Wyoming Wind 2019 Hunt

[?Ike?]

12 years in the making, although I never really planned it to be that way...Luck of the draws in other states and being one behind max points, have a way of doing that...I knew where I?d like to hunt in Wyoming for Elk and spent the last 5 years trying to draw the unit...


Finally, 2019 it was...Central Wyoming and Green Mountain...No wolves and no big bears, bingo!  Prep is pretty much year round with me and the bow!  I talked to everyone I could and wore out my OnX and Google Earth...Planned dates would be somewhere from the 15th on...Actually arrived on the 16th, game on! 

 

[?Ike?]

Open country, high desert it was love at first sight...Oh and Elk, a lot of Elk!  Plus a boat load of Lope?s, even at some altitude...Being Sept, they were rut stupid and a blast to watch...Note to self, apply for Lopes!  :mrgreen:


Throw in some wild horses to make it interesting and a Mule Deer or two...Hello Wyoming!  My first evening, I set the 15?s up and went to work, getting a lay of the land and finding Elk...

 

[?Ike?]

Now I?ve been to Wyoming on hunts before and was even stationed there for a bit in the AirForce...I know the wind can blow and blow it did...Each and everyday, 20 to 25+ with gust to 30 and 40!  Oh what fun...No problem finding Elk, it was hearing them and them hearing me...There were however times, when it?d lay down, either a short time in the morning or evening...Just had to capitalize on it...


One other thing that was noticeable, the change!  Fall?s on its way...

 

[?Ike?]

Close calls, speaking of which one of my favorites is the Mellow Mama...This year I also picked up the Black Magic, not sure why, it just caught my eye...In the wind, I was calling louder, or at least I thought so...You could watch Bulls on the hillside Bugle and not hear them...It was fun!  I found with the Black Magic, it sounded great and was quite a bit louder than the Mama...At least for me...


Then I stumbled into the ?bowl? and a boat load of Bulls...They were herded up, defending cow?s and satellite?s, oh the satellites...

 

[?Ike?]

The next morning and my 4th day, I awoke to little wind, other than thermals...Perfect!  I worked into the bowl and staying high, began to cow call and throw in a bugle here and there...Bull’s lite up in response...

One, I could actually watch turn and head my way...Bugling what seemed like every few yards and trying to gain elevation and wind on me...I adjusted as he did, to keep the advantage...Although he had to cover some distance and I lost sight of him it went fast, as next thing I knew, I heard then saw his antler tips clearing a small ridge below me...

Drop to my knees and range a snag in front of me...22 yards!  As I got a better look at him now, he was unique!  Not the biggest I’d seen, but there was something to him...I knew I’d take the shot if it came...

On he came and almost like it was meant to be, to the exact snag I’d ranged...Of course he stopped behind it!  At full draw and waiting for him to clear it, I did the only thing I could think of at the time...I threw a cow call up and away from me...Looking, he stepped up and out slightly quartered away...

Pin settled the arrow was away...It took him above the heart, cracking the offside shoulder...He spun and dived down hill, with me cow calling after him...I didn’t see him exit the bottom, nor come out the top...  Waiting a bit, I slipped over to where he was standing at the shot...Blood, hair and as I looked in his direction of travel, he was laying 40 yards away...Down! 

From the snag looking back to where I shot from, 25 yards!

 

[?Ike?]

A long wait, not the biggest, but totally worth it...He was a fighter, breaking his ped at one time, plus a antler tip sometime this year already...

 

[ILbowhntr]

Nice job and a great bull! Area sure looks different from western Wyoming were I?m at.

 

[clueless]

Great story, glad you got the unit you've been wanting! And what a great bull!




J

 

[Ol Arky]

Love the story... Nice one... :-D :upthumb: :-D :upthumb: :-D

 

[cohunter14]

Congrats Ike!!

 

[Bowhunter1]

congrats on a nice bull :clap:

 

[300ultra]

Love the story