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We're Hunting at:
Spearhead Ranch

Bowsite.com's first ever group bowhunt - follow along each day as we bring you an exciting antelope and mule deer hunt live from the Wyoming Prairie.

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Day 7

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Pat Lefemine


Frank, Dale and I got on the trail early and after 30 minutes, we spotted my buck on a hillside, alone. I told them to go ahead and leave me with a cell phone. I could check in if I needed them and Dale could continue hunting with Frank. I moved on the buck and found myself within 50 yards. Two other bucks had appeared as well.

I closed the distance several times, including once to within 15 yards, but I just could not get a shot. There was always something in the way, a tree, some brush. Since he was wounded, I decided that even if I had a longer than usual shot - I would take it. After playing cat and mouse with these deer for ninety minutes - I had my chance. The buck came out of the trees and gave me a hard quartering-away shot - but a long one. I figured it to be forty yards. I pulled back and shot the deer - but my shot was not vital. I waited a half hour and began trailing the deer in the snow. The blood trail was profuse as can be seen in this picture. I was confident that the deer was going down quickly. I was wrong.

I spotted my hit deer and moved to intercept him. As I readied for a shot my buck came out of the trees and headed straight at me - just 30 yards away! He angled down a hill then out of sight. I moved to get a shot as he passed me on the hillside to finish him off.

But instead of cotinuing on his path, the buck had dove into a pine tree bed. He spooked as I approached. I should have been more careful but never expected the buck to bed down so quickly. He tore out of that bed and ran across a meadow. I could plainly see my arrow still in him. I decided to back off. The conditions for tracking were great and the deer was leaving good sign.

At 11:30 AM I took up the trail again and was surprised to find that my buck was moving a good distance. The trail took me over 3 hillsides to this point. As I approached the 4th hillside I noticed 3 small bucks in a meadow. I figured that my deer was probably around so I spent some time glassing. Within thirty minutes I found my buck, he was bedded 100 yards downhill from the others. At this point he was probably 1.5 miles from where I shot him - I was worried. At one point, a sparring match between two of the other bucks made my buck attempt to stand up. But he couldn't and just crashed over. I figured the end was near - but I was wrong again.


Here's a picture after finding my hit buck several hours later

While waiting him out, the wind shifted and carried my scent to the other bucks. They spooked and bounded past my buck - taking him with them. I couldn't believe he had the strength to follow - but he did.

I tracked him over two more mountains but the blood had slowed to a trickle and to make matters worse the snow had melted on the south facing slopes. I had to rely on tracking footprints in the soft mud. I moved quickly up the last thick hillside and caught up to the group of deer. My buck wasn't with them. I knew my buck had to be between this point and where I last saw him, two ridges back, but I needed help. I called Frank. It was 3:00 PM when Frank arrived both us scoured that hillside. But with no blood, no tracks and over a mile of thick country, we just couldn't find anything to go on. We checked out the usual places, thickets, streambeds, etc. Finally we gave up the trail. Frank and I figured out that I had tracked this buck over 3 miles. I crossed 6 drainage's and spent ten hours after him. If there is an upside to this sad story it's knowing that I gave 100% to recover this deer - but sometimes things just don't work out the way you hope they will.

Despite the blood loss, there is a chance this buck can survive both hits. Neither hit involved any organ and the deer was seen climbing a steep mountain hours later. It was approaching darkness when Frank and I headed back to camp. Thankfully, Steve had a better story.

Currently hunting:

Nothing - done hunting, taking er easy...

Dale Thurman


No update today.

Currently hunting:

Nothing - done hunting, taking er easy...

Dal Lowrey


The sky is clearing. This evening I hit a small buck just above the lungs. We’ll try and pick up his trail in the morning.

Currently hunting:

Nothing - done hunting, taking er easy...

Steve White


Mulie Pic
Today we spotted a large mule deer bedded below a drop off. I was able to slip in behind him and get off a shot at about 25 yards, even as I was being watched by a couple of does who were bedded near him. The arrow hit him in the back of his neck. And he died instantly. This has been a great hunt and experience. Even if I hadn’t killed a deer the excitement of stalking large mule deer would have made the trip worthwhile. I would like to give a special thanks to Leo Olson who guided me on this hunt. He was not only knowledgeable but entertaining as well!

Currently hunting:

Nothing - done hunting, taking er easy...