Wayne S. “Hoot” Hunter

1948 - 2000
Hawk Springs

Wayne Hunter was born and raised on Cherry Creek in Goshen County where his family raised cattle, horses, and draft horses. Wayne attended country school in the Cherry Creek Community and later he graduated from Torrington High School. The family had a ranch southwest of the Cherry Creek area that was located west of Hawk Springs. He would travel horseback from the farm to the ranch area horseback (25-30 miles one way), staying as long as his food would last before returning home. Wayne enlisted in the Army on December 1, 1942 and was discharged December 17, 1945. During his three-year enrollment he was a member of the 94th Reconnaissance Division. During the war he earned the nickname Hoot, for cowboy actor Hoot Gibson. After returning from WWII, he and his wife Betty purchased the ranch land from his parents. In addition to ranching, he helped his good buddy George Brugeman by supplying horses for the parades at Cheyenne Frontier Days where he and his three boys were outriders. He also built and ran “Hunter’s Arena” near Yoder, putting on team roping, all girl rodeos, and kids roping events.