“Big 3” all from your home state

[rmyoung1]

I have a friend in Gardiner MT who, I believe, has taken moose, goat, bison, and two unlimited rams, including a 186” giant. All were taken near Gardiner. I am not 100% sure on the moose, though. Can’t remember for some reason. I’ll confirm.

Edit: Yes on the bull moose. And another goat I didn’t know about. So this guy has a moose, two goats, a bison, and two rams all from his “home unit” around Gardiner.

 

[Mtnhunter1]

MT, fist full of goat tags, a few sheep tags and one moose. No bison and I have yet to tag a lion. My dream would be to place a tag on a MT G-bear some day. Thought that I put in the time trying to fill some of my big three tags but @Greenhorn showed me what real dedication to a tag should really be.

 

[antlerradar]

I am stuck on zero and that is not going to change. Hats off to those that have taken all three.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

I’m at one, and will likely stay there as I quit applying about a decade ago. I’m happy hunting deer and elk. I got to tag along and be the horse packer on a sheep hunt, which satisfied that itch.

 

[RobertD]

Greenhorn your animals constitute one hell of an achievement, particularly the ram and the story surrounding it

Shrapnel nice trophies to you as well. I have a whitetail on that same form as the one you have hanging by your bear

 

[np307]

Pretty sure I could check the sheep and goat off in one day from Craigslist. The moose would definitely be a challenge.

Congrats, beautiful animals. I'm sure that puts you in very limited company.

 

[BeartoothFront]

I was thinking about this on Sunday as I packed out my goat. I'd think you'd have trouble finding the quality that you've got! @Greenhorn

 

[MNElkNut]

I have the MN Big 3....Moose (1987) Whitetail (lots) and wood duck (lots)!

So that brings up the question of what exactly is your states Big 3?

Very impressive moose Greenhorn! Well, they are all very impressive, but that moose is a specimen!

 

[huntin24/7]

My wife and I are a moose short from combining for the big 3. I drew goat my third year living here. I kinda wish I’d not drawn it so soon as I really didn’t know what I was doing and did it solo and shot a young goat with good fur. My wife got a sheep 5 years ago. Some guys have insane luck with these things. Jason matzinger drew 2 breaks sheep tags about 10 years apart. Can’t imagine what the odds of that are.

 

[BigHornRam]

I have 2 big 3s if you combine Idaho and Montana. Very lucky! Both moose were small but tastey. Very nice Montana big 3 trophies @Greenhorn . Very well earned!

Montana Moose and Goat in 2000 from the Beartooths while living in Bozeman.




Idaho 2001 Bighorn as a lifetime license non-resident, Frank Church Wilderness.

Montana Bighorn in 2007 close to home in Bitterroot.

2020 Montana Mountain Goat from SW MT

 

[wytex]

No goat for me, no interest in hunting them-too old now. I have shiras moose(2), bighorn sheep and cow bison(2) from Wyoming. Only my sheep is worthy of bragging on.
Nicely done Greenhorn!

 

[Irrelevant]

I only apply in WA for those and the odds after 14 years of bonus points for goat tag with the best odds was 0.02%.

 

[Hem]

I've got all three in Montana.
Need a better goat for redemption.
Next year

 

[FishN4Eyes]

Well @Greenhorn you suck!!!

That is an incredible trio of Montana's finest and doubt anyone can match that. Or if so, very, very few. Congrats man.

I've been putting in for MSG every year in Montana for 39 years and have a grand total of 1 goat tag drawn when I was 14. So I suck at drawing.

I did shoot a Shiras moose in Utah and a Bighorn sheep this past September in Alberta but I don't think the Big 3 in Montana is happening for me.

 

[Wrong Burgundy]

I was fortunate enough to get all big 4 in Montana, including Griz...

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@shrapnel Can you provide more info on the MT grizz hunt? That is one of those hunts that I hope I have a chance to at least apply for in my lifetime and try and hunt grizzly in my home state (along with continuing to apply for the M/G/S for the last 22 years.....)

 

[shrapnel]

Here is a plaque I got years ago and was able to get all 10. It didn't happen all at once, many years of hunting and applications...

 

[shrapnel]

@shrapnel Can you provide more info on the MT grizz hunt? That is one of those hunts that I hope I have a chance to at least apply for in my lifetime and try and hunt grizzly in my home state (along with continuing to apply for the M/G/S for the last 22 years.....)

That was years ago. When I was a kid, you didn't have to apply for a permit. You can see that I never got it mounted, we didn't do those things then. We skinned it out and nailed it to the floor of a barn and salted it. The skull was laying around the wood pile for years before I finally brought it inside and got it cleaned and registered through Montana FWP. It had been left outside for so many years, someone had taken a hatchet and chopped one of the canines out of the jaw and the side got busted. It did score 22 5/16" making it even bigger than the Grizzly I shot in Alaska...

 

[YoungGun]

2/3 from the same drainage. Hell, even my wife is from the same watershed if anyone's counting that.. Now to get the goat tag for the same area.

 

[HSi-ESi]

@Greenhorn - all three of those are seriously impressive.

I had the Moose tag in 2017 - it was a tag I never thought I would draw - and in a unit I didn't know much about. I hunted hard and found a decent Bull which I was very happy with. I found some great Elk spots that I'll be able to take my young hunters into, starting next year (the oldest is now ready).

I've been putting in since the early 90's. I've been involved on 1 goat tag and I'm really looking forward to drawing that tag. 3 sheep hunts, 1 south of Bozeman (successful hunt South of Hyalite Peak), 1 in the Breaks (successful hunt with a 190 Ram) - and one year I went into the Beartooths solo (2004).

The tags in MT are a blessing and curse. You want to hunt them - they are always a possibility - but then when you get the tag, the tag holder generally has no experience hunting them. I am very thankful I got to go on some successful hunts where I was not the tag holder to gain more experience.

 

[Jamen]

North Dakota has their own Big 3 Moose, Elk, and Bighorn. I have 2 of 3 done just waiting for the call one year for the bighorn!!