# Montana Birds and Bucks



## hockey (Nov 7, 2007)

The adventure started late wednesday night. Got out of the Styx concert and headed north
[attachment=14:2p9sast0]styx.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]
I slept until 3am then it was my turn to drive, 12 hours and over 800 miles we arrived in Glendive Montana, checked into the Yellowstone Inn got some lunch and headed out the creek bottom property in search of deer
[attachment=13:2p9sast0]creek bottom.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]
[attachment=12:2p9sast0]coyote country.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]
Being unfamiliar with the area we only had our riflrs with us, but almost every ravine and draw we looked not only held deer but lots of pheasants and sharp tail grouse. During the next 2 hours we looked at over 20 mule deer bucks and to many does to count. With less than 2 hours of light left we grabbed our shotguns and made quick work of some roosters and sharpies.
[attachment=11:2p9sast0]1st bird.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]
[attachment=10:2p9sast0]shane sharpie.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]
[attachment=9:2p9sast0]thursday birds.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]
we found a few more bucks but the biggest being a max 18" 4x3 and a couple 3x3, most were 2pts. 
Friday morning we decided to hunt west side of the property. Again lots of deer spotted but nothing of any size. Before we left I had decided I wanted a whitetail and having never shot one before i was going to take the 1st 8pt that I could. By 10am we were done deer hunting and decided to get a limit of birds. Same mixed bag of grouse and pheasants
[attachment=8:2p9sast0]sharpie.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]

This property was only 10 mies from town so we headed back to town for lunch and get ready for evening hunt. During the morning I had spotted 2 potential whitetail shooters that i wanted to go after. With 20 minutes of light left this guy walked out from a creek bottom and I was only 75yds away so I figured I bettter punch my tag
[attachment=7:2p9sast0]whitetail.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]
Got him loaded and it was time to head to the airport to pick up Rob
Saturday morning found us hunting a different property 25 miles to the west. Not sure I have seen better looking deer country
[attachment=5:2p9sast0]canyons.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]
[attachment=6:2p9sast0]badlands.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]
Rob spotted a buck chasing a doe from almost 1 mile away so we headed over to get a better look, as we were looking over the canyon we heard noise from the other side and a doe was making her way up and over the saddle 250 yards across, we figured the buck was following and sure enough not 1 minute the buck came into view, Rob let him have it and he hunched up but kept going up hill and dissappeared just to the right of the highest rock outcropping in photo
[attachment=4:2p9sast0]rob kill shot.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]
We found a game trail and made our way over to where the buck went up and over. i was amazed we found a good game trail and getting over there was easy with very little elevation gain or loss. Found the deer piled up just over the sadlle, if he would of gone 20 more yards it would of been a hellacious pack out, but as it turns out we had him quartered and back to the 4 wheelers in less than 2 hours
[attachment=3:2p9sast0]rob buck.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]
Plenty of time to go find more birds, and find birds we did, more pheasants, grouse and huns
Cannot believe the size of the birds
[attachment=2:2p9sast0]big bird.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]
The haybales make for some cool photo back drops
[attachment=1:2p9sast0]hay bale.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]
It was now time to get serious about finding Shane his buck. Even though we had seen well over 50 different bucks we had yet to see anything very big. Locals said the winter 2 years ago killed alot of the mature deer. I believe it
Saturday afternoon was spent glassing the edges of the wheat and hay field along the badland area. Just at dark a couple mature looking bucks came out but with not enough light to go after them we decided to wait unitl morning
When we spotted this buck it didnt take 2 seconds to decide to go after him. Huge body, deep forks, tall but not much for width but it was the best deer we had seen in 4 days
[attachment=0:2p9sast0]shane buck.jpg[/attachment:2p9sast0]
What a trip, 3 for 3 on bucks and 4 days worth of pheasant and grouse limits. Wish we would of spent more time hunting the badlands and canyon property. But good news the landowner invited me back next year and I guarantee i am going to look under every rock and tree finding that big old buck that I knows lives there


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Great report. You've now been infected with Montana. Good luck getting it out of your system. I know I never have. Nor do I want to. Glad you had a great hunt.


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

It has only been a week since I shot an elk and I already have cabin fever. I have been calling all over asking about depredation tags and I just bought fresh trapping supplies.... 

This post does not help...


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## provider (Jan 17, 2011)

Amazing hunt. Thanks for posting.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Nice, While driving through Glendive this morning at about 8:30 I watch a 130 inch whitetail breed a doe not 100 yards from the interstate. That is defiantly a target rich environment...


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