Exploring Montana’s Public Lands: A Hunting and Camping Adventure
Exploring Montana’s Public Lands: A Hunting and Camping Adventure
Since moving to Montana, I’ve focused on raising or hunting virtually all the meat my family consumes throughout the year. When fall rolls around, it’s time to get out hunting. This year was the first year I had the Four Wheel Camper, so I took full advantage of the new setup to combine two things I love: hunting and camping.
I hunt in Montana District 4, located in North Central Montana, east of the Rocky Mountain Front. This area consists of ranch land with intense winds, rolling hills, and large coulees. There isn’t much federal land where I hunt; most of the huntable land consists of checkerboard state lands and private lands enrolled in the Montana Block Management program. We planned to hunt hard from first shooting light until last light.
Pre-Trip Scouting
Since most of the public land in this area is state land, where camping is not allowed, finding a camping spot required some online scouting. I used On-X to locate a small section of BLM land surrounding a reservoir in the area. I had never been to this reservoir before, so I relied heavily on the satellite view to understand the layout and identify potential camp spots. My plan was to head out after work on Friday, the day before hunting season opened, with the goal of arriving before sunset—it’s much easier to find a camp spot on public land with a little daylight.
Camping
When Friday arrived, I was able to leave work a little early. I drove 3.5 hours east, into the mountains, across the Continental Divide, and onto the plains of Montana. That extra time proved valuable, as I reached the reservoir just as the sun was setting. I had just enough daylight to survey the area and secure an excellent camp spot.
Being the day before the rifle opener for deer and elk, I expected the reservoir to be crowded with other hunters. To my surprise, I had the entire place to myself—it was awesome.
My campsite was on an elevated section overlooking the reservoir. Given the exposed nature of my campsite, I was a bit concerned about strong winds keeping me up all night. However, the Four Wheel Camper handled the conditions without an issue. After dinner, I relaxed by the fire. That night I had no trouble falling asleep.
The Hunt
I spent the next several days waking up early, glassing for animals, and hiking in, out, and around coulees. It was a lot of effort, but also a lot of fun. While you might think of the plains as flat, the reality is that you gain a surprising amount of elevation as you hike in and out of coulees and cover miles of terrain. In the end, I saw plenty of animals, but none that I was ready to use a tag on opening weekend.
While this initial trip didn’t yield any meat for the freezer, I returned a couple more times before the season ended. Ultimately, I filled my mule deer buck tag and my antlerless white-tail tag.
I also had an elk tag but didn’t spend time pursuing elk this season. While there are some elk in the area, they aren’t particularly plentiful. I mostly bought the elk tag to contribute to Montana’s conservation efforts—and just in case I happened to come across a herd while hunting. At least I would’ve been prepared if I got that lucky.
Final Thoughts
All in all, it was a successful hunting season. I didn’t get a wall-hanger, but I brought home a good amount of meat for the freezer, which is always my main goal. On top of that, it’s hard to beat spending time outdoors, camping, and chasing deer. I already can’t wait for next hunting season.
December 31, 2024
