bowhuntmontana
Well-known member
Picked up some leftover tags for a unit I hunted back in 2010. It was a tough hunt then, but I always wanted to go back with good GPS tools...and a bike. Public is tough to access here, but OnXmaps was incredible. I was really wanting some antelope meat, so I had a buck tag and 4 doe tags.
Got this doe 2.5 miles into a piece of public on the first day Saturday).
I took Sunday off, going to church in town, and then driving the unit to see what kind of buck might be realistic. The best buck I saw was maybe 14 inches, so I knew I shouldn't be too picky. I made my plan for the next day to go deeper into that piece of public, using some oil and gas roads, walking around a few private pieces. The plan worked. I came on this buck by himself and knew he was good enough for me.
I was already 3 miles back in, and I knew I had glassed more antelope than just this lone buck in the morning. I decided to look into the next draw to see if I could fill another tag before heading out. I was worried about the potential pack out, but figured I was up for it. Looked in the next draw and there were antelope. Doe number two down.
I boned her out and went back and picked up the game bag with the boned out buck. Two antelope and my gear got to be a bit heavy. I had biked back in, but biking out with that load was a chore. It felt like the pack wanted to pull me off the bike and I was doing one intense crunch any time I was on the bike. But, that was part of the fun. I was able to bike some of the way back, walk up the hills and around the private pieces again. I felt like I had earned it once I was out. I headed home that afternoon. I am loving having some antelope meat again.
If someone smarter than me wants to rotate those pics, I'd be obliged.
Got this doe 2.5 miles into a piece of public on the first day Saturday).
I took Sunday off, going to church in town, and then driving the unit to see what kind of buck might be realistic. The best buck I saw was maybe 14 inches, so I knew I shouldn't be too picky. I made my plan for the next day to go deeper into that piece of public, using some oil and gas roads, walking around a few private pieces. The plan worked. I came on this buck by himself and knew he was good enough for me.
I was already 3 miles back in, and I knew I had glassed more antelope than just this lone buck in the morning. I decided to look into the next draw to see if I could fill another tag before heading out. I was worried about the potential pack out, but figured I was up for it. Looked in the next draw and there were antelope. Doe number two down.
I boned her out and went back and picked up the game bag with the boned out buck. Two antelope and my gear got to be a bit heavy. I had biked back in, but biking out with that load was a chore. It felt like the pack wanted to pull me off the bike and I was doing one intense crunch any time I was on the bike. But, that was part of the fun. I was able to bike some of the way back, walk up the hills and around the private pieces again. I felt like I had earned it once I was out. I headed home that afternoon. I am loving having some antelope meat again.
If someone smarter than me wants to rotate those pics, I'd be obliged.
