By Brenda Valentine
First Lady of Hunting®
September, 2011

Eastern Wyoming and the Black Hills area of South Dakota are one of my favorite places. The variety and population of game animals is astounding, especially when so much of the land, at first glance, appears to be barren. Besides the tremendous hunting opportunities, I am drawn to the history and stark beauty of this area. A weather-beaten barn or abandoned homestead will grab my attention and set me to wondering about the rugged families that once lived there. If only they could talk, I'm sure each one would have a story to tell of harsh winters, hot summers and strong people.

Custer State Park, just south of Rapid City, is the place to go if you love watching wild animals and enjoy the pristine beauty of nature. Pronghorn antelope, wild burros, bison, muledeer, elk and mountain goat are among the many species found roaming there.

Burros and bison aren't the only things wild in that part of the country. Every August the famous motorcycle rally takes place in the small town of Sturgis, SD, home of the Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame.

As a birthday gift to two of our grandsons, we took them on an archery antelope hunt near Gillette, WY, with our good friend, Murphy Love. Jake shot this nice buck the first day. It was his first time to hunt pronghorns but certainly not his first bow kill.

Chuck McIntosh, owner of Mac's Gunworks & Shooters Supply, helped us retrieve the nice buck with the help of his three-year-old grandson, Caden Spur. 

Justin finally got a shot at his first pronghorn late afternoon of the second day. He and I spent a lot of hours sitting in a groundblind. But, when the opportunity finally presented itself, he made an excellent shot and the buck didn't go far. This was his first bowkill but he had practiced shooting all summer and was well prepared.

This part of Wy has gotten above average rainfall and that can make for long waits at water holes.

With both boys having a good buck in the cooler it was time to bring out the guns for a little target practice and prairie dog hunting.

Murphy pulled a slick one on the boys and put an exploding target on this old fence post. That will get your attention fast!

Our old friends, Rich and Shelley Mitchell from MT, came down for lunch and a visit. We all got a tour of Mac's Gunworks and even got to shoot a few of his custom firearms.  Later, some of us gals posed for this shot by the "NO TRESPASSING" sign. L-R  Shelley, me and Crimson Skye McIntosh.

When family, old friends and new friends gather to do what they enjoy, lasting memories are made. This trip was filled with a lot of memories for all of us.

Read all of Brenda's Field Notes