Coming to Eastern Montana to hunt deer? Bring snowshoes!

[Deleted member 16014]

This guy would get along real well with Breaks Runner. OH if you meet a guy from the line named Pat, tell him everything you know...

 

[EYJONAS!]

I was wondering if it was @staysharp

 

[Dave N]

I was wondering if it was @staysharp

Beat me to it!

 

[Happy Myles]

The Hi Line ... north central. But this storm literally covered the state. Well, the first storm. Not sure about the one two days later but comparatively speaking it wasn't much. The high winds and loose snow have been the continuing problem. It settled down yesterday until the afternoon. Looking good this morning but still quite cold. I believe things actually warmed up during the night ... slightly. Very unusual for a clear night. Damn east breeze is blowing out my camper's furnace pilot. Thank gawd the power is on. Electric heater does the job but difficult to control at night. Either too hot or too cold. Gets too cold and I have two furry raiders hogging the bed space. Makes for a rough night.

Almost afraid to ask but how is your sister making out with COVID? Been thinking of you.

Ontario, my sister is better at her age and health issues that is good news. We take it a day at a time. Thank you for your thoughts.

 

[golfer]

The Hi Line ... north central. But this storm literally covered the state. Well, the first storm. Not sure about the one two days later but comparatively speaking it wasn't much. The high winds and loose snow have been the continuing problem. It settled down yesterday until the afternoon. Looking good this morning but still quite cold. I believe things actually warmed up during the night ... slightly. Very unusual for a clear night. Damn east breeze is blowing out my camper's furnace pilot. Thank gawd the power is on. Electric heater does the job but difficult to control at night. Either too hot or too cold. Gets too cold and I have two furry raiders hogging the bed space. Makes for a rough night.

Almost afraid to ask but how is your sister making out with COVID? Been thinking of you.

North central is not Easter Montana....

 

[MT Bound]

sounds like just another MT snow storm to me....

 

[OntarioHunter]

North central is not Easter Montana....

In Montana there is the East Side and the West Side. Anything east of the divide is considered "eastern". Or it was when I grew up there. Most on the East Side DO NOT want to be associated with the other part. Bozeman is the exception It's now considered on it's own planet: Boze Angeles.

 

[EYJONAS!]

In Montana there is the East Side and the West Side. Anything east of the divide is considered "eastern". Or it was when I grew up there. Most on the East Side DO NOT want to be associated with the other part. Bozeman is the exception It's now considered on it's own planet: Boze Angeles.

Guess it just depends who you talk to....... point proven on my original post

 

[golfer]

In Montana there is the East Side and the West Side. Anything east of the divide is considered "eastern". Or it was when I grew up there. Most on the East Side DO NOT want to be associated with the other part. Bozeman is the exception It's now considered on it's own planet: Boze Angeles.

Dont worry I've lived here my entire life. North Central is not "Eastern" by any means.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Drove two hours east today and conditions were very different. Sunny and hovered around freezing with no wind. Snow was only a foot deep, soft, and almost no drifting. The highway was very icy. 4x4 all the way. The last fifteen miles south of the highway was downright scary. Coming back after dark was no fun. About twenty miles from town the wind picked up to 35 mph and highway was still icy. Almost blew me into the other lane a couple of times. But it was worth it! I hunted a large chunk of public land that used to be loaded with pheasants but only okay to marginal the last five years. I saw more birds this afternoon than I have seen here in the last three years combined hunting five to six weeks every winter. A couple hundred at least. They were everywhere. On the walk back to the vehicle with a full bag I could have shot thirty more roosters easily. Ellie had one rooster by the butt when it flushed just after sunset. Thankfully it got away. So cool when the dog snatches one in midair. Boy, did we have fun. She never had a chance to get very far. Constantly birdy. It's the kind of hunting dreams are made of. Been waiting a long time for a day like that.

The middle rooster might have a bit of yolk on him. Must be from a second hatch. If the little squirt had not squawked I would have given him a pass as a hen. He'll be dinner tomorrow! Those young ones can't be beat for eating.

 

[8andcounting]

Drove two hours east today and conditions were very different. Sunny and hovered around freezing with no wind. Snow was only a foot deep, soft, and almost no drifting. The highway was very icy. 4x4 all the way. The last fifteen miles south of the highway was downright scary. Coming back after dark was no fun. About twenty miles from town the wind picked up to 35 mph and highway was still icy. Almost blew me into the other lane a couple of times. But it was worth it! I hunted a large chunk of public land that used to be loaded with pheasants but only okay to marginal the last five years. I saw more birds this afternoon than I have seen here in the last three years combined hunting five to six weeks every winter. A couple hundred at least. They were everywhere. On the walk back to the vehicle with a full bag I could have shot thirty more roosters easily. Ellie had one rooster by the butt when it flushed just after sunset. Thankfully it got away. So cool when the dog snatches one in midair. Boy, did we have fun. She never had a chance to get very far. Constantly birdy. It's the kind of hunting dreams are made of. Been waiting a long time for a day like that.
View attachment 161946
The middle rooster might have a bit of yolk on him. Must be from a second hatch. If the little squirt had not squawked I would have given him a pass as a hen. He'll be dinner tomorrow! Those young ones can't be beat for eating.

