Big Sky
Well-known member
There are individual accounts of each hunt posted with more details, but for a summary this is how things went this year. Both of my daughters wanted deer hunt this year. All but one of my son's lives out of state now and are too busy with life to make it home for deer hunting. So it was a little different year for me. Even though no monster bucks were killed every hunt was satisfying and created many good memories. First up to bat was my oldest daughter. She's had a really rough year. She got very sick while in college and had to drop out school, quit her job and come home to recover. It took 6 months, but she is 100% again. Her main goal was to kill another mule deer buck. She made a great shot on this buck and got things rolling for us. We got in a little over 5 miles of hiking through the Missouri River Breaks and it was just enough exercise given how sick she had been earlier. Plenty of exercise for this out of shape old geezer as well.
Missouri River Breaks buck and my oldest daughter.
Several weeks later I finally talked myself into looking for a deer. We have been without whitetail meat for nearly three years and I really prefer it to mule deer. I did not set out to kill a trophy. Pretty much any buck bigger than a small forky would do just fine. I mean, after all, I wanted to put more meat in the freezer than the average doe would supply. Long story short, this was an extremely easy hunt, and a literal layup as deer hunting goes. I'll take the easy shot once in a while as most animals do not come so easy for me. This not trophy hunting is a lot less stressful and physical I've decided. I kinda like it after 40+ years of always holding out for a biggest animal I could find. Funny how priorities change over time.
Last up to bat was my youngest daughter. She hadn't deer hunted since she was 12 years old. She is now a senior in high school. When she was twelve she killed a 4x4 whitetail and really wanted to get a mule deer this time. After a very physically challenging hunt in cold, ice, and snow she connected on this buck completing our family's triple play on bucks for the season. Life is good and spending time with family in Montana is as close to heaven as I've ever been.
Missouri River Breaks buck and my oldest daughter.
Several weeks later I finally talked myself into looking for a deer. We have been without whitetail meat for nearly three years and I really prefer it to mule deer. I did not set out to kill a trophy. Pretty much any buck bigger than a small forky would do just fine. I mean, after all, I wanted to put more meat in the freezer than the average doe would supply. Long story short, this was an extremely easy hunt, and a literal layup as deer hunting goes. I'll take the easy shot once in a while as most animals do not come so easy for me. This not trophy hunting is a lot less stressful and physical I've decided. I kinda like it after 40+ years of always holding out for a biggest animal I could find. Funny how priorities change over time.
Last up to bat was my youngest daughter. She hadn't deer hunted since she was 12 years old. She is now a senior in high school. When she was twelve she killed a 4x4 whitetail and really wanted to get a mule deer this time. After a very physically challenging hunt in cold, ice, and snow she connected on this buck completing our family's triple play on bucks for the season. Life is good and spending time with family in Montana is as close to heaven as I've ever been.
