OpticsTalk by SWFA, Inc. Homepage SWFA     SampleList.com
Forum Home Forum Home > Hunting, Fishing & General Outdoors > General Hunting
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Antelope opener in MT
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Visit the SWFA.com site to check out our current specials.

Antelope opener in MT

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
jonoMT View Drop Down
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Avatar

Joined: November/13/2008
Location: Montana
Status: Offline
Points: 4853
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Antelope opener in MT
    Posted: October/09/2009 at 17:39
I am really looking forward to Sunday. We're heading to our usual spot in the Big Timber area and it will be cold (5-25F) with a few inches of snow from the last couple days. I love hunting when it's below freezing...cools the meat right down and makes for good eating. Still, I hope not to experience certain bodily functions early in the day. It will be a good test of my gear. One thing I've learned is to always let the water from a drinking tube flow back into the bag. It's no fun when the line freezes.
Reaction time is a factor...
Back to Top
RONK View Drop Down
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Avatar

Joined: April/05/2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3199
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/09/2009 at 17:51

 I've killed a few antelope near Big Timber, Montana, on private land along the Sweetgrass River. Some of the most fun I've ever had.

I love those wide open spaces, but you're going to get a whole special kind of cold!
 
I had never used one of those backpack hydration water systems until recently, but I really like them. I've learned to pressurize the bag by blowing air into the tube before trying to draw the water out when drnking. It flows a lot better under a little pressure.
 
 Good point about letting the tube drain out when it's really cold outside.
 
Good luck and let us know how you did!
Back to Top
John Barsness View Drop Down
Optics Optimist
Optics Optimist


Joined: January/27/2009
Status: Offline
Points: 785
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John Barsness Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/09/2009 at 18:11
That Big Timber country sure is pretty. Good luck on your hunt!
 
My wife and I drew doe tags further north and east and are waiting until later on to go hunting, after the big crowd blows through. There will always be plenty of does! Meantime we're headed down to Wyoming to do some other hunting. The hunt won't start there until later in the week, and apparently it will warm up some by then.... 
Back to Top
lucytuma View Drop Down
Optics Jedi Knight
Optics Jedi Knight
Avatar

Joined: November/25/2007
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline
Points: 5389
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/09/2009 at 20:23
I also will be traveling to Montana on 10/30 to hunt deer and antelope, I truely am looking forward to it.
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." - Thomas Jefferson
Back to Top
John Barsness View Drop Down
Optics Optimist
Optics Optimist


Joined: January/27/2009
Status: Offline
Points: 785
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John Barsness Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/09/2009 at 21:26
Where are you hunting?
Back to Top
lucytuma View Drop Down
Optics Jedi Knight
Optics Jedi Knight
Avatar

Joined: November/25/2007
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline
Points: 5389
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/09/2009 at 21:35
Saco, Mt. North east part of state.  Deer is a landowner sponsored hunt.  Antelope is in area 620-00
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." - Thomas Jefferson
Back to Top
helo18 View Drop Down
Optics Jedi Knight
Optics Jedi Knight
Avatar

Joined: December/02/2006
Location: Montana
Status: Offline
Points: 5620
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote helo18 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/10/2009 at 00:24
Jon, just drove through the Big Timber area Thursday evening on the way to Lewistown, and then this morning on the way back.  Saw 400 to 500 dear just north of there and about 15 miles north, about 100 antelope.  There was a nice big one standing off from the pack.  He looked like he could go 14 or bigger.  Should be some good hunting!
To be prepared for War is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.

GEORGE WASHINGTON
Back to Top
John Barsness View Drop Down
Optics Optimist
Optics Optimist


Joined: January/27/2009
Status: Offline
Points: 785
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John Barsness Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/10/2009 at 08:45
lucytuma,
 
Oh, yes, I know the Saco area pretty well. They had a pretty hard winter in NE Montana last winter but there shoudl still be plenty of deer and antelope left!
Back to Top
jonoMT View Drop Down
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Avatar

Joined: November/13/2008
Location: Montana
Status: Offline
Points: 4853
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/10/2009 at 10:38
helo, was there any snow on the ground along there? I'd imagine just a few inches.

It drives us nuts seeing all those deer along that section of Hwy. 191. From what I've been told there's a couple big out-of-state landowners that don't allow any hunting. Someday that will be the CWD hotspot in the state.

JB, we're lucky there aren't huge crowds where we're going but I hear ya. I really look for spots away from roads to do my hunting unless I can get out during the week a couple weeks after the season opens. I also sometimes get an early start just to be the first one up to some spot. However, this year, I'm going in the evening before (also just to have some mountain time to myself) and will bivouac about 30 minutes away from where I plan to be at first light. This morning provided an excellent opportunity to test out my Climashield XP quilt I had made last spring. It was 4F - 16 degrees colder than my previous test (http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f23/survival-bivy-quilt-test-41635/ has pics) - and that insulation continues to amaze me. At some point I will do a test where I'm going to soak my feet and legs up to the knee, then rig my shelter and see how long I can stand it.
Reaction time is a factor...
Back to Top
Terry Lamb View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
Optics Apprentice
Avatar

Joined: January/19/2009
Location: Sagle, Idaho
Status: Offline
Points: 150
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Terry Lamb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/10/2009 at 11:04
Originally posted by lucytuma lucytuma wrote:

Saco, Mt. North east part of state.  Deer is a landowner sponsored hunt.  Antelope is in area 620-00
Oh boy, it brings back the memories....I grew up in Glasgow, though we did most of our antelope hunting South of the lake, North of Jordan, at old Ben Binnion's.
 
Good Hunting!
Terry Lamb
Back to Top
helo18 View Drop Down
Optics Jedi Knight
Optics Jedi Knight
Avatar

Joined: December/02/2006
Location: Montana
Status: Offline
Points: 5620
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote helo18 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/10/2009 at 15:49
Jon,  There was only a couple inches of snow when I came back Friday, but was still snowing at the time.  Most of the deer I saw were in the bottom in the first ten miles north of there.  I have hit three deer down there in the last two months.  Two with the semi and one with my pickup.  Thank God for grill guards.  No damage to the trucks.

You are right about it being a hotspot for CWD.  When you see 400 deer in 10 miles, there is something wrong with that picture.  Never have seen a hunter in that stretch, but have seen some nice big bucks in there.

Just a note though.  If you want to shoot a stag, there is one hanging out about 5 miles south of Melville.  Have no idea who's land it is, but it would not be hard to find out.
To be prepared for War is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.

GEORGE WASHINGTON
Back to Top
jonoMT View Drop Down
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Avatar

Joined: November/13/2008
Location: Montana
Status: Offline
Points: 4853
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/10/2009 at 21:53
Not much snow here in Big Timber but plenty cold. And the Lazy J has wi-fi! Might have to come back for that deer in a   few weeks. We saw a real nice antelope buck south of Townsend. I bet he won't be there tomorrow.
Reaction time is a factor...
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.250 seconds.