I’ve been dying to take my old Model ’94 out for a deer hunt since I got it back from getting the stock replaced, but life kept getting in the way. I had a great place to go up near Devil’s Tower, but the crazy snow we got at the end of November kept me from being able to sneak out there on the last few days of the season.
If you have an unused limited-quota license, you might be holding one of the tags that’s still valid for deer. A general license is only good for a few areas, and they’re all up near Kaycee. Areas 29, 30 and 33 are open until Dec. 15, but only for antlerless whitetails.
I have a work trip and a family vacation coming up, and both are going to cut into my potential hunting time. I still might be able to sneak up to Kaycee and possibly get a little more meat for the freezer, but if I can’t, I think I’ll survive. I’d love to get that old Winchester on a deer this year, but my son and I already put three does between us in the freezer this season. If I can’t go out for more, I’m not going to complain too much.
Besides, it gives me a whole year to refamiliarize myself with my lever-action. I used to shoot that rifle very well, as long as what I was shooting at was less than 200 yards away. I was without it for a full year, and even before that, I probably went four years without shooting it at all. It wouldn’t be such a bad thing to send 10 or 12 boxes of ammo through it before I try to shoot an animal with it. And since I got it back, I haven’t taken a shot from farther than 100 yards. I probably need to get dialed in with it again before I take it hunting.
Until next year, I’ll survive on the deer burger and jerky I already have. But if you’re still sitting on an unused license, get out there and get that thing filled.
