By: Owen Trumbull 

     When the second week of deer camp is over and all the hunters head home, it becomes time to reflect on the 2020 rifle season. This year was very successful for many student hunters here at Eisenhower Middle High School. Several students bagged trophy bucks within the first week of the season. Among students that harvested a buck are Tucker Lindell, Keegan Eckstrom, Zane Alexander, and Colby Hagg. The Squire has gathered information about the hunt of one of these students, Colby Hagg.  

     Colby is a senior and an avid outdoorsman who lives in the greater Lander area. He has been hunting deer since he was a child, and enjoys hunting with his friends and family. A lot of preparation goes into rifle season. We asked Colby what he did to harvest a buck this year. He responded, “I prepared for rifle season by finding the bedding areas, placing trail cams on heavily used trails, and hanging tree stands accordingly.” Using game cameras is a great strategy that hunters use. It helps them determine how many bucks are around and what the bucks in the area look like.   

     We wanted to know more about where Colby hunts, so we asked him to elaborate on his hunting spots. He shared, “Well, to narrow it down I go where the deer go and that usually does the job.”  

     Another important aspect of harvesting a deer is using the right caliber for the job. You can choose from a wide range of calibers. The Squire questioned Colby about what gun he uses, and he explained, “I used a Thompson Center 30-06 for this year’s season.” There are several other calibers that can kill deer, such as .243, .308, 30-30, and .270, just for some examples.  

     There are certain techniques you can take advantage of when it comes to deer hunting. Colby wanted to share some of his deer hunting knowledge with us. Among the things Colby shared is, “Put your time into scouting and finding the best deer sign you can so you get the real experience of hunting a whitetail deer.” Colby also added that you have the best luck if you, “Place the shot behind the shoulder of a deer because that is where all the vitals such as the lungs and heart are located.” This is great advice, as it will highly increase your success rate.  

     The 2020 rifle season was one for the books. Everyone here at The Squire congratulates all the hunters that had the amazing opportunity of shooting a buck or doe. As Colby said, “I felt super happy after I harvested my buck. All the time and effort had finally paid off.” Congratulations Colby!