Decided fall of 2018 I was gonna take my 15 yr old daughter Riley on her first western hunting trip! She’s killed a few bucks and does here in Pa (blinds and stands) but I wanted her to experience glassing and stalking out west. I ended up booking a hunt with Brad Viren of Badger Creek outfitters in Sheridan. He made me a heck of a deal for Riley. Goat was 100% draw for her but the muley draw odds were not in her favor. Well she ended up drawing both and mam was she pumped to be going after a Management muley.
We departed Pittsburgh On Friday and flew into Denver. I like to fly SW for the free baggage fees and I also wanted a little drive to show her the landscape and all the goats I knew we would see over the 6 hr drive north. We arrived in Sheridan on Sat and got settled in A really nice Hotel. About 3 we met Brad and he took us to the range to check zero on our Rifles. Riley has her own Rem mod 7 7-08 but wanted to use my 264 mag since she shot her last 2 whitetail bucks with it. I guess it’s a confidence thing for her. The 264 was shooting 140 Accubonds at 3150fps. 2 shots for her and she was ready! I brought my new Tikka T3x 6.5 Creed shooting 139 Scenars at 2870fps. This was the first hunt with the Tikka and my first time shooting Scenars.
Next morning was the first day of the hunt. We ended up spotting 3 bucks bedded between a rock outcropping and a dead tree so we planned our stalk. After about 3/4 mile we popped up over a little ridge to see them laying there and they had no clue we were there. Riley was too short laying prone to get off a shot so she slowly sat up as Brad rested the front of her gun on the shooting sticks. The bigger of them stood but was too late. At a whopping 80yds she hit him at the point of the shoulder, went through the heart off lung and out mid ribs. He ran 20 yds and tumbled. She was ecstatic, shaking like a leaf and tears rolling down her face! He was an old giant bodied deer. A monster 3x4 with incredible mass. Lots of videos and pics ensued then we drug him 200 yds to the bottom of the hill and Brad was able to get the truck to him. Got him all loaded and started driving out and stopped to look for the other bucks that was with them. One was a narrow 4x4 with giant back forks but had insane mass and almost black antlers. We ended up finding him bedded about 1/2 mile away but at the same time seen 4 antelope bucks feeding together past the same ridge we just drug her muley off of.
The stalk started!!! I stayed at the truck to keep an eye of the 4x4 while Riley and Brad started the stalk. They went about a mile when They dropped down over the hill. I heard a faint shot and seen the orange hat waving in the air so I knew she done it! A double in less than 2 hrs! Ended up with a 90yd shot on her antelope. She was so happy and I was so proud!!!!! They made it back to the truck 45 min later. We drove back down to the same bottom and had to drag the antelope 5-600yds to get it loaded! At least it was down hill! The muley buck I was watching ended up getting up as they were walking back and walked up over the top ridge into a neighbors property.
Next day I went to another piece with Brads guide Patrick. Drove to a glassing point up top and glasses for about 2 hrs. Tons of deer but only one real good buck. Monster fronts but couldn’t tell much more as he was over a mile away. Mid day was slow. Only found 2 bucks bedded under the shade of some pines. It was 73deg and super windy. Did see 2 prairie rattle snakes though. I passed the one buck, a nice 4x4 but not what I was looking for. At last light we were sitting on top waiting for the deer to come out into a big flat where two big drainages came up from the steep bottom. A pile of does and 2 bucks came out but not what I wanted. We were wrapping up when I looked behind us and out in the sage I seen deer. I grabbed the binos and seen there were 4 does and another deer and could tell he had a frame but when he turned his head I seen good forks and told the guide he’s dead. Never waited for the guide to look at him. ranged him at 348, turned the dial to 3.2 moa settled the crosshairs(illuminated) and touched the trigger! WHOP and he made a 30yd dash and toppled! After a few high fives we walked over. Not what I was looking for(my own fault) but a beautiful 4x4 with great forks just narrow! The Scenar entered the 2nd to last rib and lodged in the front its off shoulder! Did exactly what I hoped.
