Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting WY Backpack Deer 2018

Sometime I may write about the details of this hunt in a more formal venue. It was a deeply meaningful adventure and solid challenge. Many aspects of it were good clean fun. It was hot, deer were heading into timber early in the morning, and bucks were bedding deep until just before dark. Saw a good number of folks--at least until the wildfires starting ripping--and an encouraging number of 2.5 and 3.5 year old bucks.

I located on a familiar point for opening morning, with 8 bucks feeding at 150 yds. It was fun to watch them; some of the youngest bucks sparred and played. None were mature and I let them do their thing. Some shots rang out nearby as a separate little 4x4 buck fell, and this group scampered into the cliffs.





The next morning I left my tent well before light to check out a piece of real estate a couple of basins away. It was a small patch of buck habitat, but textbook and hard to access. A solid buck fed out at 420 yds and presented a shot from where I laid on the ridge above, ridge seen here.









I finished the job and packed it 1,300' up this ridge to reconnect with my future exit path. Supper and some needed rest followed.





The next morning I gathered it all up and sat down to wrestle the pack on. As I leaned forward and rolled onto my knees the full weight of the left pack strap found my shoulder joint and separated my shoulder from the socket. I gently shook it and it sucked back up into the join just fine. Thankful for that turn and not a tear, etc., I stood up and took off down the mountain.

I saw lots more bighorn sheep than deer on this trip, around 40, and found a cool deadhead elk too.








Best of luck to all, gearing up to pack in for elk next week.

WOW ! Nice buck and good pics too!

I'm headed out to unit G for my first Wyo mule deer hunt. I sure hope the fires are not a problem for me.

Dude!! Im jealous, congrats. And get that shoulder looked at.

Id' say thats a solid buck!! Thats a really fine buck I'd take any day, congrats to you. Some great pictures, that sure is some awesome country to hunt in.

Man, you really know how to get it done! Congrats!


Sidenote - couldn't help but spot the Hoka Tors. How is the stability/overall construction for that sort of terrain?

The Hoka's do well depending on what you expect of them I guess. They have held up pretty well, commensurate with their weight at least. They are very nimble and good enough in terms of protecting the foot, also good grip. They are not like a boot though. I let my ankles roll over on sidehills and let them do the work, as opposed to edging like you might in a stiff boot. To me they're comfortable and a good compromise, but they do give up a lot if you jumped right in from more traditional mountain boots. They perform like a souped up trail runner.

Dandy!! Grats

Thanks for the response.
Most of my boots are of the stiff, mountain boot variety but I'd like something a little more flexible for flatland hunting. From what you've described above, they should be ideal.
I like the Hoka runners that I employ so the Tor seems like a logical choice.

Great buck, thanks for sharing!

What are you shooting?

Great job and thanks for sharing......

Get a tape on him yet?

Tikka T3x Lite, 6.5C, 147 ELDM. I did not measure yet. Based on some other bucks I've got I expect low 170's gross. The weak main beams are a score killer.

Good job....

Nice buck, looks like the fuzz was still hanging on!

Snowy, great job (and post) as usual... congrats man!

Thanks. Those 147s shoot really well.

Very nice buck. Congratulations

You’re a machine. Nice work again.

Tanner

Great looking buck, thanks for the write and pics.

Congratulations you earned that one...