Are you ok ? Are your dogs alive ? I mean it’s life and death .... no game will be harvested ..... good grief dude.

 

[8andcounting]

You fit those 2 birds in your little jimmy ? Suprised you could get around in that as bad as things are

 

[OntarioHunter]

You fit those 2 birds in your little jimmy ? Suprised you could get around in that as bad as things are

She floats the drifts surprisingly well. Coming from Montana, Idaho, and NW Ontario I have some experience with winter driving. Not the dude hunter on the highway going east in the jacked up fat tire pickup this afternoon. Thirty mph jackrabitter. Hard to keep my distance. Road wasn't THAT bad. Obviously he didn't understand he can drive in 4x4 on the highway.

Always nice to have a pet troll following my posts.

 

[8andcounting]

She floats the drifts surprisingly well. Coming from Montana, Idaho, and NW Ontario I have some experience with winter driving. Not the dude hunter on the highway going east in the jacked up fat tire pickup this afternoon. Thirty mph jackrabitter. Hard to keep my distance. Road wasn't THAT bad. Obviously he didn't understand he can drive in 4x4 on the highway.

Always nice to have a pet troll following my posts.

In all seriousness , good luck , have fun and have a good safe hunt . Looks like a fun time with your dogs

 

[mtmander]

..

 

[DouglasR]

She floats the drifts surprisingly well. Coming from Montana, Idaho, and NW Ontario I have some experience with winter driving. Not the dude hunter on the highway going east in the jacked up fat tire pickup this afternoon. Thirty mph jackrabitter. Hard to keep my distance. Road wasn't THAT bad. Obviously he didn't understand he can drive in 4x4 on the highway.

Always nice to have a pet troll following my posts.

There’s nothing worse than someone driving with caution.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Well I just came back from Glasgow. Spent a week there. Single digits a couple of days ago, snow, lots of little bucks and wind. I live in the blue mountains of Oregon, know a little about snow, still managed to need my shovel twice. Hunting wife nailed it, tough but not Armageddon.
Had a great hunt, shoot I saw nine little bucks the first day, I just never was able to hunt up a good buck, saw a couple too far out, I know they were around but they sure were spooky.
Absolutely loved it there, great people and I found that even though I hunt hells canyon every year, The Breaks are very challenging country.
992 miles from Glasgow to my home outside Pendleton. Only place there wasn’t snow was Ritzville down to WallaWalla on the drive home. Had a foot in my driveway.

 

[OntarioHunter]

There’s nothing worse than someone driving with caution.

If he would just drive. I suspect he was using his transmission to slow down whenever there was oncoming traffic. No brake lights. Suddenly I was on his bumper. Almost put me in the other lane once. He definitely was only two-wheeeling it. Almost jackknifed a couple of times. Washington plates. Gearing down on ice instead of hitting the brakes is a good plan but ONLY IN 4x4. Need to tap the brakes if being followed so they know what's happening. And NEVER, NEVER gear down on ice with front wheel drive! I appreciate caution (very much) but I'm not a mind reader.

 

[OntarioHunter]

In all seriousness , good luck , have fun and have a good safe hunt . Looks like a fun time with your dogs

Thanks. Winds rocked the trailer all night. It was really howling. I did hear a train go by at five so must have been less than 60 mph (they stop rail traffic if it gets worse than that). Three years ago when I was here the weather people issued a high wind warning for the night ... up to 70 mph. From 3:15 to 3:40 a.m. it blew so hard my tandem axel 19' camper tipped up on two wheels twice. I moved weight inside and opened the curtain to watch for lightning. One flash and I had a plan to scoop the dogs and head for a big culvert on the edge of town. I found out later several grain cars were blown off the tracks at Big Sandy. Winds briefly exceeded 100 mph!

Windy but not really a Chinook. Temps still hovering just below freezing and overcast and damp. Chinook is a dry wind (but not necessarily warm). I would love to go back down the road today for more birds but it's too dangerous with ice still on the road and so windy. Anyway the dogs are in the bag. They need a rest and I need to do laundry. But it is SO hard to stop hunting!

 

[Art Vandeley]

The elevator does not go to the top