Americana Outdoors E-Magazine - December 2018

When it comes to Wyoming you can expect to be on large properties that at times based on some of my other trips to the state to hunt and by that I mean big expansive areas of land that offer a wide range of hunting opportunities for Elk, Mule Deer, and Pronghorn and for me on this trip Whitetail. As we made our way across the ranch seeing the sights and talking hunting with Terry we saw big herds of both Mule Deer and Pronghorn which isn’t uncommon. When it comes to Wyoming Mule Deer and Prong- horn get most of the hunting pressure and when it comes to whitetail hunting it’s widely felt that this is an under hunted resource but if you can find those pockets of whitetail in creek bottoms, near farmland you can often find big herds of whitetail. For this hunt, I was bringing along a Thompson/ Center Venture Weather Shield model in 300 Win Mag. More than capable of long-range shots and the knockdown power to deliver what I prefer (and that’s a lethal shot at any range I would shoot) . In talking to both Caleb and Fonzy when planning the hunt, I knew we would be hunting mostly around an area that featured a large irrigated alfalfa field with the Belle Fourche River running through it framed by a backdrop of Devils Tower. To say the least I could spend hours looking at that backdrop and often found myself in the early hours of the hunt distracted by the scenery despite my guide Terry always being ready to move on as he knew more deer were always just ahead.

Terry (left) and Wade (right) head out to start their hunt. Wade carries his Thompson/Center Venture on his shoul- der and shooting sticks in hand. Terry was happy to help and carry the tripod for our cameraman Rusty.

Devils Tower is an astounding geologic feature that pro- trudes out of the prairie surrounding the Black Hills. It is considered sacred by Northern Plains Indians and indige- nous people. Hundreds of parallel cracks make it one of the finest crack climbing areas in North America.