That’s What It’s All About

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

Well, it's been a little while since I've checked in with you boys and gals. I've been so busy guiding clients, killing big bucks and building my social media reputation that I haven't had much time for storytelling. But, now that the hunts for this year are winding down, I thought I'd take a few minutes and share some of the highlights over the past couple of years.

With a growing family that are all following in my footsteps and getting interested in my monster muley passion and with many hungry mouths to feed, I have turned away most of my high-paying clients and have been focusing on the younger generation and getting them started on the right foot. That's what it's really all about for me.

With over a million followers on my various social media platforms and thanks in part to my sponsors such as plaid, blaze orange and camo, you've probably seen most of these photos already, but I want to share them here as well because that's what it's all about?and it might add a few subscribers to my total.

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

Let's start with muzzleloader season last year on the Aritah border. Despite his busy schedule with being a straight A student, on the student council, head of the debate team, in the school choir and playing several different sports, we were able to squeeze in a quick hunt for my youngest son, QuickShot. This was his first year with a tag in his pocket and he made the most of it. After spotting this dandy buck with a group of three others first thing in the morning from a mile away, we watched them bed and then spent several hours sneaking into 160 yards, where we set up and let the waiting game begin. After four hours of baking in the sun, we were finally rewarded when the buck stood up to snack on a few bushes and change beds. My son made a great shot and the buck didn't go far.

That's what it's all about right there.

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

With QuickShot already on board with his first ever buck, it was time to move to northwest Wyorado where QuickShot and his older brother, BigShot, had a couple of tags in an undersubscribed unit. I picked these tags up just a couple of weeks before the season started, but, luckily, I had been scouting the unit all summer long and had some nice bucks picked out. We arrived the night before the opener and were disappointed to see several other hunting parties already hunting right where we wanted to be.

Oh well, I'm not one to crowd other hunters and I know big bucks are where you find them, so I took a quick look at Google Earth and spotted a couple of real monsters on there. We decided to check out that spot in the morning. As the sun slowly crept over the horizon, we spotted about 150 deer in the drainage and there were several nice 4-points in the group. We were all alone and there was no hurry, so we enjoyed watching them all for about 30 minutes, because that's what it's all about.

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

As soon as the first rays of the sun started shining on the slope, one of the big monsters separated from the group and slowly made his way towards us. We had to wait for a couple of cars to pass on the busy highway, but, eventually he jumped the fence and crossed over onto our side. BigShot waited for just the right moment when all of the conditions were safe and then laid the hammer down. The big buck kicked his legs in the air and ran about 40 yards where he piled up.

It was quick, ethical kill and right in the vitals so it didn't ruin any meat. The smile on his face says it all because that's what it's all about.

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

We took a few photos and leisurely boned him out (I took the time to teach the boys all of the different cuts and to not leave any extra meat on the neck or ribs since that's what it's really all about), loaded up our packs and headed back to the truck. After a really long up and down (but mostly down) packout, we finally made it back to the truck and decided to go back to camp for lunch and a nap.

We hadn't gone very far down the road when I happened to look out my window and spot three giant bucks (I don't know why, but that seems to happen all the time for me). I am completely against road hunting, so I stopped the truck and we all got out and walked over to a safe distance from the edge of the road where QuickShot was able to find a solid rest on a fencepost and make a clean shot on the biggest of the bunch. For some odd reason, the first shot from 80 yards didn't connect. He is normally very confident from that range. A little bit of buck fever may have set in and a lot of stuff happened next, but four shots later the monster muley was on the ground and we had another trophy to take care of!

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

It was one of those magical mornings in the woods with my sons that I will never forget. For me, that's what it's all about.

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

Fast forward to this year where two of my sons and I had muzzleloader tags on one of the premier general season units in the state. We spent an awesome week together enjoying the mountains and quality time together, eating good food, retelling old stories and making new memories for future campfires. Unfortunately, the division of wildlife is doing a terrible job of managing the deer herd (it's all about dollars for them) and there are no deer left in this state and my gun was inexplicably off target and we couldn't hit the broad side of a barn on the few bucks we did see, so let's skip the details of that hunt and move along to the good stuff.

