due to the heavy rut activity, we decided to give it a couple of days and come back a little later.
A week later we were back in Wyoming hunting hard. We found a buck with at least six inch cutters and great mass but decided to pass again because he wasn’t long enough. We checked out a group of does in the lower alfalfa field on the property and found our buck. He was long and had great mass and good cutters. Seeing how hard the rut was kicking in we decided to look around a little longer before we put on a stalk to harvest this buck. After looking around and even looking at the big cutter buck we discussed our options. Wes and I both agreed that we had a great buck to harvest so we went back to find him. We found him fairly quickly and the sneak was on. We got to within 125 yards and set up. I asked Wes if he had him on film and he said yeah. About four seconds later my .257 Weatherby barked and my first antelope was on the ground. As a hunter it was important to me to make a quick and humane kill and I did. We walked up to our buck and he got bigger and bigger. We were pumped!!!
We got the tape out to score this great buck and had Rachelle add up the score. After Wes and I guessed how big he was, Rachelle told us he scored 84 5/8 inches. Wes and I slapped hands and were thrilled knowing how hard it was to kill a Boone and Crockett animal and realizing we just did it. We had a goal in mind and we accomplished our goal. It was a great hunt because I am the type of hunter that wants to hunt hard and then kill a big one. It worked out just like I hoped. Finally I would like to thank Wes for working as hard as he does to help his friend and fellow hunter fulfill his goal. Thanks Wes!!!!
Story by Jeff Rossiter
Marty gets Jack
Posted by Wes on 24 Sep 2009 | Tagged as: Mule Deer
After just completing the most frustrating 3 weeks of September I have ever witnessed Marty and I were blessed to enjoy this moment yesterday. I think all bowhunters recognize the humbling power of a giant mule deer, yesterday was no exception as we stood silent for a long time before wrapping our hands around this great buck. Thanks to Marty for sending a true arrow and thanks to life for letting us be there. To all bowhunters……..stay in the game.
Deer & Elk Update - September 2009
Posted by Rob on 23 Sep 2009 | Tagged as: General
Hello all,
September in Northern Colorado has been TOUGH !!!! Here’s how everything has stacked (or not stacked up) for the Archery and Muzzleloader seasons so far :
** Week 1: Pat Lefemine / bowsite.com - Had an epic elk hunt being surrounded by over 400 head of elk and got an arrow into the popular 6 x 7 from the scouting pictures. The bull gave Wes and Pat a ride they soon won’t forget and Pat’s 13th elk hunt ended with the 6 x 7 bull being found alive on an adjacent ranch (The bull made another appearance on September 21, 2009 - ready for another round). See the hunt in detail at www.bowsite.com
Ken Stieh and myself chased a 28″ wide 4 x 4 muley for 5 days and pretty much got schooled by him. We got close, but we pushed it due to fading daylight and got busted on day 3 - he never gave us another chance after that.
** Week 2 : Brad and Joe McKinney were here from Texas for a 7 day archery elk hunt and all of our expectations were running high. We saw many great bulls including 2 6×6 bulls over 350″ and countless other shooters. While Joe and I went in after a 360″ giant on the evening of day 5, Brad double lunged his first ever archery bull elk (a broken pedicle 4 x 5 - Brad is an experienced elk guide from the Wyoming wilderness, but just never put his tag on an elk before) - Congrats Brad !!
On day 7 we found a 270″ 5 x 5 and called him into 45 yards. Joe’s shot hit high above the shoulder in the loin and another bull was wounded. We tracked him for a mile and ran out of sign in the tall grass (I believe I saw this bull again last week and he seemed to be doing just fine - he’s just going to be real grouchy for the rest of his life).
** Week 3 : Muzzleloader opener - September 12 th. John Bambara drew first blood last year in Eastern Colorado with a great 187″ 4 x 4 muley buck - this year got a little tougher. Opening day found me drooling over a bull we nicknamed “the slick horn bull” - a 350″ plus bull that we have tried to hunt for the last 4 years (I was set on getting this bull !!) We put him to bed and went in afer him in the afternoon. He moved during the lunch break and ended up on the Hill Side of trees (he too made another appearance on September 21, 2009). On day 3 John shot at a giant 8 x 6 bull that was pushing the mid 360’s - we searched for him and ended up not finding him again either (does anyone see a pattern developing here ?????)….
Ron Majeroni was also muzzleloader elk hunting with guide Casey Mekelburg. Ron missed a 300″ 6 x 6 on opening day and unfortunately never had another shot opportunity. Thanks John and Ron for a great hunt.
Dan Michaels was back for the 2009 season to hunt a management mule deer and connected on day 3 of his hunt. Congrats Dan and Miles on a 148 yard muzzleloader shot !! Can’t wait to see you again next year - that Colorado antelope is still calling your name !!
** Week 3.5 : Muzzleloader Deer withLee Jones. Lee and I were going to start our hunt where my hunt left off with Ken Stieh. We never did see the 28″ 4 x 4 on day 1, but we were able to locate him at first light on day 2. After putting him to bed, our first stalk did not go as we had planned. We ended up bumping him out of his bed and he gave Lee a off handed, 80 yard shot (which Lee missed). We relocated him just before dark that evenening and were ready for day 3. We located him a little over a 1/2 a mile to the south from the previous night and Lee took out his right rear leg with a 148 yard shot. After a 2 1/2 hour tracking job and a couple follow up shots, the buck we nicknamed “Smirk” was in my truck. Lee wasted no time looking forward to the fall of 2010 and what was next - December in eastern Colorado perhaps ????? Congrats on a great buck Lee, talk to you soon.
Miles F. has been guiding on our south ranch and has not had any better luck this year - Missed opportunities, missed shots and no opportunities have created one of the most challenging Septembers anyone of us have ever encountered. Jason Kinyon and Rick Wilking started out in week 1 with Miles and had a very rough 7 days. Both Rick and Jason spent the last 3.5 days with Wes and I and got a couple opportunities. On day 1 both Rick and Jason passed on a 4 x 5 bull at 20 to 30 yards, on day 2 Rick had an arrow deflect on the branch of a small tree between him and a 270″ bull 25 yards away and on day 3 Jason got to 23 yards on Pat’s 6 x 7 bull, but never got an opportunity until the bull was at 45 yards - sorry guys, we gave it a good try though.
I begin week 4 with Lee McClure from MD tomorrow and it seems as if the rut has finally started. Leon is currently in the field with Mike Snavely and Miles starts with Todd Wagner in the morning as well. We are all pushing for a better ending to September than our beginning. Opportunities have been there and shots have been taken, what we are missing is dead elk !! Take care everyone and good luck this fall. I’ll update as soon as we all finish up with September.
Best Regards,
Robert