February 2023 - 38

RECREATION
SECOND PLACE
Eyes on the prize
Goshen County
Matt Ley | Cheyenne, Wyoming
Nikon Z6II: 1/1000 sec, f/6, ISO 1250
O
HONORABLE MENTION
The art of the flush
Carbon County
Reagan Gochis | Denton, Texas
Canon EOS Rebel T6i
HONORABLE MENTION
Tiger trout reflection
Newton Lake
Lynette Moore | LaCrosse, Wisconsin
Panasonic DC-ZS70
ur soon to be 13-year-old
wirehaired pointing griffon,
Weston, was my first dog. I loved
bird hunting and knew a dog was the
only way for consistent success afield.
I made the leap as a broke graduate
student in South Dakota and picked up
the rambunctious puppy from a local
breeder. My paycheck was offset by
abundant bird hunting opportunities,
and Weston received a steady dose of
pheasants, grouse and waterfowl three to
four times a week - after class of course
- for his first couple of falls. We figured
out the game together, never knowing
how good we had it. After grad school,
my girlfriend - now wife - and I moved
back to Wyoming. Soon after there was a
wedding followed by Weston becoming
a big brother to two human sisters. While
the days afield became less, he was now
a savvy veteran that seemed to transform
into a bird magnet every time we hit the
field. His prime came and went and the
decline came on gradually. A little slower
and stiffer, the multiday hunts became
harder. It's tough watching a bird dog get
old. The drive to hunt is still there but the
body can't keep up. Weston is mostly deaf
now and spends most of his time napping.
He is semiretired from hunting, only going
out on the easy days. He still has a great
nose and his eyes are as piercing as ever,
but I know our days afield are coming to
end. I've made a point to shoot as much
with my camera as I do with my shotgun
the last few years, knowing the memories
captured are far more valuable. This shot
was from our New Year's Eve hunt last
season, perfectly capturing Weston doing
what he does best. While it's not his last
retrieve, it's likely one of them and I am
incredibly honored to get to share this
memory with you all.
38 | February 2023

February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2023

February 2023 - 1
February 2023 - 2
February 2023 - 3
February 2023 - 4
February 2023 - 5
February 2023 - 6
February 2023 - 7
February 2023 - 8
February 2023 - 9
February 2023 - 10
February 2023 - 11
February 2023 - 12
February 2023 - 13
February 2023 - 14
February 2023 - 15
February 2023 - 16
February 2023 - 17
February 2023 - 18
February 2023 - 19
February 2023 - 20
February 2023 - 21
February 2023 - 22
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February 2023 - 24
February 2023 - 25
February 2023 - 26
February 2023 - 27
February 2023 - 28
February 2023 - 29
February 2023 - 30
February 2023 - 31
February 2023 - 32
February 2023 - 33
February 2023 - 34
February 2023 - 35
February 2023 - 36
February 2023 - 37
February 2023 - 38
February 2023 - 39
February 2023 - 40
February 2023 - 41
February 2023 - 42
February 2023 - 43
February 2023 - 44
February 2023 - 45
February 2023 - 46
February 2023 - 47
February 2023 - 48
February 2023 - 49
February 2023 - 50
February 2023 - 51
February 2023 - 52
February 2023 - 53
February 2023 - 54
February 2023 - 55
February 2023 - 56
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2024
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https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/wyoming-wildlife-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2024-e-edition
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2023
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https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2022
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https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-iak-special-issue
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/dec-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2021
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https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/January2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/December2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/September2020
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