Hunting in Wyoming with Gwendolyn
By: Katelyn Parker
Hunting season is upon us. Hunters are flooding our hills trying to fill their tags and their freezers. Not being a hunter myself, I decided to get some insight on the Wyoming hunting scene from one of my meat providers, my little sister. Gwendolyn has been kind enough to share some of her experiences about hunting in the Rocky Mountains.
What Got You Into Hunting?
My boyfriend at the time wanted me to go. I didn’t fight the idea because I have always been an avid outdoors gal. I liked the idea of camping and hiking with him in the fall. The first time he ever took me elk hunting during bow season, I was officially hooked. We were bugling for elk and it was like something from Jurassic Park. We were bugling and the elk were bugling back. I had never felt as one with nature as I did at that moment. After I got a taste for it, my stepdad was the one who continued my education and has since introduced me to successful hunts and some of the best country in Wyoming.
How Old Were You When You Bought Your First Tag and What Was it For?
I didn’t grow up hunting and was never introduced to the idea until my early adulthood, so I was 20 when I got my first tag and it was for general elk.
Where Was Your First Hunt?
Green Mountain above Encampment, Wyoming.
What Kind of Hunting Do You Do or Have Done?
I have to be able to eat what I hunt so I only hunt for elk and deer. In the past I dabbled with a recurve bow but now I stick to my custom 6.5x284 rifle. If I take out my bow, I am most likely hunting for Blue Grouse.
What Was Your Most Memorable Hunt?
My bull hunt in 2018 in the Bighorn Mountains with my stepdad. He had been teaching me how to improve my skills over the years and this trip, it paid off. I got my bull, and the Boone and Crocket measurement was 380. For those of you that aren’t familiar, that’s a big boy.
Another memorable hunt, although not memorable because of success, was the time I was hunting Blue Grouse with my recurve bow. I came up on one, so I shot him at about ten yards. When I walked up to get him, he popped up, so I shot him again and he continued to run. I didn’t want to leave him injured so I searched and searched until I finally found him and shot him again and the bird still didn’t die. It was just looking at me like “you can’t kill me”. We stood there staring at one another until he flew off and I never saw him again. If you are in the Green Mountain area and see a Blue Grouse with a bunch of arrows in him, tell him hi from Gwendolyn.
Is There Any Advice You Can Give to Future Hunters?
Gear is everything. It determines your comfort level and allows you to spend more time on the mountain. The conditions are often less than awesome when the chances of success are greater, so it is very important to have the right gear. Also, patience and perseverance. Don’t get discouraged because even the days you don’t fill your tag, you are still outdoors. Lastly, don’t put lead in air. Only take the shot if you know it’s going to count.
Do you have any must have gear recommendations for hunting in Wyoming?
Insulated and waterproof, and it has to be both. Layer up, you can always take layers off, but you can’t wear what you don’t have. I personally love my smart wool base layers. Boots are also super important; you have to have good boots. Break them in before your first big hunt. Nothing will ruin your day quicker than sore feet.
What is Your Favorite Area to Hunt in Wyoming?
41 without question. It’s in the Bighorns on the South side of Shell Canyon.
Do You Have Any Recommendations For Meat Processers in Wyoming?
I have had a really good experience with all the processers I have dealt with, but I would say we just need more of them. During the peak of the season, meat processers are often backed up and burnt out. I especially like the processers that offer a wide variation of products such as summer sausage, breakfast sausage and I prefer when they use pork suet for burger rather than beef.
Did You Draw Anything This Year?
Sure did! I got area 41 for bull elk and cow.
Do You Use a Taxidermist For Your Mounts?
I did but the guy I used has since retired. I usually just do European mounts because I don’t live in a huge house where there is room to display larger mounts and it’s something I can do myself. I care more about the meat than the antlers, but I care enough about the antlers to continue to bull hunt and just do European mounts.
For Those of Us That Don’t Know, What is a European Mount?
It’s when you boil the skull to get all the tissue off of it and then bleach it so the mount is just the skull and antlers. You can also use flesh beetles, but I have not tried this.