D
Deleted member 16864
Guest
Antler growth should be pretty good this year.
Looking for MT 291 Honey Holes
- Thread starter Beignet
- Start date
#hugeforkies
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Deleted member 16864
Guest
#neckroastsforneckbeards
SmokedTrout
Member
Last one I shot in 291 was delicious!
I live in Garrison and spend more time in 291 than probably any other unit. Had the tag in 2018 and did my best to find a 170 or better.. hunted a lot and probably passed a 100 bucks.. ended up shooting this one on 2nd to last day. 167”…
I only saw 1 bigger one in September and never did turn him up again.
Since then the deer numbers have been down but in the last 2 years we’ve been seeing more again. Any specifics feel free to PM me!
SmokedTrout
Member
Good news on the deer numbers.
Looking VERY green in here right now. Maybe might be a magic year for the giant forkies.
This is the first decent tag I’ve ever drawn. I’ve seen some bits and pieces of the unit in the past, but never given it a thorough going over. Pretty excited for what the season holds.
Also, a big thanks to everyone who’s chimed in (or offered to) with advice and stories of past hunts. Not sure what I’ll actually turn up, but hope to do it some justice.
This is the first decent tag I’ve ever drawn. I’ve seen some bits and pieces of the unit in the past, but never given it a thorough going over. Pretty excited for what the season holds.
Also, a big thanks to everyone who’s chimed in (or offered to) with advice and stories of past hunts. Not sure what I’ll actually turn up, but hope to do it some justice.
Attachments
Haha I know that spot!
It was pretty stunning up there today!Haha I know that spot!
I’ll probably shoot you a line before I head back in again. Sounds like you’ve got the unit down pretty well.
SmokedTrout
Member
I was in the unit just over a week ago, but we were pretty busy building an outhouse for a hunting cabin so didn't have much time to scout. Got lots of rain up high that weekend but the Windy Rock fire sure has picked up since then.
Still looks pretty green up high where we were, and some nice bucks have been seen down low in places they usually are in summer. Would like more rain and for Windy Rock to be contained, but they are saying Oct 31 expected containment date
Still looks pretty green up high where we were, and some nice bucks have been seen down low in places they usually are in summer. Would like more rain and for Windy Rock to be contained, but they are saying Oct 31 expected containment date
Stone_Ice_1
Well-known member
I have 6 cameras up there and with the closures I can't get to them. Usually I take all my cameras down before archery starts because I am busy hunting and I'm always concerned people will find them. Not looking like I'm going to be able to get to them before archery this year.
I found some decent bucks earlier this summer right smack in the middle of where that fire is burning. Oh well. Guess they had to go somewhere. Still at 0% containment.
SmokedTrout
Member
They might be back, you never know. I've seen critters in the black not long after the fire went out.
SmokedTrout
Member
Went out opening day and the trail I was using ended up being a fire line which has now been reclaimed. A lot of fun to walk that thing!
Didn't see much and left when the rain hit, but the area looks good other than the detours necessary to get around that reclaimed fire line
Nice! I hunted the BMA's for a bit yesterday. Plan A was a bust. Just as I sat down at a great glassing spot I noticed a griz having a dig under a tree not too far below me. Watched a bit then ranged it at just over 250 yards. Thought it best to clear on out while it was still oblivious to my presence.
Went to a chunk of a neighboring BMA and didn't glass much beyond cattle, unfortunately.
Went to a chunk of a neighboring BMA and didn't glass much beyond cattle, unfortunately.
SmokedTrout
Member
Grizzlies have been eating a lot of caraway roots from what I hear. I saw one set of grizzly tracks that were at least a couple of days old and hope he was moving on.
Headed back up Sunday and will probably stay through Tuesday. I did sign up for Duttons but will probably only go there if weather keeps me out of my prefered spot, which could easily happen with rain
Headed back up Sunday and will probably stay through Tuesday. I did sign up for Duttons but will probably only go there if weather keeps me out of my prefered spot, which could easily happen with rain
My 291 season is over. What a fun hunt! I spent more time glassing than I ever have before and saw more deer on accessible land than I’ve seen over the course of the last decade or so.
I’m a poor hunter and not at all a gambler. When I drew the tag I thought I’d shoot the first 4x4 I saw. As the season unrolled I set some stricter parameters. Ideally a buck would be a 4x4 or better, have a decent spread, a little mass, eye guards, and hopefully dark antlers. I found one that checked all the boxes yesterday.
I glassed him pretty early then he sort of vanished when I was looking elsewhere. No problem. The sun had just come out and I was tired. Had a truly splendid nap on my glassing pad in the sunshine. Woke up, ate some lunch, then started looking again. Found the buck harassing some does about half a mile from where I’d seen him that AM.
Decided it was time to crap or get off the pot and started working my way over about three ridgelines to where I’d seen him. By the time I got into the neighborhood the wind was perfectly in my favor. I set up prone near where I thought I’d last seen them. Nada. Let out a little fawn bleat and sure enough some does popped around the some trees with the buck right behind them. It happened pretty quickly but he went down. Ashamed to admit that he wasn’t fully expired when I walked up and needed another. Lack of practice on my behalf. The bench ain’t the field.
All in all, super fun hunt and I’m quite happy with the buck I shot. I’m sure there’s bigger ones out there, but this one is beyond fine by me. A little bummed that it’s over, but not sure I could’ve turned up any better.
Skull is all skinned up, so I’ll spare the internet any gruesome photos. Here’s a more tasteful one taken after I tagged and dragged him to a “flat” spot.
Thanks to everyone who reached out with tips or words of encouragement. Also owe a real debt of gratitude to everyone enrolled in Block Management. This unit wouldn’t really exist without those generous landowners.
I’m a poor hunter and not at all a gambler. When I drew the tag I thought I’d shoot the first 4x4 I saw. As the season unrolled I set some stricter parameters. Ideally a buck would be a 4x4 or better, have a decent spread, a little mass, eye guards, and hopefully dark antlers. I found one that checked all the boxes yesterday.
I glassed him pretty early then he sort of vanished when I was looking elsewhere. No problem. The sun had just come out and I was tired. Had a truly splendid nap on my glassing pad in the sunshine. Woke up, ate some lunch, then started looking again. Found the buck harassing some does about half a mile from where I’d seen him that AM.
Decided it was time to crap or get off the pot and started working my way over about three ridgelines to where I’d seen him. By the time I got into the neighborhood the wind was perfectly in my favor. I set up prone near where I thought I’d last seen them. Nada. Let out a little fawn bleat and sure enough some does popped around the some trees with the buck right behind them. It happened pretty quickly but he went down. Ashamed to admit that he wasn’t fully expired when I walked up and needed another. Lack of practice on my behalf. The bench ain’t the field.
All in all, super fun hunt and I’m quite happy with the buck I shot. I’m sure there’s bigger ones out there, but this one is beyond fine by me. A little bummed that it’s over, but not sure I could’ve turned up any better.
Skull is all skinned up, so I’ll spare the internet any gruesome photos. Here’s a more tasteful one taken after I tagged and dragged him to a “flat” spot.
Thanks to everyone who reached out with tips or words of encouragement. Also owe a real debt of gratitude to everyone enrolled in Block Management. This unit wouldn’t really exist without those generous landowners.
SmokedTrout
Member
Hell Yeah! Thanks for all the communication during your hunt and mine, it made it even more fun especially because I knew we were both out there hunting alone. You got a nice one my man!
Now go find an elk!
Now go find an elk!
