A few years ago, I contacted Dirk Jenkins with Great Plains Outfitters and we spoke all evening about hunting mule deer and antelope. I saved up a couple of preference points and booked a hunt with him in October of 2018 with the help of Huntin’ Fool.
After a canceled flight due to heavy fog in Billings, Montana, I had to make a last minute decision to rent an SUV to make an eight-hour ride to Wyoming through the night. Dirk waited until 3 a.m. to greet me in camp. Despite only a couple hours of sleep, the deer and antelope tags in my pocket had me up at the crack of dawn for our first hunt. As Dirk and I topped a hill, it was something else seeing mule deer feed early in the mornings for the first time. Dirk and I saw countless mature deer but nothing to pull the trigger on yet.
That afternoon, we spotted a buck under a cliff. Dirk and I made a stalk and got in position to be able to make a quick, ethical shot. Approximately two hours later, the buck came out and must have caught wind of us. He ran up a hill and then stood broadside at 120 yards. I let the Weatherby .257 bark and watched my first mule deer hit the ground. It was awesome! Dirk and I cheered and hugged with excitement and immediately called Jen. I was thrilled to call my wife and tell her I had just filled my tag. I wasn’t sure what I was thankful for the most, the quick, ethical harvest or the beautiful scenery that the good Lord above blessed me with and to share it with kind hearted people, the Great Plains Outfitters crew.
The next day, Dirk and I scouted hundreds of antelope. Dirk has an outstanding spot for antelope. Together, we shared stories and laughs and spotted dozens of antelope bucks. Dirk and I made a decision to chase a specific buck in some of the most beautiful country I have ever been in. Dirk and I belly crawled about a quarter mile, knee to elbow. The buck we were after had about 40 does with him, so having about 80 eyeballs on us made it tough. Finally, we got in position and ranged the buck at 402 yards. I had a great shot, but the buck quickly sat down and took a rest. Dirk and I waited about an hour while every single doe walked towards a watering source close by. The buck I was after was the last one to stand up. When he did, I pulled the trigger and in seconds I had my antelope on the ground. Thrilled that I had my antelope, I FaceTimed my daughter to tell her how happy I was. Dirk and I caped out my antelope in some beautiful country and watched hundreds of Sandhill cranes migrate over us. To me, it’s what I work hard for every year and why we do it.
We also managed to shoot another buck with a leftover tag that I drew last minute. Two antelope and a mule deer in one week was awesome!
All my tags have three beautiful trophies for the wall and a freezer full of delicious meat thanks to Great Plains Outfitters.