Monte's Guiding & Mountain Outfitting - February 2009 Newsletter

It’s hard to believe, it’s just over a month before the nonresident big game license deadline. Time flies along too fast once January’s over. If you haven’t finalized your hunt plans, you need to get busy! Give me a call to check on available openings in our camp this year.

This year’s guaranteed big game combo license sells for $1,250.00. Guaranteed Elk combo, and deer combo licenses are priced the same: $995.00. General draw license for big game combo is $643.00; deer combo is $343.00. Youth combination big game license is $324.00.

We’ve had an average, or slightly less, amount of snow this winter, and only a few really frigid days. Old Man Winter is taking it easy on our elk, deer, antelope, and upland birds. Right now, their biggest danger is predation.

I keep thinking about the six big bulls hanging out on the plateau Thanksgiving week, when we were done hunting elk. They are having a pretty darn nice winter, with slopes blown bare of snow. They’ll drop their antlers in the next few weeks.

I was in at Big Sky Country Taxidermy today, measuring the antelope Ryan Judge took last fall. Jared is working right along, and has most of the heads our hunters took him last fall pretty well finished. They sure look nice! Jared will be calling the hunters soon to confirm shipping arrangements.

After seeing mountain lions during rifle season last fall, and seeing an increasing amount of mountain lion activity around here this winter, I’m leaving it up to my elk and deer hunters if they want to purchase a mountain lion license. They might have an opportunity to take a lion incidental to their big game hunt - not a common thing, but a possibility. Give me a call if you’re interested. The lion pictured in this newsletter was taken on our lease this winter.

We attended the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association annual convention in Billings early in January. One of our young hunters, Logan Hammerschmitt, was awarded MOGA/SCI plaques for the elk, mule deer, and antelope he took during his 2008 hunt. No other youth has received awards for three animals taken in the same season.

Combined with the MOGA convention, we held the first “Big Hearts Under the Big Sky” banquet and auction fundraiser, to raise money for hunts and fishing trips for special folks we outfitters all like to share our Montana with: Honored American Veterans Afield, Casting for Recovery, Hunt of a Lifetime, and Catch a Dream Foundation. We’re proud to say Montanans really opened their hearts to help keep these programs going. Read more about it at www.bigheartsmt.org.

The FWP Commission will adopt final 2010 hunt regulations mid-February. It looks for sure like the big game rifle season and antelope rifle season will open a day earlier, on Saturday, instead of Sunday. There may be more restricted permits for some elk archery districts in eastern Montana. Our district will NOT be affected. Montana Outfitters and Guides Association has been speaking on behalf of all nonresident hunters, who will be most affected by that change. It’s anybody’s guess how the Commission will vote on that issue.

Bobcat trapping season has closed here. I’ve got a few traps laid for troublesome coyotes. When the ice goes, I’ll put up a few beaver traps. Fur prices are terrible this year. Except for orders for tanned hides, I plan to hold my hides until prices improve. We’ll start calving about the time I pull my traps.

Guide Doug Foster is still trapping bobcats in his district east of Lewistown, as well as coyotes and “whatever else”. He’s had a lot more snow to contend with than we’ve had here. Guide Steve Babcock is spending a couple of months in the southwest, showing Sounder and Tiger in retriever trials, and polishing Callie’s hunting skills on quail. We sort of miss her around here this winter.

I’m looking forward to visiting with you soon about your hunt plans. Remember, big game license applications are due by March 15. Give me a call, and let’s make a plan for a good hunt!

Monte