Backstory
Two months has passed since I went on my first out of state big game hunt. I was hoping to have some time prior to this to write about my hunt but life with two little boys, a new role and work and the holidays rapidly approaching doesn’t leave a lot of extra time. There are going to be a lot of words in this post so if you don’t feel like story time, scrolling on down and enjoy the pictures.
This story starts nearly 8 ½ years ago – I came home from work a little early to prep for an implementation that Friday night (IT life) and I invited a couple buddies over to have a beer or two and fire up the grill except none of that happened. Just as my buddies showed up my heart when into ventricular fibrillation (V-fib) and before I knew anything was wrong, the lights went out. The paramedics worked on my in my garage and I rolled into the ER DOA (not a good start). I spent the better half of the next 9 days in a medically induced unconscious state, hooked up to more machines than you can shake a stick at. The doctors were prepping my wife and family for the worst, best case scenario was I would need to live out my days (keep in mind I was 30 when this happened) in an assisted living facility which I would likely have due to the amount of time I wasn’t breathing on my own. Day 9 rolls around and they bring me out of the coma state and I wake up, panicked that I had to go to work. My wife let me know that was 9 days ago and I wouldn’t be going to work anytime soon. After a couple more days in the ICU, my status was upgraded, and I was moved to the Heart wing of the hospital. I was slowly wrapping my mind around what happened and how fortunate I was to still be here and that is when I decided I better start getting serious about doing some of the things that I wanted to do – my bucket list per-say.
After getting back on my feet, I settled on Wyoming as the state I would hunt pronghorn. I started buying preference points and researching the various units for a DIY hunt. This year, I put my application in along with my brother and a good buddy from work and we were fortunate enough to draw tags. We had a plan, we had tags – the stage was set for late September.
The Chase
While I was accumulating enough preference points, I was also chasing down a very specific Fiddleback MiniMuk. I wasn’t quick enough on the draw when it was originally release and I thought it was gone. It then came up for sale on the second-hand market and I didn’t see it in time. It sold for a third time and I missed it again. The third owner reached out to me via FaceBook messenger giving me first dibs and I didn’t see the message, but I saw the thread he posted later. I jumped at the chance and it was finally headed to its forever home. Once I landed the pronghorn permits, I knew that MiniMuk was headed West with me.
The knife...
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
The Hunt
We rolled into the cabin around lunch on Sunday – quickly unloaded and geared up for a scouting run. It didn’t take long to find some pronghorn on public ground and we set in on making a plan for the morning.
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
We geared up and hit the road early to head back to where we had scouted. Just a few minutes into the trip we spotted two lone bucks, checked OnX Hunt app and sure enough they were on public ground. We glassed the first one and he was young, horns about the height of his ear. Initially couldn’t see the second buck very well but he moved into position where we could get binoculars on him and I decided pretty quickly that I wanted to try and make a play on him. I got out of the truck, grabbed my rifle and my brother and I made a quick plan on how we would close the distance a bit. We got to within 250 yards, he was giving me a good broadside shot so I decided to take it. I settled the crosshairs just behind the should and touched off my .280 Remington. He gave a good lunge and took a few steps over the ridge and disappeared. I remember my brother looking at my and asking what I thought. I said it felt good, he should be too far away. Sure enough, we took a walk over to the ridge he was standing on when I shot and he hadn’t gone 5 feet, basically just over the edge of the ridge and dropped.
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
My Remington 700 (80's vintage) chambered in .280 Remington. I hand loaded some 120 grain Nosler BT's.
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
15 Minutes into the first day and I had connected on my first bucket list hunt. I was shocked, excited and beyond grateful for the experience. It was time to go to work skinning and quartering him up so I could pack him out. The MiniMuk not only looks good but performed great as well.
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
Notice the entry wound right behind the front leg
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
All apart and packed up, ready to haul out.
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
#Used
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
The majestic pose
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
Back to the truck
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
Into the Orca to rest and cool off overnight before butchering
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
All my successful hunts that end with a heart still intact, I make grilled fajitas. These did not disappoint.
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr
If you made it this far, I thank you for hanging in there and I hope you enjoyed the hunt. A few things come to mind in closing…
Two months has passed since I went on my first out of state big game hunt. I was hoping to have some time prior to this to write about my hunt but life with two little boys, a new role and work and the holidays rapidly approaching doesn’t leave a lot of extra time. There are going to be a lot of words in this post so if you don’t feel like story time, scrolling on down and enjoy the pictures.
