---
title: "High and wide: Two great bucks open Wyoming’s rifle season"
date: "2008-10-23"
modified: "2021-04-20"
authors:
  - name: "Outdoor Life Online Editor"
    link: "https://www.outdoorlife.com/authors/outdoor-life-online-editor/"
url: "https://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/gun-shots/2008/10/high-and-wide-two-great-bucks-open-wyomings-rifle-season/"
categories:
  - "Antelope Hunting"
  - "Big Game Hunting"
  - "Hunting"
---

# High and wide: Two great bucks open Wyoming’s rifle season

![](<https://www.outdoorlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/22/JPPAU5BLXG4OLN2KSS5T2E2Y7E.jpg>)

Both Jon and I have Nikon’s BDC riflescopes atop our rifles, but that’s where our similarities end. I’m shooting Remington’s new R-25 semi-auto rifle in .308. Jon is shooting a Remington 700 in .300 Rem. Ultra Mag.

Jon has told me I’m shooting first, which can be both a blessing and a curse. On the pro side, I have the chance to shoot a whopper buck out from under Jon and since Jon isn’t in a big hurry to fill his tag I can be selective. On the other hand, I don’t want to wait too long and ice Jon out of his buck. And I’m haunted by my BC experience, when I passed on a good bull the first day and later regretted my selectivity.

The morning started with a bang, when I spotted a mature mountain lion padding down a ridge just 400 yards away. Then we worked in on a couple of good bucks, but passed on them. We were headed to a remote pasture when we spotted a buck bedded against sagebrush about a quarter mile down the slope.

Angie and I worked in to 250 yards for a closer look and I fell under the spell of its high, deep rack. A single shot from the R-25 pinned the buck in his bed, and then it was Jon’s turn.

[![JLBuck](<https://outdoorlife.blogs.com/.a/6a00d8341c03be53ef010535b00867970c-800wi/>)](<https://outdoorlife.blogs.com/.a/6a00d8341c03be53ef010535b00867970c-pi/>) We hunted the rest of the day, but didn’t spot any mature deer. Finally, an hour before sunset, we spied a huge buck napping in a bed of juniper and sage. We stalked a quarter mile, and Jon and Angie crawled to within 150 yards of the buck. Jon made a tough shot and his first mule deer lunged and then hit the dirt. It was a dandy, 27 inches wide and heavy. Our consensus is that this first deer has spoiled him for the remainder of his deer-hunting career.

We’re heading after antelope tomorrow. A winter storm is forecast to hit the high country where we’ll be hunting, but we’re hoping for another one-two punch tomorrow. I’m going to insist that Jon gets first crack.

\_ - Andrew McKean\_