# Meandering in Montana



## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

Well, my son, who lives in Bozeman MT, and I came up with an audacious and grandiose plan that I come out his way and try to hunt/kill everything Big Sky country had to offer. With the high likelihood that he would not be there next year and the probability that this opportunity would not come my way again, plans were put in motion to spend September and October out west. I pulled a Big game combo (Elk/Mule Deer which includes small game) in the draw but failed to garner an antelope tag. I purchased a bear tag and waterfowl permit over the counter.

Months of prep, both physically and in gear acquisition, led to a 9/7 departure with my side kick, Sully, and a ton of gear.


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

A little over 1700 miles later, we pulled into Bozeman on 9/9 and spent the day getting acclimated. The next day we were going to get things started with an attempt at sage grouse. My son, his buddy and I hit the block management area (BMA), private land that the government negotiates access too. Less than 5 minutes in, this guy pops out from behind the hay bales.









Even though I have a deer tag, I pass on this one but Ty's buddy decides to give it a go. The muley gives him time to go back to the truck, switch out his shotgun for his bow and then return to stalk within 30 yards with a positive result.


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

We quarter the deer out and hike him back to the truck. Due to the high temps (80's), Ryan immediately takes the deer back to get it refrigerated. My son and I continue on the with sage grouse adventure which also had a positive ending.










The hunt doesn't last long due to the heat and then it is time to retreat to "Camp Cow Pie'










And a beautiful prairie sunset.


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

Go on......


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

The following mornings are spent trying to get close enough to kill an elk or a deer (there are mulies and whitetails) with a bow. As I am hunting mostly on the prairie, wheat stubble and hay fields, finding cover is a real challenge. But sometimes there are things that you can use to your advantage. I used an abandoned combine to stalk within 90 yards of a nice Mule Deer.










I wait for 4 hours for this guy to make a move and finally he gets up and starts moving towards me. He gets to within 50 yards of me before turning and looking right at me. I panic and hurriedly let an arrow fly only to see it slide underneath his belly. I learn that a Muley is a different kind of deer as he doesn't bolt off but takes a couple of hurried steps before just walking off.


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

The day after "the miss", the weather takes a dramatic turn from the 90's to the 40's with a driving rain. This makes living out of the truck problematic so I break out my tent.










A buddy heater and a good sleeping bag make for very comfortable accommodations.
The weather goes up and down with plenty of precipitation in both rain and snow.
The big game pursuits aren't going well as I can't seem to close the deal. There is a BMA where the elk were routinely feeding and twice, in the dark, I walked into the middle of a herd of bugling/battling elk. Unfortunately, the closest I could get was @ 75 yards. But what a show that they put on - it was an awesome experience.


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

The bird hunting, on the other hand, was out standing. With the deer/elk pursuits taking place at dawn and dusk, midday was reserved for chasing Hungarian partridge and Sage grouse. Sully was aces in bird mode and it made for some great hunts.


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

September closes with out a deer or elk and time to transition to waterfowl for the opener on 9/30. Break camp and head up to Freeze Out lake - a new local for myself as well as my son so we do not know what to expect. The opener was calm/warm and we were surrounded by other eager waterfowlers. Not many birds the first 2 days so a change of locals was made.
We went to Canyon Ferry and the change in local also brought a change in the weather. In fact, on 10/3 we hunted in a snow storm - a fortuitous wind that brought a 2 man limit and a couple of mounter Gadwall.


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

The hunting comes to a halt on 10/5 when I learn of a death in the family that would bring me home earlier than the planned 11/1 departure. This development eliminates the pheasant hunting portion of the trip (season started 10/7) However, the fact that I still have paid for tags and the lobbying of my son, the wife gives her blessing for a returned trip. The timing - post 10/21 - allows for the use of a rifle in pursuit of big game.
A much more streamlined drive out - no boat, no dog - starts 11/3 with me arriving on 11/5 with enough time to scout the BMA's that I had hunted previously. Bad news!!!! All the fields are now full of cattle. The elk have moved off and the deer are tough to find. I am slightly depressed until I class a field and find a decent sized group of whitetail with several shooter bucks. Additionally, I get a tip from a DNR guy (Fish, Wildlife and Parks in MT) about a location holding mule deer. My Monday plan is to try the Mule deer spot.

Awake to a snow storm with 6 degrees temps (-16 wind chill) and a harrowing drive to the mule deer BMA. Snow drifts keep me from getting to where I want to go so I wait for daylight to determine my next move. There are other hunters that I work around and find a field to glass - a field covered in snow with 5 dark sports - 4 does and a nice mule deer buck.

With no cover and no way to sneak up on them, I enter the field and sit down in a snow drift along the fence line. The doe don't react but the buck starts running parallel to me at @ 300 yards. The snow is deep enough that he tires and stops, giving me an opportunity for a shot. The .300 win mag strikes true and the buck whirls to run the opposite direction. A second shot finds the mark and the deer expires a mere 40 yards from where he was first struck.








My sons' buddy shows up and helps me drag him to the road through crotch deep snow


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

So what I couldn't accomplish in nearly 30 days with a bow I was able to complete in 5 minutes with a rifle, go figure - better to be lucky than good I guess.

The deer come larger in Montana but for south central MT this is an above average buck. With the new laws in Michigan, I decide to have the animal processed out there. I think they know about the new law as it cost me $170 for a mere cut and wrap . They wanted another $150 to cape him but Ryan was able to do that for me. 

Onward to see if I can find an elk. The next day my son joins me and we head out to check the elk BMA. To say the least, it was a little fresh out









We are unable to find the elk and although we locate some whitetail, our stalk proves fruitless. Even with the best gear, it didn't take long to get frosted.


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

With my elk prospects limited, I decided to head back to Bozeman with my son so we could focus on duck hunting. With the extreme low temps, most if not all the ponds were frozen tight. But there are a number of rivers in the area that stay open and Ty had a spot on the Gallatin river that he had found some success at in the past.
We hit that spot for the next three days and while we didn't get limits, we shot birds in some unique conditions.









I only had a week for this trip so it was time to head home. In all, the combined trip lasted 42 days and I only stayed in a motel 3 of them. I drove 10,451 miles which consumed 794 gallons of fuel costing $1962.

It was a great time and here is to hoping my son doesn't get transferred as anticipated so there would remain a possibility of Montana 2.0


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## Chasin Tales (Jan 20, 2006)

Awesome write up. Hoping you get a crack at 2.0.


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## neazor91 (Aug 4, 2008)

Thank you very much for the report. I really enjoyed reading it.


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

Sorry for your loss. But it sounds like you made a good couple of trips. Thanks for sharing this with us.


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## buckykm1 (Dec 19, 2011)

awesome story and adventure, congrats.

Kevin


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## old graybeard (Jan 19, 2006)

What a trip! Congrats!


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## WILDCATWICK (Mar 11, 2002)

Making Montana memories rocks! Congrats.


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## SHOOTN4FUN (Sep 1, 2006)

Sounds like a great trip. I love it in Montana


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## pike man (Feb 21, 2006)

Congratulations on your success, sorry for your loss.


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## Stubee (May 26, 2010)

Loved the story.


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