Jordyn writes, "I was so excited when we drew our tags to go antelope hunting! I just couldn’t wait! October always seems to never get here. Then the day finally came when it was time for us to go hunting. My Dad had taken his buck earlier with his bow, so this was my hunt. We left right after my dad got off work to our favorite camping spot in near Saratoga, Wyoming. This is one of my most exciting times cause on our way we talk about previous hunting experiences. Like when my Dad shot his first deer with Great Grandpa Adams. When we got there we were so tired and quickly set up camp and went to bed. Even though we were in bed, we had a really hard time going to sleep because we were too excited for the next day! When the sun finally started lighting up the sky we were already up. I was so cold, tired and really excited! We got dressed in warm hunting cloths and left for the hunting area.

After a short while we saw that familiar animal with tan skin and a white bottom. It was a big buck with four does! I got nervous when my Dad got real serious and his voice was fast and whispered. “He’s big” I heard my Dad say! The small herd was on a hillside that was pretty easy to get to without being seen. My dad and I got really excited! He could not wait to see his 13 year old daughter shoot the biggest buck we had ever seen in this area. We snuck down a little ditch that was between the goats and us, and got me all set up. I raised the scope to my eye and took the safety off. Then I found the buck in my scope, by now I was holding my breath. I squeezed the trigger nice and easy and BANG! I shot him! He jumped like he was hit but ran around the other side of the hill. I was really worried that maybe I didn’t hit him because he didn’t fall right down like my last antelope did.

After some long minutes we started walking to go find him. We walked threw a little creak and snuck very quietly around the other side to see if he was there. When we found him he was in a bush lying still as could be. We couldn’t tell if he was dead or not so I shot him again with my 7mm 08 just to make sure. My dad and I were so excited! He gets more excited for us, his children, than when he shoots his own animals. After all the hugs and high fives my favorite part of the hunt was to begin, I got to clean him out. And just so you know I don’t let my Dad do any of the cleaning, he just gets to hold the legs like I do for him. A lot of friends my age can not believe that I gut my own animals but I have pictures to prove it!

We were not sure on his measurements, but I knew he was heavy and big. We found a man in Cheyenne to score him and he scored 80 1/8. He missed the book by 2 inches! Even though he missed the Boone and Crocket record book, to me and my Dad he is the biggest in our family’s book. I am so glad I get to go and spend time with my Dad doing what we like to do best, hunt!"