Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,664
- 5,453
This was a great trip - it was more than a hunt. I left well ahead of my hunt, camped a couple of nights in and near Yellowstone. Spent my time in the Lamar Valley, watching bison & other large game animals.
Then spent a day with old friends in Cody, Wyoming. Love that place! Drove through the Bighorn Mountains - I'd never traveled them before and have got to go back. They're incredible...
The .30-06/165 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip combination proved deadly again. Took two animals, an average size pronghorn buck at 245 yards, and a pretty good 4x5 mule deer buck at about 140 yards. That's three for three this season for that rifle & load. I'm pleased.
Approaching Yellowstone:
Solo camp. It snowed a tiny bit later that night:
Sunlight Basin, Wyoming:
Seriously cool old hotel, bar & dining room. The Irma. A gift from Buffalo Bill Cody to his daughter, Irma. Still a terrific place to eat. The rooms are a little old... small... and haunted. :grin:
Checking the .30-06 & ancient Redfield:
Not a big antelope at all, but the shot opportunity was PERFECT! 245 yards, crossing in front of me, slowly. Aware but not very suspicious of me. Excellent backstop behind him.... I just couldn't pass up such an opportunity. Put the 165 gr Ballistic Tip right through his heart, also wrecking one leg. Lost a little meat, but not much. No bullet recovery of course.
Snowed a little while we were looking for mule deer. COLD that morning!
Saw a LOT of bucks, decided to take this one when the opportunity arose. He was about 140 yards distant, looking at us through the trees. All I could see was his head, neck, and upper chest. That was enough. Bullet ranged through a lot of his body, coming to rest just under the skin along his left flank. I'll weigh and measure it later. Instant drop. I'm pleased with the 4x5 buck, he was FAT! All the mulie experts who looked him over decided he was an older buck that had started to regress. They figure he had bigger antlers last year:
A few more photos from the trip:
Regards, Guy
Then spent a day with old friends in Cody, Wyoming. Love that place! Drove through the Bighorn Mountains - I'd never traveled them before and have got to go back. They're incredible...
The .30-06/165 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip combination proved deadly again. Took two animals, an average size pronghorn buck at 245 yards, and a pretty good 4x5 mule deer buck at about 140 yards. That's three for three this season for that rifle & load. I'm pleased.
Approaching Yellowstone:
Solo camp. It snowed a tiny bit later that night:
Sunlight Basin, Wyoming:
Seriously cool old hotel, bar & dining room. The Irma. A gift from Buffalo Bill Cody to his daughter, Irma. Still a terrific place to eat. The rooms are a little old... small... and haunted. :grin:
Checking the .30-06 & ancient Redfield:
Not a big antelope at all, but the shot opportunity was PERFECT! 245 yards, crossing in front of me, slowly. Aware but not very suspicious of me. Excellent backstop behind him.... I just couldn't pass up such an opportunity. Put the 165 gr Ballistic Tip right through his heart, also wrecking one leg. Lost a little meat, but not much. No bullet recovery of course.
Snowed a little while we were looking for mule deer. COLD that morning!
Saw a LOT of bucks, decided to take this one when the opportunity arose. He was about 140 yards distant, looking at us through the trees. All I could see was his head, neck, and upper chest. That was enough. Bullet ranged through a lot of his body, coming to rest just under the skin along his left flank. I'll weigh and measure it later. Instant drop. I'm pleased with the 4x5 buck, he was FAT! All the mulie experts who looked him over decided he was an older buck that had started to regress. They figure he had bigger antlers last year:
A few more photos from the trip:
Regards, Guy
CL
