Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 2023 Wyoming Vet Hunt

Well, we put the 2nd annual Wyoming Vet hunt to bed a few days ago. Round trip, we drove about 4400 miles and used about 600 gallons of diesel fuel. My brother rode with me from NY to Wyoming and the rest of the crew came from Cheyenne, Washington State and Colorado.

Had a great camp as well. Upgraded the tent to a new Montana Canvas 16x20 and really enjoyed the heavier canvas heat holding abilities, but honestly the weather was really good this year being in the 20's in the morning and 60's in the mid day.

We replaced one tire on the way into Wyoming.



And one coming out..



My old Detachment One buddy came up and met us in camp when it was just about set up. To be honest, I think that is a officer move. I kind of suspect he was sitting around the corner with glass watching as the camp was squared away and stuff was unpacked, then swooped in for dinner, but as a former flat black employee of the USMC I am kinda used to that kinda treatment :LOL:

Anyhow, we got busy hunting





We were on elk everyday we were out there, but kept ending up seeing them around 800-1100 yards out with no good way to close the distance before it got dark. We had a few stalks where the elk out moved us and we ended up where they were. Such as life on the mountain. It was good hunting.



There are elk in that danged picture, and some good bulls but not enough daylight to make the move to get within rifle range.

Around day 4 we got into a small band and made some moves to close the distance but we were stuck around 600'ish. The old Colonel is a good shooter, but had only taken his new 300 out to 400, so I passed him the 7 Mashburn Super with the appropriate dope and he commenced to making the elk packable.







So we skinned, trimmed and made the elk a bit more packable and got them ready for the trip back to camp.

Anyhow, we got the elk back down to camp and the following day we took one elk to the processor and made another trip up the mountain to bring the rest of the elk down. Once we had our area cleaned up and squared away, the good Colonel had to take off for another trip for work, so my brother and I started hunting some new areas we have not gotten into. We had a full camp at that point with the Old Goat and Joel hammering as well.

Anyhow, as luck would have it, Jake and I got into a small herd at around 10K foot that day, but couldn't get much closer than about 800 yards and they didn't come back out with enough time to make a move to them. So, we decided to hunt our way off the mountain and go cook some dinner for the other fellas... That's sort of a lie, I was hungry, I knew there were pork chops in the cooler and I wanted to eat...

So we moved off the mountain, We got to about 1 mile from the truck had one more opening to look over until we broke over and headed to the truck at the trail head.. Well, as soon as I looked up I saw white, knowing full well it was a bull.. Mind you, we have been packing elk like we eat oats and folks put saddles on our back for fun the last few days. I asked Jake, since he was 50% of the pack train if we should take him. He nodded and said, it's 490 yards, you better get him. Well I laid out the pack, twisted to the appropriate dope took some breaths..

Upon firing, he went into a heap. I was thinking the whole time about a pork chop and maybe some vegetables, but a guy can dream right?



If you look between the two trees in the distance you can see the elk.





So we made movement over and began the process of taking care of the bull for the pack frames.







The chief skinner took a little rest. He has turned out to be an amazing elk hunter and an amazing hand at taking care of elk. Couldn't even imagine having a better elk hunting partner. It's been 5 years since he first came elk hunting and he acts like he has been doing it for as long as me now.



Anyhow, I have some more pictures to add later on once everyone gets home and sends their stuff. I wanna thank the Combat Warriors Inc (Wyoming Chapter) for assisting with the tag transfer. Joel for acquiring the tags to donate was HUGE for us and a huge thank you to Wyoming for allowing veterans so much opportunity to hunt. Can't say it enough how much of a wonderful program they have for us vets.

Lastly thank you to the Old Goat aka Bill aka Elkmen1 on here for being such an awesome mentor to me. I can't even put into words how much he has taught me over the years and made me a decent elk hunter.

I'll have you know as soon as Bill got to camp, he was complaining about being nearly a century old. All I heard was Snoopy talk, and said, you wanna go pack elk, to which he was all about. So we broke him in with a gentle 600 ft elevation hike in about a 1/2 mile to go recover a piece of elk. He is still a hill destroying machine at his 78 years young age!

I am sure I forgetting something but I will fill it in as I remember. Sorry for all the words, but it was one of the great years to be in the backcountry with a camp filled with vets who can lie just like we did when we were young guys

Great hunt thanks for sharing!

Looks like a good time was had, how in the world can u burn 600 gal of diesel?? I drove from NW/Pa to Idaho and back in Sept, towing a 26' enclosed trailer loaded w three freezers, a side by side and stuff for 23 days of hunting. Used 185 gal going and 197 coming, and maybe 50 gal while in Idaho.

Great trip and good work

Ha, I went back and pulled the numbers, it was 490.664 which doesn't include the fill up upon returning home of 38.898 so I apologize, I overshot it some. I think I was figuring that number out when we were on our last leg home. Were in Eastern NY, so we add about 400 miles each way onto your start spot, so that is a couple extra tanks. I'd be scared to figure the fuel mileage for the trip, but I'd say 9MPG would be staying pretty positive.. We got about 1.5-2MPG's better on the way home than heading out there.

We have about the same amount of stuff as you, so I imagine our weight is similar, SxS, Coolers, tent, poles, chow, propane, etc.

Quite a journey! Congrats on the successes!

Ten 4. Drive out is not bad, drive home sucks.
And flat tires happen. I take 3 spares now when we go.
Sounds like it was a great trip.

Nice work Beretzs! Congrats!

Thanks fellas. It was a good year in Wyoming for us. Freezers are full and its deer season now!

Headed out for WR SD deer on Friday!

Excellent.

Great story and a few animals on the ground, Congrats!!

Great post!!! Congrats to you all!

More pics would be great.

Great story and great pictures. Looks like an amazing place. Good job to you all!

Congrats and thank you for your service.

Looks like it was SC Wyoming, maybe near Laramie?
Would love to have bought you all a beer in the Library if it was.

That lower leg can be removed with a pocket knife at the joint and you retain the tendon for hanging the quarter. The leg will twist off if cut in the right spot.
Hope they enjoy the elk meat.

Damn nice write up! Congrats on a great hunt with your fellow vets and the elk!!

Good deal and report Scott!


Thanks for making this happen for the guys protecting our freedom.

Sure you don't want to take a lightweight 270?

Every year I build one in my head on the 2200 mile trip home Bill!

What a great trip, thanks for sharing and enjoy the fine eats!