Montana 2021

[hobbes]

Trying to knock out these honey dos before elk season. The upcoming week in IL is taking up some of my time. I'm finally back on finishing out the window that should provide a great view of the Elkhorn Mountains. It's just smoke today.

 

[hobbes]

I took a route that went past my archery only buck tag on my way back from a work trip today. I've not hunted it before but assumed that the deer feed in adjacent private hay fields. Sure enough, there were four bucks in the field at 4 PM. I didn't have binos but they all looked pretty nice with one appearing to have a great frame.

I'd love to kill a velvet whitetail but probably won't hunt it until November.

I'm considering an XOP treestand and sticks. I've got my old setup up from my Illinois days but it's a good excuse to buy a new setup.

 

[timbrhuntr]

Did u see a big fat dog running around those houses holding scissors and yelling I got his tail I got the wabbits tail lol
I got rid of a couple stands and made a homemade saddle with some modified sticks for this fall been trying it out behind the house and can’t wait to try it out for real my friend in Nebraska asked if I was coming out to hunt mulies in October I told him call Biden and get the border open and I’m on my way lol
That spot with the wallow looks fun

 

[hobbes]

Fire season is by no means over but the rain this week has cleared out some of the smoke. I can actually see the Elkhorns out of the replacement window now.

 

[hobbes]

I suppose these aren't considered "premium" bullets, but they've not failed me, and I was happy to come across a couple of boxes.

 

[Mt Al]

I suppose these aren't considered "premium" bullets, but they've not failed me, and I was happy to come across a couple of boxes.
View attachment 319147

Used 130 grain core-lokts out of a .270 for 25+ years and they worked perfectly on truckloads of antelope, deer and a few elk. Zero failures.

Appreciate your thread, pics and how you're taking advantage of all we have around here!

 

[hobbes]

Dining room window and floor in front of window completed. Still have exterior work to do on it. If there was any one thing that I wanted completed before cold weather, that was it.

 

[hobbes]

I will hit 10 years in Montana by the middle of next month. This summer has had the most days over 90 degrees that we've seen since moving here in 2011. I hate to even say it, but the weather seems to have finally taken a turn. I'm sure there will be some more hot days but here's to the approaching fall.

 

[hobbes]

My wife and I took a drive this evening to where I hope to kill a whitetail buck with a bow this fall. The area is mostly private fields where I won't have access but I wanted to see buck potential. I'll probably wait until the rut. I'd love an early season velvet buck but it's pretty close to grizzly country and I'd prefer that they are hibernating.

I knew if I spotted some really good bucks I'd be tempted to hunt early. I was cured of that desire when "potential" went to confirmed grizzly country just 8 miles before getting to the hunting area. We spotted this big sow grizzly with two cubs in an alfalfa field feeding. I've driven this road a lot and never seen one along this drainage. Actually, this is the first grizzly that I've seen. They were stripping choke cherries shortly after this photo.





We did see quite a few deer with a fair number of bucks. Several of the bucks will be shooters for me but nothing that I really thought was a giant. However, I glasses some from a long way in low light and all that I could really tell was they had a good frame.

Does:




I know the photos suck but I think these were all bucks with two definite shooters and two more potential. I probably wouldn't hold off on one of the potentials.


I also looked over a herd of 30 or so elk on private land. There were 4 legal bulls in the group but all raghorns. Nothing against raghorns, I'll shoot one in a second, but had hoped to see a big bull. i suspect the raghorns have a very limited amount of time hanging with the cows.

 

[hobbes]

Not Montana, but we flew to Nashville yesterday then drove from there to Southern IL to visit both our families. My dad has been having lung problems and had to cancel their MT trip. We brought the granddaughter so I think folks are more interested in meeting her than they are seeing us.


I've been going to the gym everyday in MT but had to settle for a run in the humidity today. At 8AM it was 80 degrees and 84% humidity. I've got used to a lack of humidity over the last 15 years, so I could have puked.

This is the road that I lived 36 years on until 2006. I lived about a mile from here. It looks just a bit different than MT. Planning to fish in the neighbors pond for bass this evening and take my son squirrel hunting behind the house tomorrow morning. They should be cutting hickory nuts like crazy. I'll also go look at my brother's duck hole and blind and try to glass a few good whitetail bucks in the soybeans. We'll return to MT on 31st and start hunting elk on the 4th.

 

[hobbes]

Just like I remember squirrel hunting...... hot, mosquitos, poison ivy and hickory nuts. Boyd had never done it so he enjoyed it.

 

[hobbes]

 

[hobbes]

We don't hear these in Helena.

 

[hobbes]

My dad loves to shoot, but can't get out by himself unless they are able to get his lung problems worked out. Boyd and I went with him today. Boyd shot some tannerite with a 223, sighted in a 22, and shot Dad's S&W 686+ 357 mag and Ruger GP100 357 mag.

S&W 686+ 357 mag - Boyd

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Tannerite

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[hobbes]

While these fields, ponds, and woods seem like home to me, my youngest son was only 3 years old when we left Southern IL. His memories of it are just a place that we go visit the grandparents and some other family members.....and it's hotter than hell.

 

[hobbes]

The neighbor's pond used to produce some really nice bass but not so much anymore. Small bass and warmouth seem to be the rule now.




Sycamore leaf

 

[timbrhuntr]

Hey is this a Montana or an Illinois thread lol Just kidding good to see you are able to get back to your roots and involve your son too !!

 

[hobbes]

Hey is this a Montana or an Illinois thread lol Just kidding good to see you are able to get back to your roots and involve your son too !!

Montana will be going full force starting on the 4th, although I may not be able to update until the 7th. I've not shot an elk in a while so I've got to make that happen this season. I've been too nonchalant about killing one the last few years.

 

[hobbes]

We fly back to Montana on Tuesday evening, but Boyd got one last hunt in and killed three more grey squirrels. Besides his introduction to chiggers, he enjoyed the laid-back hunting. I suppose it was $45 worth of 5 day license fun.

I'm planning to set camp up Wednesday morning for elk hunting the opening 3 day weekend.

 

[hobbes]

One more goodbye to home in Southern IL. On our way to Nashville (and the rain) then flying back home to Montana soon. MT Archery elk in four days.