I was happy and my daughter and myself had an awesome hunt! I can’t thank Brad and Patrick enough for what they did and how they were with Riley! I couldn’t have asked for anymore!!!! We fly out tomorrow so time to finish packing, get my meat and drive back to Denver! Hope you guys like the pics!
Thanks
Roy and Riley
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We departed Pittsburgh On Friday and flew into Denver. I like to fly SW for the free baggage fees and I also wanted a little drive to show her the landscape and all the goats I knew we would see over the 6 hr drive north. We arrived in Sheridan on Sat and got settled in A really nice Hotel. About 3 we met Brad and he took us to the range to check zero on our Rifles. Riley has her own Rem mod 7 7-08 but wanted to use my 264 mag since she shot her last 2 whitetail bucks with it. I guess it’s a confidence thing for her. The 264 was shooting 140 Accubonds at 3150fps. 2 shots for her and she was ready! I brought my new Tikka T3x 6.5 Creed shooting 139 Scenars at 2870fps. This was the first hunt with the Tikka and my first time shooting Scenars.
Next morning was the first day of the hunt. We ended up spotting 3 bucks bedded between a rock outcropping and a dead tree so we planned our stalk. After about 3/4 mile we popped up over a little ridge to see them laying there and they had no clue we were there. Riley was too short laying prone to get off a shot so she slowly sat up as Brad rested the front of her gun on the shooting sticks. The bigger of them stood but was too late. At a whopping 80yds she hit him at the point of the shoulder, went through the heart off lung and out mid ribs. He ran 20 yds and tumbled. She was ecstatic, shaking like a leaf and tears rolling down her face! He was an old giant bodied deer. A monster 3x4 with incredible mass. Lots of videos and pics ensued then we drug him 200 yds to the bottom of the hill and Brad was able to get the truck to him. Got him all loaded and started driving out and stopped to look for the other bucks that was with them. One was a narrow 4x4 with giant back forks but had insane mass and almost black antlers. We ended up finding him bedded about 1/2 mile away but at the same time seen 4 antelope bucks feeding together past the same ridge we just drug her muley off of.
The stalk started!!! I stayed at the truck to keep an eye of the 4x4 while Riley and Brad started the stalk. They went about a mile when They dropped down over the hill. I heard a faint shot and seen the orange hat waving in the air so I knew she done it! A double in less than 2 hrs! Ended up with a 90yd shot on her antelope. She was so happy and I was so proud!!!!! They made it back to the truck 45 min later. We drove back down to the same bottom and had to drag the antelope 5-600yds to get it loaded! At least it was down hill! The muley buck I was watching ended up getting up as they were walking back and walked up over the top ridge into a neighbors property.
Next day I went to another piece with Brads guide Patrick. Drove to a glassing point up top and glasses for about 2 hrs. Tons of deer but only one real good buck. Monster fronts but couldn’t tell much more as he was over a mile away. Mid day was slow. Only found 2 bucks bedded under the shade of some pines. It was 73deg and super windy. Did see 2 prairie rattle snakes though. I passed the one buck, a nice 4x4 but not what I was looking for. At last light we were sitting on top waiting for the deer to come out into a big flat where two big drainages came up from the steep bottom. A pile of does and 2 bucks came out but not what I wanted. We were wrapping up when I looked behind us and out in the sage I seen deer. I grabbed the binos and seen there were 4 does and another deer and could tell he had a frame but when he turned his head I seen good forks and told the guide he’s dead. Never waited for the guide to look at him. ranged him at 348, turned the dial to 3.2 moa settled the crosshairs(illuminated) and touched the trigger! WHOP and he made a 30yd dash and toppled! After a few high fives we walked over. Not what I was looking for(my own fault) but a beautiful 4x4 with great forks just narrow! The Scenar entered the 2nd to last rib and lodged in the front its off shoulder! Did exactly what I hoped.
I was happy and my daughter and myself had an awesome hunt! I can’t thank Brad and Patrick enough for what they did and how they were with Riley! I couldn’t have asked for anymore!!!! We fly out tomorrow so time to finish packing, get my meat and drive back to Denver! Hope you guys like the pics!
Thanks
Roy and Riley
