End of the Hunt

I would love to be able to give you a tutorial on Wyoming hunting, but I did not immerse myself in the sport with the same fervor as I did with fishing. So I can only tell you what I've picked up in bits and pieces as a rather disinterested bystander. Don't rely on this information.
Like fishing, you have to be here a year to get a resident license. So this was the STP's first chance to hunt as a resident.
Licenses are awarded in some complex lottery system involving at least 18 forms, except for general licenses which you can buy at the grocery store. Even then, they are only good for various animals at various times and in various locations. The locations are assigned numbers. There is a corresponding map for each license. If you are good at this you do not need the map because you have the numbers memorized. You say things like, "Did you draw 41?"
FYI The STP got his deer in 124.
There are blue lines on the map, but not on the ground. So I think non-residents must hunt with a resident guide who knows where the lines are. If you ask them how they know, I'm pretty sure they say, "There's a map for that."
Also like fishing, but to a much greater degree, you need an outfit. Said outfit includes layers: wicking underlayers, warm wooly midlayers, and waterproof outerlayers. You need these layers for your feet, your legs, your body, your hands, and your head. All of this should be camouflaged-even the underwear for some reason I don't understand at all. The camo is brown--so you blend in with the dirt. You will need a gun, shells, and a knife, binoculars and handwarmers. You should make these purchases on several trips to various outfitters so it is harder for your spouse to keep track of how much you have spent all together. Think of it as camouflage for the checkbook. You will need to pour over the Cabela's catalog all season for other things you need. Rangefinders, GPS, walking sticks, etc.
Please note: the November morning the STP shot his deer it was 55 degrees and he was wearing jeans, a sweatshirt he already owned, and his Pirates ballcap. But trust me--it's not usually like this.
Two things are very important about your hunting stories. First is the size of the rack. There is a complex way to measure and count and calculate and rate the antlers. In PA I think you just count the points. Here you give a series of numbers. Don't worry too much about this. Cabela's has a little rotary calculator to help with this. Put it on your wishlist (or just order it online).
For instance, the STP had what looked to me to be a beautiful 10 point. In WY reality it is a 5 by 5, category B (?) 24 inch something or other.
The second thing that is very important is how far the shot was. You measure this in yards. In is unsportmanlike to shoot a deer that is too close. I think this has something to do with the lack of trees. The idea is evidently to disguise yourself as dirt and sneak up on a deer and get close enough to get a shot. 200 to 300 yards seems like a good number to throw out there if, like me, you have a depth perception problem and don't yet own a rangefinder.
After a successful hunt and an exhausting haul out, you can load your trophy on the back of the truck and drive it through town. Stop by at least one friend's house to show it off. (If your wife is working at the bank, it is acceptable in Dodge City to drive it through the drive-up window.) Also, stop to get gas in the truck so complete strangers at the gas station can admire your trophy.
My favorite part of the successful hunt is that now the STP can get his hair cut. (And I have real antlers for my antler art projects.)