2003 Harvest Report

I received this harvest report for 2003 from one of my Montana outfitters. Thought it might interest some to see what is being hunted and the success of the harvest from other parts of the country and on different species of animals.

" Greetings to all

Hope everyone’s year was filled with many fond memories of friends, family and hunting adventures.


This was a BIG year for us with the addition of 2 new hunts and 6 additional ranches, we kept very busy in pre-season scouting and preparing for the new camps. We had high expectations for all, and we surpassed all of these expectations with the quality of game we saw, and harvested from all our hunts..

We had 8 out of 9 WHITETAIL hunters take bucks from 130-160 class. The whitetail numbers are good despite Blue Tongue hitting some areas of Montana. We have camps on many drainages, Little Missouri, Powder River, Beaver Creek and the Yellowstone River enabling us to always keep you in size and numbers. Out look for 2004 season is excellent for 130-160 class whitetails.

We had 24/24 hunters harvest ANTELOPE bucks 13-16 1/2 inches tall and scoring in the mid to high 70’s. Again Montana’s problem is not numbers but drawing that license.
We apply to one of the highest areas in the state. (75% drawing success) Out look on 2004 should be great horn growth again as the winter has started out mild.

Archery ELK hunters had a descent year. Everyone had opportunities at brow-tined bulls, 5x5 or 6x6s some just not trophy standard. Hunting on private land and in an area with little gun pressure allows for hunters to see bulls in the 300 class, once you see these trophies it is hard to lesson your standards for a lesser bull. 2 of the 7 hunters harvested bulls and 2 hunters hit bulls in the 300-315 class. Broadside shots at 30 and 35 yards, and only 3 inches of penetration on the shafts. No More mechanical heads in our camps, only fixed blades from now on. Out look for 2004 season should be excellent with many opportunities.

MULE DEER, MULE DEER, MULE DEER is what everyone is looking for, especially better than average deer.
43 hunters harvested 38 4x4 or better bucks WOW!!!
13 of the 38 bucks were 27 inches wide or better!!!!
Many of these bucks scored from 170-184….
Hunters not harvesting bucks either missed or passed up deer.
With our new ranches all back for 2004 , we are excited again to begin hunting for mule deer. We anticipate taking 10-15 bucks 26-34 inches wide and scoring 170-190 in 2004.
My best memories this season were not of big bull elk, or wide mule deer but of my 12 year old daughter (TEHA) and her first year of hunting. Through my busy schedule I set aside time for her and I to hunt. She harvested a 14 inch antelope and a 23 inch 5x5 mule deer all nice trophies. But the real trophy was the time her and I spent together in the field, crawling through the cactus, hiking through snow drifts, sitting on wind swept rocks glassing for deer, climbing canyon walls and following tracks of critters on game trails, sharing our lunches and telling stories of my first hunts to her. Sitting on a hill watching a hawk soar over head we realized that hunting was a great bond that we can share together as well with others. "