There are many aspects of going on a guided hunt. Some of which have nothing to do with the actual harvest, yet they make your experience that much richer. It may be a new piece of gear discovered, finding a shed or friendships made. Today as the deer retreat from the hayfields, our discussion turns to coffee and grub. This group is hunting from town, so we decide to head in for a bite.

We are in small town Wyoming! Where everyone lifts their first two fingers from the steering wheel to wave. They have two stop lights, thank you very much and feed store chatter knows all the latest buzz! Such a place makes for an easy decision of where to eat. How about the one diner that is open? But don’t think the lack of competition has them slouching!

The small diner’s windows are dressed in curtains and the walls are covered in dark wood paneling. It is the definition of quaint! Just in time for Veteran’s Day, there is a loving display of photos of local soldiers in the height of their service years. Seated just below the poster board is undoubtedly one of those fine Veterans wearing a black Vietnam Vet hat. The owner calls him by name and keeps his coffee cup steaming.

The restaurant owner, a non-natural red head, seats our party herself. She wears a warm smile, half apron and tiny splashes of bacon grease peppered across her t-shirt. She doesn’t need to ask what brings us to town. The camouflage gives it away.

Having already fallen for the diner’s atmosphere, I order the “two-two-two” aka two eggs, two strips of bacon and two pieces of French toast. And because her apron made me trust her culinary skills, I let the owner talk me into the caramel pecan topping. “I make it myself” she winks.

Peeling off an outer layer, we settle in. Conversations begin to flow recalling deer hunting at its best. Soon plates of food were laid before us. On my third bite I announced, “I may not have room for all this but I will be finishing it!” We all laugh, fill our bellies and coordinated a plan of action for the remainder of our day in the field. With a healthy tip laid beside the salt & pepper shakers, back out we go into the crisp November morning.

Oddly enough, as I laid my head down that night, it wasn’t that monstrous whitetale deer we spotted or the stalk we put on him just before the shooting light evaporated. It was the camaraderie we shared and the stories told over that hearty meal that had me smiling. I’m not sure any other time we would have found ourselves in this small town western diner. Chalk it up to yet another bonus of spending time with fellow hunters to add to our adventures!

Speaking of bonus, that lovely diner owner shared her caramel pecan topping recipe with me. Y’all may just want to give this one a whirl!