Montana Opening Weekend

[R.K.]

I have Monday-Tuesday off, and a pair of Region 7 doe tags.

But seeing as Monday is a holiday, that means it is a 3-day opening weekend, and I don't see that being a very enjoyable experience.

I think I'll just avoid the crowds and scared critters, and save the gas for next weekend with my friends. Hopefully things will be a bit calmer by then, and we can do some hiking & glassing.

Anybody else skipping the opener?

 

[Wildabeest]

Nope. I’ll be out there with a big game combo tag. Probably focusing more elk earlier in the season and then more towards deer at the rut heats up later.

 

[R.K.]

Nope. I’ll be out there with a big game combo tag. Probably focusing more elk earlier in the season and then more towards deer at the rut heats up later.

I was talking pronghorn. I assume you're archery hunting, then?

 

[Jc2020]

I don’t know about Montana but I know when I hunted Wyoming opening weekend pronghorn last year there was a ton of people out on most of the public in the unit I was in then as the week progressed people tag out and left and I didn’t run into to people like I was And had a successful hunt. I didn’t draw this year but next time I do I’m waiting to go after the first week

 

[MLaird]

Yep, I'm waiting until Thursday. It will probably make it a bit harder but I'd much rather have fewer people.

 

[MThuntr]

I rarely hunt opener anymore. I have found that a lot of people don't actually get Monday as a holiday so crowds drop significantly after Sunday. I wait to hunt until Thursday. By then things have calmed down a bit however antelope are still very wary of anything out of the ordinary.

 

[Wildabeest]

I was talking pronghorn. I assume you're archery hunting, then?

My bad. Thought you were referring to upcoming deer/elk rifle opener at the end of the month. My bad!

 

[Hunting Wife]

Also skipping the opener. Last year was the biggest zoo I’ve ever seen. Absolutely no desire to repeat it.

 

[MTLabrador]

I always skipped the Montana antelope opener, it was a mess in central MT.

 

[Huntmt28]

Waiting as well, mostly so my son can hunt deer on Thursday and Friday of next week, it is his 1st Antelope hunt that he gets to carry his rifle. We are leaving Wednesday night after work.

 

[SAJ-99]

Skipping it. Maybe go Wednesday.

 

[Walkathon]

I have a region 7 tag and will probably start hunting on wednesday. Never hunted MT for antelope, so have no idea what to expect.

 

[MThuntr]

Lopener: the opening day (or weekend) of antelope general season in Montana. Often associated with a pile of guys driving around in their trucks whilst wearing orange (see related definition Pumpkin Patch)

 

[802flyfish]

Got a 360 tag. Going Monday-Thuresday. Luckily, U have a type 2 BMA access for all 4 days.

 

[RobG]

I guess everyone skipped the opener because They figured it was too crowded.

I got to my spot about 10am and nobody was around. it was so quiet I thought I might have screwed up and went out a week early!

I double checked the regs, and then went hunting. I shot an antelope 1.3 miles from the car and packed it out. The whole time I felt like I was doing something illegal.

 

[Doublecluck]

I guess everyone skipped the opener because They figured it was too crowded.

I got to my spot about 10am and nobody was around. it was so quiet I thought I might have screwed up and went out a week early!

I double checked the regs, and then went hunting. I shot an antelope 1.3 miles from the car and packed it out. The whole time I felt like I was doing something illegal.
View attachment 157282

Same story, showed up 1 hour before shoot time to a spot that people usually encroach on us and had two down by 9. Never saw another orange other than on the highway.

 

[MThuntr]

Maybe the potential for crappy weather chased people out or COVID chased them away.

I'm going to do a loop in my unit tomorrow but my goal is to get my partner his first antelope so I'm in no hurry

 

[dk88]

Got this one in region 7, very few people until around 11:00 then trucks were everywhere and antelope running every direction.

 

[mtmiller]

It was a good morning.

 

[R.K.]

Looks like I guessed wrong. And here I am, stuck working tomorrow. Oh well- it's a long season!