Michael and I with a nice Montana Rooster.
Every year we try to get together as a family to do either a hunting trip or a fishing trip. Last year we floated the John Day River in central Oregon and got in both fishing and hunting. This year our destination was central Montana for deer and upland birds.
This annual tradition started many years ago when I used to take my two sons on adventures every summer. As the kids got older, we have always tried to maintain the tradition. This year my son Michael put the trip together and we were joined by my brother Pat, my brother in law Andy, Andy's son Alex and my daughter's boyfriend Anthony. It was a great crew and the trip was amazing.
Andy with a nice rooster on the first day.
We hunted all public land on this trip. With the help of the app onX, we were able to locate plots of public land that looked promising. Montana allows for amazing access. Many spots we had to sign in at a check station and then we could hunt the entire area. We scored Pheasants and Grouse the first day, and missed on a Mule Deer buck.
We ate very well on this trip!!
Dinners with this crew were always spectacular. We had Anthony's Hunter stew the first night, spaghetti the second night, and Andy treated us to T-Bone steaks on night three.
Great memories were made on this trip that will never be forgotten.
Day two we focused on upland hunting and we worked a huge piece of public land. We got birds, but we worked for them. I was worn out at the end of the day, but it was a great day.
My brother Pat, hunting with Michael and Anthony. They put many miles on their boots looking for deer.
Day three we went back out after a buck for pat. We walked a high ridge line and found a buck about 400 yards away, but the fog rolled in so thick that we simply could not see it and eventually lost track of it. After a few houirs of hiking and searcing we decided to go after some birds.
As usual, my hunting form was top notch!
Later that day we did some more phesant hunting on a nearby patch of public land. We found a few, but it had already been hunted that morning so the birds were a bit skittish.
Full moon rising on our last full day of hunting.
We found some great public land with lots of pheasants towards the end of the day, and had a great hunt on them. The birds were really relating to the river bottom in this area.
Pat painting the cabin we stayed in. He donated it to the owners - he is an amazing guy!
Pat made several paintings on the trip. He has more talent in his little finger than I have in my entire body. Please check out his website, patmatthewsart.com to see his amazing artwork. He gifted this painting to the home owners.
Michael and Anthony were able to fill their doe tags on the last morning before we took off. This was the icing on the cake!
The last morning Michael and Anthony each got thier doe tags filled, so we had plenty of meat to bring back from the trip. This was espicially great because it was Anthonys first deer. It was a perfect way to end the trip.
It was such a great trip with so many great memories that I will savor over the long winter months ahead. I am truely blessed, and thankful for this wonderful trip.
Thanks for reading.
Bill