With the coming of winter the Methow river froze up by November 23 this year a full month ahead of last year. That does not bode well for any guide days in December unless a complete turn around ensues quickley. I left just in time, November 21 finds me at my brothers cabin in Yak Montana and -15 degree weather, I arrived late to find it occupied by hunting buddies from the not so distant past. They had one day of there hunt time left and we were on a mission to fill one last tag left. With the moon full the rut was in motion and the cold weather was playing on our side. That day we seen two shootable bucks one stands out as the finest whitetail I have ever seen, of course the one tag holder in the gunning position we have missed and then missed again. I hunted on my own the next few days passing smaller bucks each day. I did drive a private area road to take a looksy and of coarse the big ten point buck is nailing a doe two hundred yards past the no hunting sign, I swear they can fricken read. 

As I leave for another area of Montana my four wheel drive acts up and I white knuckle it five hours to the repair shop, seeing fatality crashes and a bear of all things feeding on what looked like a horse somewhere between Libby and Kalispell, I thought they hibernate in the winter.

I make it to Twin Bridges through the snow and all that, to find a warm and cozy cabin at the Stonefly Inn, Rooster is ready to go and Weasle is on the way for a few days of hunting, nick names are big in the world of mens sports especially in MT. Snowy Blowy and -25 degrees with about 200yds visibility, not the best day for hunting.  BY noon the weather lifts and Weasle heads into the cotton wood bottoms and emerges with a smallish six point buck while I pass on another two bucks and a running shot  at a 140 range shooter buck. Shooter is a term they use in Montana, when you have so many to look at through out the day we divide them by shooter or not. Another day on the F350 stand and another two passed shots and a bad timing on a the biggest buck of the week, by now I am learning the sizing lingo so I will say a 142 yea 142 at least, pfft like I really know:). Danno,,, ah Rooster makes the call and we get hunting permission on a few pieces of land from the ranch manager. We had already scoped out a big shooter with tall horns and a big body at one spot and another two bucks hanging with about a hundred antelope in a wide open field. Thanksgiving morning was my lucky day we drive to the antelope field and sure enough three bucks and five does and what seemed like a million anti-goats, even the animals get nick names…There way too far and not a possibility of a sneak where they are, we drive off knowing we will be back later.

Not sure why but thirty minutes later the deer moved five hundred yard to the north and the big boy is 350 yards out, Rooster knows they are heading for a bed down across the road and into untouchable lands, and we decide to make the move on them. He sets me up to slide out on the move RAMBO style and hop the fence keeping a pile of hay between me and the deer, he said they should watch the truck and not see me, like I need that with my scooby stealthiness. Well,,, ah thank god they watched the truck as me heading through the fence was a comedy in itself, not sure but I’ll bet Rooster damn near ran into the ditch with laughter. SO I do the Elmer Fud fifty yards into the field keeping the hay between us, the deer have moved way out, my heart sank, then I see through the side bale one buck had actually moved closer, steady rest, sniper breath and one shot, 250 yds done, best deer of my life.

Thanks Dan and Tyler for the help, nothing beats local knowledge!