Day 2 5:30 a.m.
One of the reasons I like living in Montana is seeing such an abundance of wildlife. The ranch I’m currently hunting is filthy with animals and my tally from yesterday reflects that: in 10 hours of hunting I saw hundreds of mule deer, a dozen whitetail deer, perhaps 200 elk, 10 wild turkeys, a ruffed grouse and a blue grouse and, get this, a bobcat and a black bear.
It’s no great feat to see so many deer and elk because you can see those animals in good numbers throughout Montana, but to see a bobcat and a black bear describes what cool game country I’m in.
Joe Coogan with a great mule deer buck.
I tried to pull the trigger a couple of times yesterday, but the deer eluded me. One wouldn’t offer an ethical shot because it was skylined and there was nothing behind it to stop a bullet, and the other just gave us the slip as we maneuvered camera gear and people. Both animals were tall, heavy antlered three-points. We’re going to slip out of the lodge in a few minutes to try to find them this mor ning and whatever happens when we find them is going to happen fast. Then we’ll shoot some B-role for the television show and I’m out of here, back to Ennis, to see my family.
The host of Benelli’s On Assignment, Joe Coogan, did come through yesterday, late in the day, about a half hour before the sun set. Earlier in the day Coogan passed on two bucks that looked pretty darn good and would have been animals to take just about anywhere else on the planet. But his patience paid off because the buck he took is a classic western mule deer harboring four heavy points and an eyeguard on one side and five points, plus an eyeguard, on the other side. Coogan, who’s shot a variety of game around the planet, was super pleased with the animal and it ranks as his finest mule deer yet.
So, we’re out of here this morning, climbing into the quad-cab Dodge and the cammo Hummer, with all the camera gear and an unfilled buck tag. I’ll be back with a report tonight or tomorrow morning.