Should I Become A Hunter?

[Sir Henry]

I’m not moved yet but if and when I do I may end up in prime deer hunting territory. I haven’t hunted since I was in my early thirties and then it was coyote. I’ve never harvested a deer.

My excuse was I can’t shoot them in my backyard. If I move somewhere where I can that excuse goes out the window. It all depends on where I settle. If I end up in Helena then maybe no. In Fortine yes.

My friend in TX has been trying to get me into hunting for 20 years.

[GunnyGene]

JMO, but I'd go with Fortine. I get a doe every year on my property, load it in the p/u and take it to the local processor. I could do the hard work myself (and have in the past), but I'd rather pay somebody else for that service.

[Vaquero]

I'm with Gunny on this one, I have done it all myself before and many times.
There are two very good processors near me, one is probably 10 mins from my house,
and the majority of my deer hunting is done on the farm next door.
believe it or not they prefer that you let them gut them even, as they have told me most people screw it that up even.
The other is around 20-25 mins away and charge $10 to gut.
I like the one that is a little farther a little better and all the meat is vacuumed sealed.

RP

[Cofisher]

I have only processed my own deer. Getting old enough to appreciate the local meat market. We’ll see.

[Greyhawk]

I process all our own deer... Don't mind it unless we have 5 or more, then it gets pretty tiring! Maybe start with hunting rabbits! They are easy to clean!

[Sir Henry]

JMO, but I'd go with Fortine. I get a doe every year on my property, load it in the p/u and take it to the local processor. I could do the hard work myself (and have in the past), but I'd rather pay somebody else for that service.

Choosing a new place also makes me choose a new life. Do I want to socialize or do I want to shoot? Do I want to live to the center to the right?

This is an odd spot. Women make more than men and for Montana the wages are good. Before Covid hit developers came in with plans to wire the area for 5G. It’s now installed and I’m told there are about 30 companies competing for your business. No cell service and everyone has a land line.

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Above is Fortine and below is Eureka just 12 miles away. Poverty is lower when women make more money even though the household income is close to the same.

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[BigAl52]

I can take or leave deer meat. Id much rather shoot an Elk if I was going to be a hunter again.

[Vaquero]

I can take or leave deer meat. Id much rather shoot an Elk if I was going to be a hunter again.

I hear ya Al, the majority of mine anymore is used to make Summer sausage, or jerky.
I do use it in chili also.

And agree on the Elk, but we don't any close.
They do have a small hunt able herd over in the Eastern part of the state, but
it's on a draw, and your more likely to win the lottery than that.

RP

[Sir Henry]

I’ll most likely take the first responsible harvest I come across. Which will most likely be a deer close to where the house is.

[Shakey Jake]

Growing up in Missouri my dad didn't hunt deer so we boys didn't either. He said the deer population had dwindled and would like to see it come back (1960's) I had a lease in Texas in Walker Co. on the Grimes Co. line and deer hunted for years (1988-2007). Loved the companionship with the others on the lease. I made lifetime friends for sure. The land owners sold the property to Rayonier Corp. and they immediately doubled the price of the lease and then eventually sold it in piecemeal lots. That ended our lease. I can tell you I enjoyed the outdoors and company more than harvesting deer but did take at least one per season. I actually got one with a bow on that lease. I think if I had property now I'd just set up blinds, watch, and maybe take some photographs but pulling the trigger might be another story.
Jake

[Hatchdog]

I agree with Al that Elk is much more tasty than Deer but Elk hunting is also much more difficult. Both in the actual hunt itself and processing the animal once it’s down. Generally depending on how far from the truck you are you will have to quarter the animal and pack it out on a meat frame on your back. That’s a lot of work and requires more than one person.

Generally speaking deer are so much more plentiful and much easier to process.

[GunnyGene]

I’ll most likely take the first responsible harvest I come across. Which will most likely be a deer close to where the house is.

I'm not up on Montana laws for hunting on private property, but check the fish and game people for that. Some States allow baiting, some don't.

[Sir Henry]

I’ll most likely take the first responsible harvest I come across. Which will most likely be a deer close to where the house is.

I'm not up on Montana laws for hunting on private property, but check the fish and game people for that. Some States allow baiting, some don't.

I don’t believe Montana allows baiting or even salt licks. You can hunt on your own land as long as all the other laws like shooting across a road is not broken.

[JEBar]

I agree with the positive comments made about elk .... for the most part our eastern deer live in the woods and eat leaves, twigs and such .... the deer in South Dakota graze in fields along side cattle and horses .... for my money the SD deer taste much better .... we've always taken our deer from still walking all the way to a freezer .... black bear and boar have been taken from field cleaning to a processor

[GunnyGene]

I’ll most likely take the first responsible harvest I come across. Which will most likely be a deer close to where the house is.

I'm not up on Montana laws for hunting on private property, but check the fish and game people for that. Some States allow baiting, some don't.

I don’t believe Montana allows baiting or even salt licks. You can hunt on your own land as long as all the other laws like shooting across a road is not broken.

MS is pretty lenient about that, but many folks with some acreage prefer to lay in a food plot. That's generally going to be an acre (approx), and typically will be a combination of warm and cool weather forage, such as clover, wheat, and oats. The exact mix may be different up there, but it works well here. Montana may allow plots if you can't set up a feeder or lick.

[Sir Henry]

I'm not up on Montana laws for hunting on private property, but check the fish and game people for that. Some States allow baiting, some don't.

I don’t believe Montana allows baiting or even salt licks. You can hunt on your own land as long as all the other laws like shooting across a road is not broken.

MS is pretty lenient about that, but many folks with some acreage prefer to lay in a food plot. That's generally going to be an acre (approx), and typically will be a combination of warm and cool weather forage, such as clover, wheat, and oats. The exact mix may be different up there, but it works well here. Montana may allow plots if you can't set up a feeder or lick.

In a quick search I’ve found planting food plots for deer is illegal. However if you plant the same seeds and harvest whatever you planted that is okay. If deer just happen to eat there also that is permitted. You do need to cut and bail the crop. I read where one guy did just that and then left the bails in the field which you guessed it, it attracted more deer.

In my travels in Montana I always see deer. They are everywhere except during hunting season.