Finally made it to Montana

[AubreyB]

New member to to forum here. Just moved from Kansas to SW Montana in May. Seems like a great place to get to know some Montana hunters! So far i haven't had much luck looking for coyotes (since i'm not a resident yet its really my only hunting option at this point) I'm also terrible at fly fishing so far haha can't say enough how excited i am to be here and learn the ways of the mountain hunter! Any one out there got some tips for the noob?

 

[Southern Elk]

Welcome! I'm a new MT resident as well. Where are you living?

You can pick up a deer B tag that will allow you shoot a whitetail doe.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Welcome to the forum. I'm jealous of your move to Montana and don't know the state well enough to give pointers, only advice I have is that getting out there and not catching/tagging anything is still a lot better than not being out there.

 

[406LIFE]

So I counted last year and there are 1,333,454,300.5 coyotes in SW MT.

I spend most of my time down in that area, where specifically are you? There is good bird hunting down that way, sage grouse, waterfowl, mountain grouse.

 

[AubreyB]

Nice to meet all you guys! Coming from Kansas we're big time whitetail and waterfowlers so i've definitely been on the prowl. i'm in Belgrade right now. Workin in Bozo. I agree just being out here even without a tag is far superior to not being out at all. its all 80% scouting anyway right? haha

 

[bobbydean]

Just jealous. Too old to move. I would but I probably would be single. I do love my wife.

 

[AubreyB]

I'm in Belgrade, working in Bozeman!

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Join Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and get involved in the Montana chapter. You will very shortly be immersed in a bunch of great folks, and you will be pointed in the right direction in no time.

 

[AubreyB]

Welcome! I'm a new MT resident as well. Where are you living?

You can pick up a deer B tag that will allow you shoot a whitetail doe.

I'm in Belgrade working in bozeman. Can i get a deer B tag as a non-resident without it costing a fortune? I'll actually be able to buy resident tags the second week of november

 

[AubreyB]

So I counted last year and there are 1,333,454,300.5 coyotes in SW MT.

I spend most of my time down in that area, where specifically are you? There is good bird hunting down that way, sage grouse, waterfowl, mountain grouse.

I haven't seen a single one of those song dogs glassing since i've been here! show me your ways! and i'm in Belgrade. Never done much upland bird. We just have waterfowl and turkey in Kansas. But i'm always ready to try new things!

 

[JLDemo]

Never done much upland bird. We just have waterfowl and turkey in Kansas.QUOTE] First of all, welcome to the forum. Secondly, you can't be serious?! You must me from the east side of Kansas, there's a ton of upland birds on the western side. I'm from Kansas as well and I grew up loving upland and dove, that's actually one of the biggest reasons I'm pumped to move to Montana. Upland hunting is up there with the best of them when the conditions are right from what I'm hearing from the guys I know that live there. But anyways, moving from Kansas to Wyoming, I was in the same boat as you, just looking for direction. Take heed in the BH&A advice, you'll love it. Also, get you're nose into the states hunt planner and study it, buy a bonus point now if you are into the playing the LQ game and plan for next year. If not, then some general areas are just as good. Both us being from Kansas and both moving to MT for work, IMO, I think we just hit the jack-pot. If you're like me, you'll learn to cope with wind knots on the fly rod. Good luck with everything!

 

[2ski]

Let's see. I would go to the Paradise to hunt coyotes. Maybe go towards Billings. Ask. Probably a lot of people would let you hunt them. Or go through the Bridgers to the other side out by Wilsall and ask out there. I'll bet that's a good spot for them.

I live in Bozeman. If you have any questions about the area, feel free to ask.

You can shoot bunnies and gophers too without a license.

 

[Southern Elk]

I'm in Belgrade working in bozeman. Can i get a deer B tag as a non-resident without it costing a fortune? I'll actually be able to buy resident tags the second week of november

$80 for a NR. I'm a NR until the end of December in the eyes of FWP. I'm about an hour SW of you by the way.

 

[AubreyB]

First of all, welcome to the forum. Secondly, you can't be serious?! You must me from the east side of Kansas, there's a ton of upland birds on the western side.

Yep. Grew up in Eudora (6 miles east of Lawrence). Never went out west for much hunting other than a failed Mule Deer hunt when i was like 15. I have done a good chunk of dove hunting so i guess there's that!. Good to see some other Kansas boys out west. Maybe when you get out to MT you can teach me how to flush upland birds. One Kansas native to another! ha

 

[AubreyB]

$80 for a NR. I'm a NR until the end of December in the eyes FWP.

$80 isn't terrible i suppose. I wonder if i would do better just spending my time scouting and hitting the last weekend of the season really hard when i can get the tag cheaper. I'm a rifle hunter so early season isn't something i get to enjoy haha

 

[AubreyB]

Let's see. I would go to the Paradise to hunt coyotes. Maybe go towards Billings. Ask. Probably a lot of people would let you hunt them. Or go through the Bridgers to the other side out by Wilsall and ask out there. I'll bet that's a good spot for them.

I live in Bozeman. If you have any questions about the area, feel free to ask.

You can shoot bunnies and gophers too without a license.

I didn't think about bunnies! that might help with the grocery bill! although i don't have a .22LR anymore. sold it for a .300 blackout upper. wouldn't be much bunny after that!

 

[Southern Elk]

$80 isn't terrible i suppose. I wonder if i would do better just spending my time scouting and hitting the last weekend of the season really hard when i can get the tag cheaper. I'm a rifle hunter so early season isn't something i get to enjoy haha

That's up to you. You could always just grouse hunt while you scout. The B tag is only good for a whitetail doe, so you're really not missing much unless you need the meat.

 

[AubreyB]

That's up to you. You could always just grouse hunt while you scout. The B tag is only good for a whitetail doe, so you're really not missing much unless you need the meat.

I'm definitely more of a meat hunter as it is so doe tags are perfectly fine for me. Most of where i hunted whitetail growing up we weren't allowed to shoot bucks. Never hunted grouse but it seems to be pretty popular right now. I've talk to 2 guys that came through work today that are doing a grouse hunt over the holiday weekend

 

[Schaaf]

Join Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and get involved in the Montana chapter. You will very shortly be immersed in a bunch of great folks, and you will be pointed in the right direction in no time.

Yep, there are tons of BHA members in the area and they do a fantastic job of keeping everyone involved.

 

[Southern Elk]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I'm a BHA member and probably still registered in MS. How would I get hooked up with a local SW MT chapter? Should I just call BHA?