Montana 2014 in the rear view mirror, Part I

I am making this post from our home here in Kansas.  We returned home earlier this week after making the decision that we were ready to be back.  Our Montana trip was full of birds, varying weather and adventures - including some misadventures!   I have photos and stories to share....I will have to share them in multiple posts to prevent this from becoming too long.

After some time in the mountains we were ready to get back to the plains.  Our last morning in the mountains was a chilly one, when we retracted the slide-out a large sheet of ice came crashing down where rain had pooled and froze.   Mike had seen signs and mapping for a lake in central MT that was on the way to our favored hunting region and we thought it would be a nice place to stop and even hunt some new ground.  Pluses at this site turned out to be:

- another very nice hunter who was there with his French Brit and Dachshund shared his freshly caught walleye with us for dinner

- once he left, we were the only ones there

- a full moon and beautiful sunsets

- there were many deer in the area, including some nice bucks

 

However, there were some minuses there also:

- a close call between myself and a rattlesnake (no, I didn't take the time to take pics of this)

- a flat tire on the truck.  Usually a simple enough task, but complications turned it into a half-day physical task.  Our new motto is now "sometimes, you just need a bigger stick."  

- waking at 3:00 AM to hear it raining, with all uphill gravel (mud?) roads to get out, and the nearest people/ranch were at least 10 miles away.  We were up and breaking camp by 4:00 and fortunately, the roads were indeed gravel.  

Glad to be safely on the road, we watched as the rain turned to snow as we headed east.  Slick roads are always so much fun when towing a 30' trailer

The weather worked for us though as the snow turned to rain and cool temperatures which made for very good scenting conditions for the dogs.  The next 4 days gave us perhaps the best hunting days of the trip.

Shhh, don't tell Mike that I posted this pic: Mike watering 3 setters with no FBs in sight

The temps then quickly climbed and we began to rise before sunrise to get in a couple hours of hunting before it became too hot.  I shot these pics from the RV as Mike hunted alone out the front door one early morning.

Jack impatiently waiting for the vest to go on and gun to come out

Joyful to be headed out

Walking in on point/back by Jack and Storm in a cut wheatfield

Afternoons were spent quietly at the OR.

To be continued.............