Fatrack
Well-known member
Winter has been holding on strong in the Gallatin Valley this year. As we enter into May, snow packs are still substantial in the surrounding Mountains maintaining 110%-140% of average. The long winter has instilled a good case of cabin fever and being that we are into our second week of Bear Season, I couldn’t handle it anymore….I was going bear hunting!
We were in the midst of yet another Winter Storm Warning for Thursday April 28th, but this was the day that I had planned on hitting the hills and rain, snow or shine, I was gonna put some miles on my boots in hopes of finding a bear.
After considering several places to go on my hunt, I tried to pick the spot that would have the least amount of snow and a good chance at finding a bear out an about. At 4pm, I left my office and headed towards the mountains. Arriving at the trail head a little after 5pm, I changed out of my work clothes and into my hunting clothes. My hopes of finding a hunting an area that was free of snow was quickly squashed as I headed up the snowy trail. I had been in this area a few times in the past and knew that there was a side drainage up the main drainage about 3 miles that had good southern exposure and might be clear of snow. As I worked my way up the drainage and eventually into the side drainage that I had in mind, the snow gave away to a burnt off hillside, the only reprieve from the deep snow surrounding the entire area.
As I side hilled the steep open hillside, I spotted tines sticking up out of the grass about 100 yards up the drainage. An old, weathered shed antler that had been soaking up the sun for over a year.
We were in the midst of yet another Winter Storm Warning for Thursday April 28th, but this was the day that I had planned on hitting the hills and rain, snow or shine, I was gonna put some miles on my boots in hopes of finding a bear.
After considering several places to go on my hunt, I tried to pick the spot that would have the least amount of snow and a good chance at finding a bear out an about. At 4pm, I left my office and headed towards the mountains. Arriving at the trail head a little after 5pm, I changed out of my work clothes and into my hunting clothes. My hopes of finding a hunting an area that was free of snow was quickly squashed as I headed up the snowy trail. I had been in this area a few times in the past and knew that there was a side drainage up the main drainage about 3 miles that had good southern exposure and might be clear of snow. As I worked my way up the drainage and eventually into the side drainage that I had in mind, the snow gave away to a burnt off hillside, the only reprieve from the deep snow surrounding the entire area.
As I side hilled the steep open hillside, I spotted tines sticking up out of the grass about 100 yards up the drainage. An old, weathered shed antler that had been soaking up the sun for over a year.
