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Tailgate Pics

Amazed at all the pictures. Pretty dang cool.
Little background to the man in this photo.
Irwin Allen was a gem. Old school Montana, born and raised in the Snowies. He and I met about ten years ago when I inadvertently drove up to his house looking for public access to hunt turkeys
. He was in his driveway scowling at me,...I was apologizing before I opened the door.
We became friends, I would hunt turkeys for a few years before I got the courage to ask about elk. Every spring I would bring a chainsaw and clear his ranch roads in the timber, drop trees for his firewood, help out where I could. He had no kids, a one man show. I learned more Montana history at his kitchen table than you could imagine. He and his brother each had a ranch,side by side. Huge amount of land. Many of you are aware of the State buying his brothers portion with the idea of a wildlife management area to create more access.
Anyway, it was a special place. Killed a few decent bulls, bunch of mountain turkeys but time there was more about talking with Irwin, exploring on foot, looking for history. Old moonshine sites, Teepee rings, abandoned homesteads and miles of gorgeous country.
Sometimes I wish I had met him 30 years ago. Probably best I didn't, I likely would have tried to work and live there...made not much of myself.
Anyway his breed is dying off and being replaced. This experience will never be repeated. I stop at the Harlow cemetery every spring to say hello.
Irwin liked to help with the few hunters he let on. I wasn't going to argue.20240113_132406.jpg
 
Amazed at all the pictures. Pretty dang cool.
Little background to the man in this photo.
Irwin Allen was a gem. Old school Montana, born and raised in the Snowies. He and I met about ten years ago when I inadvertently drove up to his house looking for public access to hunt turkeys
. He was in his driveway scowling at me,...I was apologizing before I opened the door.
We became friends, I would hunt turkeys for a few years before I got the courage to ask about elk. Every spring I would bring a chainsaw and clear his ranch roads in the timber, drop trees for his firewood, help out where I could. He had no kids, a one man show. I learned more Montana history at his kitchen table than you could imagine. He and his brother each had a ranch,side by side. Huge amount of land. Many of you are aware of the State buying his brothers portion with the idea of a wildlife management area to create more access.
Anyway, it was a special place. Killed a few decent bulls, bunch of mountain turkeys but time there was more about talking with Irwin, exploring on foot, looking for history. Old moonshine sites, Teepee rings, abandoned homesteads and miles of gorgeous country.
Sometimes I wish I had met him 30 years ago. Probably best I didn't, I likely would have tried to work and live there...made not much of myself.
Anyway his breed is dying off and being replaced. This experience will never be repeated. I stop at the Harlow cemetery every spring to say hello.
Irwin liked to help with the few hunters he let on. I wasn't going to argue.View attachment 310330


I bet looking back at it all from today’s perspective you’re more appreciative of getting to know Irwin than you are any animal you killed on his property.

You’re lucky to have had that relationship.
 
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