Well, just got back from a great hunting trip to Montana. Have been going over there (whenever I draw a tag) since 1989 and it just gets better each year.
This year I took a freind along that had never hunted Montana and it was neat watching his face when he saw all the deer.
Over the years, I have made friends with many of the ranchers in the area and have access to many ranches that are closed to the rest of the public. Guess all those ice chests full of slamon and oysters pay off :smile:
We got in early afternoon last Sunday after a 16 hour drive. Within 30 min we were out on the ranch and seeing nice deer everywhere. Just before dark we spot a nice big 4x4 that my friend decides he wants the next morning, go figure we have not even covered a small portion of the hunting area yet
Back at the house, we talk him into at least looking around for a few more days before he tags out his A tag. On Monday we keep seeing lots of nice bucks. We are the only hunters on about 38,000 acres of open flat land and gullies on the breaks of the Missouri. Real nice considering all the reports of other hunters everywhere that I've been reading about.
On Tuesday morning my buddy see's a big rack on the skyline about a mile away. A look throught the spotting scope shows it is only a 3x3, but high and heavy. H decides he will take it and starts the stock. After about an hour on his stomach in the weeds, he makes a nice one shot kill from about 200 yards. The buck is 21' wide, 19' tall with 14" rear tines. He is very happy
I know we still have 4 days remainng and decide to keep looking. However, on Wednesday we get up to a dusting of snow, a drop of about 30 in temp and a good wind blowing. Reports say a strom is coming in and it is gonna get nasty. Not wanting to waste time, out we go, me for my buck and my buddy for his doe. I'm walking the gullies into the wind for about an hour when I spot a lookout doe on the top of the draw. I crawl up over the ridge top and see about 150-200 deer grazing out of the wind. There are about 15-20 buck in the group ranging from spikes to OK 3x3's. Before I can get a better look the wind swirls and over the top go all the deer. I sit back and take a drink of water and think about what may have been for a few minutes, then decide to drop over into the next gullie.
After about 15 min in this draw, I am creeping along slow into the wind in the very bottom. As I round a corner, up jump 2 nice large bucks. They look like twins and are both 4x4. The first one goes around the bend and disapers followed quickly by the second one. Suddenly I see the first buck go up and over the top of the next ridge. I take aim and wait for the second one to appear, it does and it falls on the first shot at about 100 yards. I get to the deer and suddenly feel like crap. The buck is still alive, the bullet had broken his back and he was paralized except for being able to move his head. After telling him how sorry I was for poor shot, I put him out. He turned out to be a very respectfull buck. He is 22' wide, 21' tall and very even with good size bases. When dressing him I find the first shot which was taken going up hill, had entered just behind the right shoulder going up and just nicking the bottom of the spine. He had felt no pain I am sure which made me feel a little better.
That afternoon, we take 2 does and decide we should head home before we are stranded for the winter. The drive home is OK from Lewistown to Missoula. From there to mid Wa on I-90, we drive throught lots of snow.
The bad news is we also hard a cow tags that could have been filled very easliy if the weather had not changed. Oh well, there will always be next year.
Great Montana Deer Hunt
Mello-Yello
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