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

I was able to pick up some good leftover tags this year (I can't believe people turn these things back in, but I'm sure glad they do) and we lined up some last-minute adventures. With no time to scout and never having stepped foot into the unit, QuickShot and I weren't sure what to expect. Thanks to fall break and school being out, we arrived two days before the season opened and did some scouting. During this transition time of the year and with the weather not cooperating, the deer were hung up in the thick timber and we were having trouble turning up anything. Even so, we were optimistic on opening morning and hiked for two hours into a likely looking spot before shooting hours arrived. Unfortunately, all we saw were some massive herds of elk with several monster bulls still hanging around the cows as the rut wound down.

We hardly hunted?I mean we hunted hard?the rest of the day, but we didn't see a single deer. The next day was the Sabbath and we never hunt on Sunday, so we went to town and found a place of worship and took our day of rest. I guess we were blessed because of our righteousness, because that night some storm clouds rolled in, the temperature dropped 40 degrees and we woke up to a blanket of fresh snow the next morning.

We decided to go where we had never gone before (which wasn?t hard because we'd never been in this unit before) and see if we could catch something migrating lower because of all the snow we were getting. We quietly snuck along a trail in the aspen and pine forest below some rugged high country where a big old monster may have spent the summer and enjoyed the magical moment of being all alone in the woods on a beautiful, snowy morning. Because, as you know, that's what it's all about. Also, as you know, things can change in a hurry.

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

As we crossed over the saddle of a ridge and slowly started working along a bench on the other side, QuickShot whispered, ?There?s a buck right there!? I stopped and looked in the direction he was pointing and could just make out parts of a grey body way back in the aspens. I put my binoculars up and immediately knew he was a shooter. In the sea of quakies, QuickShot just happened to be in the only clear lane to make an ethical shot on the old bruiser, who was standing frozen solid 100 yards away hoping we wouldn't notice him. All of his practice on the range paid off as he made a perfect shot and the buck went right down.

?You just killed an absolute stud!? I told him and we quickly made our way over to the buck. When we walked up on him, I was amazed at what just happened. In only his second year of hunting, QuickShot had just killed the buck of a lifetime. He?s going to be hard-pressed to beat this one, but it will be fun trying. That's what it's all about.

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

Next up was Annie Oakley. She is my youngest daughter and just passed hunter?s safety a few months ago. Since we missed out on all of the draws this year, we were looking forward to a leftover hunt for her, too. With a later start date, we were hoping the big bucks would be moving in and we would have the pick of the bunch after looking over dozens of deer.

Again, we were in a unit we had never hunted. But, luckily, I am really good at e-scouting and am generally a magnet for big bucks, so we went into the hunt with high hopes. On the opening morning, we found an absolute toad?even bigger than the one QuickShot had just killed the week prior. Annie could have easily killed him, but we had met another youth hunter that was gravely ill camped next to us the night before. Knowing what this buck would mean to him, Annie suggested we go back and find him and put him on the buck instead. Wow! What an amazing person she is. We did just that and he was able to harvest the fine trophy before making his way back to his camper trailer where he collapsed in his bed. That's what it's all about.

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

Good deeds do invite good Karma. Who should we happen to meet later that evening but Doyle Moss himself! After hearing of her unselfish act earlier that day, Doyle decided to reward Annie by telling her where he had just seen a trophy 3-point. This buck was tall and narrow, but massive and would be the perfect buck for her to start her hunting career?just big enough to be a trophy, but still leaving room for even a bigger buck next year like her older brother.

We went to the spot Doyle showed us and sure enough, the big 3-point stepped out of the trees to feed right on cue. Annie calmly took a steady aim on her shooting sticks and smoked the old buck, dropping him right in his tracks. I was so excited for her and so happy she started off her hunting career with a bang. Literally. Her ears are still ringing because she forgot to put in her hearing protection in all of the excitement.

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

Well, that about wraps up my report for this year. Oh yeah, I did manage to fill a couple of my own tags. But, after you've killed as many big bucks as I have they're hardly worth mentioning. I'll throw in a couple of pics for you to enjoy (and, for the benefit of my sponsors such as plaid, blaze orange and camo) before I throw the antlers on my pile in my backyard.

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

SureShot · Nov 4, 2019

I hope the hunts went well for all of the rest of you and that you're enjoying your time in the great outdoors and with your families. Because that's what it's really all about.