Montana Rancher Crazy Behavior

[Skynard]

I was recently in Montana hunting mule deer and came across some very odd and crazy behavior from a local rancher. I can’t for the life of me figure out what he was trying to do. Maybe you all can figure it out:

I was set up on a buck on a section of BLM land. This was probably 300 yards from the road and across the road was private and the rancher was breaking ice for cattle. The hunt quickly ended when we bumped the buck and he and the doe he was with ran around the back of the hill and across the road to the piece that the rancher was on.

We quickly turned around and headed back to the truck, thinking our stalk was over. When we got in the truck we drove maybe 100ft and stopped to glass the deer to double check that they were the ones we just bumped.
Just then, we caught a flash of a four wheeler hauling through the field at an extremely high rate of speed. The rancher had left his cattle and was heading directly for the deer. As soon as they spooked and crossed the fence onto more private the rancher did a sharp u-turn and sped straight for us. (the deer eventually ran back across the road again) The rancher was traveling so fast up to the fence that met the road that I thought he had a gate open and was about to try and cut us off or something. He got to the edge of the fence and slammed on his brakes like he wanted to talk. He was probably 30 yards from us and he just held up his hand and waved with a huge weird smile. Then he sped off again at an extremely high speed for the middle of a field.
My buddy and I were trying to figure out what in the world his deal was. Do you think he didn’t want us even looking to confirm the deer? Did he think we were poaching? Was he trying to get them back into public for us? Was he just being a weird butthole about people hunting public close to his cattle??

 

[Skynard]

He was driving the four wheeler at a speed that we both thought was erratic and violent. It seemed like 60 or 70mph through a field full of prairie dog holes. Not on a road or anything. Just seemed weird to do that and then speed off

 

[Schaaf]

 

[jpcoll01]

I bet he was trying to run them back to you guys. Having been around many ranchers the zooming around on a wheeler doesn’t sound that odd.

 

[Skynard]

View attachment 350626

I know this is satire, but honestly when you live in a desolate place like eastern MT…nothing else to do.

 

[Borny1]

He was thinking he was pushing the deer further into private. The smile and wave was his way of saying F.U. Trust me, I know.

 

[DFS]

I know this is satire, but honestly when you live in a desolate place like eastern MT…nothing else to do.

I could guarantee you the ranchers see more crazy hunter behavior than hunters see crazy rancher behavior. Sounds like a laughable experience.

 

[ismith]

He was thinking he was pushing the deer further into private. The smile and wave was his way of saying F.U. Trust me, I know.

That wasn't very nice of you, maybe you should invite @Skynard back out to have another crack at that buck?

 

[ismith]

I was recently in Montana hunting mule deer and came across some very odd and crazy behavior from a local rancher. I can’t for the life of me figure out what he was trying to do. Maybe you all can figure it out:

I was set up on a buck on a section of BLM land. This was probably 300 yards from the road and across the road was private and the rancher was breaking ice for cattle. The hunt quickly ended when we bumped the buck and he and the doe he was with ran around the back of the hill and across the road to the piece that the rancher was on.

We quickly turned around and headed back to the truck, thinking our stalk was over. When we got in the truck we drove maybe 100ft and stopped to glass the deer to double check that they were the ones we just bumped.
Just then, we caught a flash of a four wheeler hauling through the field at an extremely high rate of speed. The rancher had left his cattle and was heading directly for the deer. As soon as they spooked and crossed the fence onto more private the rancher did a sharp u-turn and sped straight for us. (the deer eventually ran back across the road again) The rancher was traveling so fast up to the fence that met the road that I thought he had a gate open and was about to try and cut us off or something. He got to the edge of the fence and slammed on his brakes like he wanted to talk. He was probably 30 yards from us and he just held up his hand and waved with a huge weird smile. Then he sped off again at an extremely high speed for the middle of a field.
My buddy and I were trying to figure out what in the world his deal was. Do you think he didn’t want us even looking to confirm the deer? Did he think we were poaching? Was he trying to get them back into public for us? Was he just being a weird butthole about people hunting public close to his cattle??

Welcome to hunt talk!