Colorado Mule Deer

It sure was a lot more pleasant watching these guys in 45 degree weather than sitting in a [...]]]> After being forced out of my normal haunts by freezing rain I spent much of the afternoon today scouting for mule deer at significantly lower elevations.  Apparently I should have done this some time ago.

Colorado Mule Deer

It sure was a lot more pleasant watching these guys in 45 degree weather than sitting in a couple inches of snow with the wind pounding you near Rollins Pass.

Bachelor Group of Colorado Mule Deer

Last Friday I drove north to Wyoming and joined my father for an antelope hunting; we had a phenomenal time. On the drive I stopped in Cheyenne, WY at the Sierra Trading Post Outlet Store; if you are in town it is well worth the stop and an easy place to blow the [...]]]>

Dan Corbett's Massive Wyoming Brown Trout

Last Friday I drove north to Wyoming and joined my father for an antelope hunting; we had a phenomenal time. On the drive I stopped in Cheyenne, WY at the Sierra Trading Post Outlet Store; if you are in town it is well worth the stop and an easy place to blow the extra cash in your wallet. Shortly after I met my father in Laramie (he drove out separate) and headed to our destination, Q Creek Ranch. The drive was uneventful (except for a few missed turns) and antelope filled the countryside (a good sign). Pulling into the ranch, we were both amazed by the accommodations – our hunting camps had never looked so, well, civilized. The was a log covered building, complete with hot showers, real beds, and a full kitchen; we certainly were not roughing it.

Continuing the relaxed theme, breakfast was served the next morning at a pedestrian 7am. Normally my father and I are in the field well before sunrise; we soon learned why early rising was not necessary. With 570,000 hilly and mountainous acres, Q Creek holds a massive herd of antelope. It is near impossible to look around and not see any. Not as easy was determining the size of the buck antelope as the scoring system is complex and estimating horn size at 1500 yards was an adventure.

Dan Corbett's First Antelope

The animals were not overly spooky, so it was possible to put a good stalk on once you thought you found a good antelope. And, shortly after 9am on the first morning, I did. Our guide, Chad, led me around the hills after our target, seeing him four different times before he was in range for a good shot. Some people do not want to harvest their animal on the first day of the hunt; I feel if my guide tells me it is a good animal in the range I am looking for it would be foolish of me not to take the shot. I set up on my newly acquired Caldwell bipod and the first shot from my 7mm WSM dropped the antelope at approximately 170 yards. The pronghorn had good height, at 15 5/8 and good cutters, but was a little week in mass. Roughly scored, the antelope measured 79 3/8.

My Father's Antelope

After dressing the animal and getting it into the cooler back at the ranch, we headed out again in search of a pronghorn for my father. Around the same time the next day, my father took his antelope a few miles away. His shot was far more impressive; a one shot kill at 315 yards in medium winds. His antelope measured a tad smaller at 79 1/8. We spent the afternoon finishing the animals and then taking them into Casper to be processed. We split one animal and had the other donated to a food bank.

Back on the ranch, neither of us wanted to return home early. Thankfully there are 30 ponds and lakes on the gorgeous property, almost all brimming with massive trout. We spent all of Monday catching the brutes. Our guide Chad had a fantastic day as well, as in his words “You two are the first clients that I haven’t had to teach”; his guiding consisted of driving us to the various ponds and then being able to fish himself. All three of us landed a large number of 18+ inch fish with a few behemoths thrown in. I did catch a rainbow that was significantly heavier than the brown in the picture but she was not altogether photogenic. At the end of the day, our arms sore, we retired to the lodge for one last dinner. It was a fantastic trip.

Old Ranch Buildings at Q Creek Ranch Pond