whitetailtrax

Very cool! Nice character on that buck.

Very Cool!!! Congrats on the draw - best of luck to you in finding a great ram!

Dang - sorry team - I only had a couple but should have gotten them entered anyway. My bad. Just haven't had time this spring to shed hunt much and haven't been on Realtree much either. Sometimes life just gets sooooo busy. Sigh.

I really wish this would have been settled in the courts and not by congress. Nobody wanted the issue settled by congress but that's what we got, so time to move forward. I have strong faith in our FWP biologists to set appropriate seasons and quotas that will keep wolf populations viable but in check.

Ya, it has been a real doozy up that way. Here is a link to an article that appeared in the Billings Gazette earlier this week. I haven't been out that way to see it first hand, but sounds rough. From experience, you not only lose a bunch of critters, but your fawn crop is next to nothing so in essence you lose an age class moving forward. The weather in the western half of the state has been pretty average I think as far as snow and temps. Here is the link: http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_ee95cd1c-83df-54e9-ae37-02b1a243c8af.html

Not even sure why I clicked on this thread since I ALREADY LIVE IN MONTANA!!! Good way to generate some traffic though Tim. I am blessed to live in such an amazing place. Hearing very bad news though from our friends in the northeast part of the state - deer and antelope are having a really tough go of it this winter with deep snow and amazingly cold temps.

I agree with Todd - there is no need to back out. Even if you get out only once or twice and only find one or none at all....it doesn't matter. This is for fun and to share our stories and finds with each other. Hope you decide to stick around and check in with us when you can. Mark

whitetailtrax 10-15 sheds Montana

Very cool. Kudos to you and the dad. I absolutely love spending time in the outdoors with my three boys.

Sounds like a great adventure Jeff - one that you and Jake will never forget! Sorry he wasn't able to connect, but that is part of hunting. Congrats to him on the essay - nice job! Thanks again for the xmas exchange gift - fruit is gone and the Realtree cap is serving its purpose well. Happy New Year to you and Jake! Mark

Wow - great day! Congrats on both the deer and the shed!

Big game season is basically over in Montana. Still doing a little waterfowl hunting and have started ice fishing with the kids - great start to that for us - landed a pile of 2-4 pound rainbow trout last weekend. As for our team, it looks like Hunt or be Hunted and Ozarkgal have not yet entered a deer. Ozarkgal has not been active in the forums since the end of October, so I don't know what is up with that - I sure hope nothing bad has happened in her life. I think one more buck might win this thing for us!

Dandy Don - Heck of a personality! RIP

Anybody heard from Ozarkgal? She hasn't checked in since mid October. Hope she didn't forget about us!!LOL! We can use all the points we can get. A 1 point lead is too close for comfort!

Ok guys - got my deer entered this morning. Here are a couple pics - I'm a little disappointed that my hunting partner taking photos of me with the deer didn't do a better job, but that's the way it goes when you are in a hurry sometimes and I certainly appreciated the help getting this beast out of the woods. Couldn't have done it alone! Keep shootin em up boys!!

Team 7 - The Great Eight whitetailtrax 5x5 mule deer shot on 11/12/10 Photo of deer tag linked at bottom. http://www.realtree.com/img/2/2010_deer_tag.jpg

I'm in!

Well, you can add 15 more points for the team! I shot a 5x5 mule deer this weekend with you guys in mind. I normally don't shoot a deer but enter the contest just in case I pull the trigger and knowing we had a chance to win this thing I went ahead and did it. Hard to believe this is my first mule deer - just never really hunted them and technically I was scouting bighorn sheep for a buddy when I shot him. I will get him entered as soon as I can. Congrats to everyone so far - some great success for our team this year!

Great job team - we are doing awesome so far! You guys are making me feel guilty - might have to actually shoot something this year to help the team win. I don't carry my gun much anymore....just enjoy teaching my kids and watching them. We shall see. Congrats on the early success everyone!!!!!

Nice job Brandon - way to get us on the board!!!!! Great start for the Great Eight!

All Forests have road management plans that designate when roads are open and when they are closed - what does that particular forest say about the road you set your camp up on? If it is designated open during that time and they closed it, then they are absolutely in the wrong unless they issued an emergency closure or something. If is designated to be closed then you have no complaint. In Montana, numerous people set up camps at the end of roads just before they are scheduled to close - that way they don't have to pack their camp in....just out. At one time many moons ago I was responsible for closing FS gates and the direction I was given was to not lock a vehicle/person behind the gate. Perfectly fine to lock a gate (on the scheduled closure date) with a camp behind it.

Hope this rain clears out for ya. Drove all the way from the Canadian line this morning to my home in Helena and solid rain!!! Hoping to chase elk around this weekend myself. Good luck to you and be sure to go to Many Glacier when you get to Glacier Park (on the east side). By far your best bet to see multiple grizzly bears at safe distance. Good luck!

Finally checking in - been working on the road a lot lately and not much web access. Good luck to everyone on the team. Archery season is under way here but I mostely chase elk with the bow and hunt deer later in November with the rifle. Will try to check in more regularly! Mark

With you providing a cape, it shouldn't cost anymore than if you just killed it and brought it in. A taxidermist should be able to take the antlers off the old mount without much trouble and slap them on the new form. Seems like whitetail shoulder mounts these days range anywhere from about $250 clear up to $500. Good luck with it.

Enjoy the mighty Milk - I certainly understand the fascination with the Milk, but you Realtree guys really need to come hunt public land in Western Montana some day. Hardest whitetail hunting you will ever do but the sense of accomplishment is amazing when you've got that 150" buck on the ground. Do you have anything planned at the Billings Cabelas while you are out here?