What a great week here in Montana! I spent all week helping two Big Game Hunting acquaintances from Brooklynn, New York erect their log cabin frame! My friends bought a view acreage parcel of land here in SW Montana and contracted for a log frame to be built on their enclosed cement basement that has been done for a half year. The logs got ready just recently and out they came in mid winter to put up the logs. We worked from early morning to dark every day last week and finally got the logs all set. During the week the weather fluctuated from a high one day of 39 (balmy!) to one day with a high of 19 with wind!
Several different Big Game and Varmint Hunters worked during the week and the stories really flew! During the week all manner of Big Game, Varmints and bird life were observed including Moose, Whitetails, Mule Deer, Elk, Antelope, Golden and Bald Eagles Coyote and Fox! The Brooklynn boys were excited about taking a morning off and Hunting Coyotes! Finally Saturday morning allowed for a short Hunt and I brought 4 Varmint Rifles for us to use and all the snow camo, dry seats and mouth calls we would need.
Off we went with the boys who "talk distinctively"! We made 6 set-ups and never moved a Coyote! This disappointment never even dented the great and upbeat attitude of the New Yorkers! We did kill a monster (B&C!) Porcupine and some smaller Varmints on our morning quest though. The highlight of the day was a 4 wheeling ride into a remote basin that held a herd of 420 Antelope! This is the largest herd of Antelope I have ever counted and really amazing for SW Montana!
Our Hunting morning was hampered by winds running 20 to 30 MPH. Tough luck on this as my calling was just not penetrating the high sage plains apparently very far. Lots of Coyote track was seen in the snow though so no real excuse to belay my disappointment. Again the boys from Brooklynn were just in heaven watching all the Big Game and bird life. Many photos were taken.
The boys from Brooklynn "live to Hunt"! They had been on Safari to Africa this past July and had done extremely well there. They gave a Brooklynneese description of barbequing a Wart Hog that actually made my mouth water! Their pictures of the Africa venture gave me pause to reconsider my decision to not Hunt Africa! They had also Hunted Ohio, upstate New York and Montana for Big Game!
What a great week and a couple of great guys to Hunt with on a tough day! The last I saw the giant Porcupine was being sized up for a trip from Idaho Falls to Salt Lake and then to Brooklynn via airplane!
The guys were so appreciative of the Varmint venture they insisted on buying me lunch at a tiny cafe. It was a snicker when the waitress just stood by our table and stared at the Broklynn-ites. She said she just loved to hear their accents and was fascinated by the way they spoke and gestured! One of the guys had been describing how he "used red woims to catch the stwipuzzs" in the Hudson Rivah! I had to laugh myself at that one!
Its good to get out and do some stuff with new people now and then!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Hey Varmint Guy: What's with you and the tourism activites.
Last couple of posts about you huntin' with and sellin' the state to New York!!-lol

Sounds like ya had fun. I couln't hunt the last couple of weeks and I'm gettin' cranky. Coyote huntin' in my ususal spots has been slowwwww! Blanked so far this year, the numbers of critters seem to be off up in this area. I'm gonna come down there soon and challenge ya to a varmint duel. I'm either in Butte or Bozeman on wednesdays and I'm
thinkin' we need to talk

I'm holdin' in the darn wind but ain't nothin' in the crosshairs!

Best to you and yours
Tony

Trshootem: I met and got "Tom Sawyered" into helping these guys out through a mutual friend! I had nothing to do with bringing them here. But they have money and time to Hunt so good for them.

I am not much past Butte so get hold of me next time you are down or we could meet at a Gunshow for a picture fest! Love to meet up with you!

I have had the worst luck on Coyotes in Washington State during the February time frame! I do not know why - some folks claim it is mating season and others have other ideas. But traditionally I have done poorly on Coyotes in Washington where I lived for 49 years during February's! In Montana I have done a little better come February time but still not up to par compared to other months I Hunt them here! Maybe its the other Hunters? Maybe its smartin up time for the Coyotes (all the dumb ones have been shot or shot at)? I don't know. I know the airplane Hunters and the snowmobile Hunters are out here in SW Montana during February so maybe sveral things combine to make Febraury a slower time.

I am taking a Varmint Rifle along to Wyoming with me so I will see how things are shakin down thataway next week.

Stay warm!

Hold into the wind

VarmintGuy

What's so funny bout usin red woims to ketch stwipuzzs???

TSAS: You are absolutely right! Nothing funny about their accent. It is more fascinating than anything else. I travelled and worked with these guys most of the week and it was amazing to watch the rural folks in the area just melt in fascination of their dialect and accent!
You have to remember I am in a pretty remote part of Montana and folks from New York seldom get here.
These computers are amazing things! They make the world a pretty small place. I hope you are enduring the cold and predicted 12" of snow out there in Brooklynn as well as can be. Stay warm and safe!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Hi VG...That snowstorm they were talking about turned out to be a misdemeanor...only 7"...I think they got hit much harder down south...Yep, you're right about these computers and the state of communications in general today...
Take care, Tom