Well calling and rattling does work in WY. I went out on a very crisp 5 degree morning 2 days after a new bed of snow cover the ground. I parked and walked a little over a mile before setting up in some brush next to a large opening along the Wind River about 5 miles from the house. It was about 7:05 AM and a very light snow was drifting down making visibility possible only out to about 200 yards. I grunted 3 times and then took my set of 4x4 mule deer horns and started rattling them and scraping then in the bushes. Across the opening in the heavy cover of brush and cotton-wood trees flags started waving back and forth going to the right then the left an then back to the right again. Because of the poor visibility I could not tell if they were bucks or sin headed does. I did another set of grunts and rattling and to my left in the heavy brush a deer back side just went out of view about 75 yards away. The sun broke through and I had a clear view of the cover were the white tails were playing hide and seek. Then 35 yards in front of me 2x2 mule deer steps out and looks me in the eye. His attention is shifted when a doe came out to inspect this new young hunk. This must have started to boil the blood of her lover as he came crashing out of the trees with his head high and eyes blazing at the young buck. He trotted across the opening to within 150 yards and stopped when the youngster tucked his tail and left for part unknown. I could not get a clear shot because of a tree branch so I took one very slow step to my left were I could use an old tree trunk for a solid rest. The doe and buck both instantly looked in my direction. I took a rest and placed the cross hairs of my 358 win on his lower shoulder and after letting out a breath I felt the jump in my hand as the 180 grain hornady left the barrel and found its mark. The buck humped, then bucked before stumbled off into the heavy cover of the Wind River. I thought that my eyes were clouded over but it was that the sky hand opened and snow was falling in a great white flood of crystal flakes. A huge question arose in my mind about following him now or should I give him time? I did give him 15 minutes witch turned out to be just enough time for his tracks to be snow in already. I spent over and hour figuring out the puzzle he had created in the last minute of his life but it enhanced my love for this animal that now shares my life forever.
My buck is no monster for lots of sports persons but for me he is something special only a handgun hunter with one shot may understand.
He is 5x5 with 21 inch main beams 6 inch brows 8 inch g2s, 7inch g3s 3inch g4s with a 19 inch outside and 17 inch inside spread. Olefish