This story starts nearly 8 ½ years ago – I came home from work a little early to prep for an implementation that Friday night (IT life) and I invited a couple buddies over to have a beer or two and fire up the grill except none of that happened. Just as my buddies showed up my heart when into ventricular fibrillation (V-fib) and before I knew anything was wrong, the lights went out. The paramedics worked on my in my garage and I rolled into the ER DOA (not a good start). I spent the better half of the next 9 days in a medically induced unconscious state, hooked up to more machines than you can shake a stick at. The doctors were prepping my wife and family for the worst, best case scenario was I would need to live out my days (keep in mind I was 30 when this happened) in an assisted living facility which I would likely have due to the amount of time I wasn’t breathing on my own. Day 9 rolls around and they bring me out of the coma state and I wake up, panicked that I had to go to work. My wife let me know that was 9 days ago and I wouldn’t be going to work anytime soon. After a couple more days in the ICU, my status was upgraded, and I was moved to the Heart wing of the hospital. I was slowly wrapping my mind around what happened and how fortunate I was to still be here and that is when I decided I better start getting serious about doing some of the things that I wanted to do – my bucket list per-say.
After getting back on my feet, I settled on Wyoming as the state I would hunt pronghorn. I started buying preference points and researching the various units for a DIY hunt. This year, I put my application in along with my brother and a good buddy from work and we were fortunate enough to draw tags. We had a plan, we had tags – the stage was set for late September.
The Chase
While I was accumulating enough preference points, I was also chasing down a very specific Fiddleback MiniMuk. I wasn’t quick enough on the draw when it was originally release and I thought it was gone. It then came up for sale on the second-hand market and I didn’t see it in time. It sold for a third time and I missed it again. The third owner reached out to me via FaceBook messenger giving me first dibs and I didn’t see the message, but I saw the thread he posted later. I jumped at the chance and it was finally headed to its forever home. Once I landed the pronghorn permits, I knew that MiniMuk was headed West with me.
The knife...
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrThe Hunt
We rolled into the cabin around lunch on Sunday – quickly unloaded and geared up for a scouting run. It didn’t take long to find some pronghorn on public ground and we set in on making a plan for the morning.
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrWyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrWyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrWyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrWe geared up and hit the road early to head back to where we had scouted. Just a few minutes into the trip we spotted two lone bucks, checked OnX Hunt app and sure enough they were on public ground. We glassed the first one and he was young, horns about the height of his ear. Initially couldn’t see the second buck very well but he moved into position where we could get binoculars on him and I decided pretty quickly that I wanted to try and make a play on him. I got out of the truck, grabbed my rifle and my brother and I made a quick plan on how we would close the distance a bit. We got to within 250 yards, he was giving me a good broadside shot so I decided to take it. I settled the crosshairs just behind the should and touched off my .280 Remington. He gave a good lunge and took a few steps over the ridge and disappeared. I remember my brother looking at my and asking what I thought. I said it felt good, he should be too far away. Sure enough, we took a walk over to the ridge he was standing on when I shot and he hadn’t gone 5 feet, basically just over the edge of the ridge and dropped.
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrMy Remington 700 (80's vintage) chambered in .280 Remington. I hand loaded some 120 grain Nosler BT's.
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrWyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr15 Minutes into the first day and I had connected on my first bucket list hunt. I was shocked, excited and beyond grateful for the experience. It was time to go to work skinning and quartering him up so I could pack him out. The MiniMuk not only looks good but performed great as well.
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrWyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrWyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrNotice the entry wound right behind the front leg
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrWyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrAll apart and packed up, ready to haul out.
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on Flickr#Used
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrThe majestic pose
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrBack to the truck
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrInto the Orca to rest and cool off overnight before butchering
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrAll my successful hunts that end with a heart still intact, I make grilled fajitas. These did not disappoint.
Wyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrWyoming Pronghorn Hunt by Matt Westendorf, on FlickrIf you made it this far, I thank you for hanging in there and I hope you enjoyed the hunt. A few things come to mind in closing…
- No knife is too pretty to use and using a pretty one is just that much more rewarding in the field.
- Enjoy the thrill of the chase (be it a knife you have already had your eye on, wild game or something else).
- Never give up.
- Life is short, make time for the things you enjoy
