9-25-2015 Day 9 of the Montana Hunt

 A special day! Indeed

 If you followed the blog post yesterday you know today is special for me as it is the anniversary of my marriage now of 27 years. To my wife who supports my pursuits I am indebted and grateful to be allowed the freedom to refresh my mind, body, and soul and return to my home renewed by the knowledge that "grace" has been shared with me for many years now.

 The morning dawned early again as we got ready to pursue the beauty of the MT wildlife and to share a final sacred communion with the land and its inhabitants . I dropped Andrew off before dawn and he descended into the Custer NF for one final morning hunt. As I was  leaving I stopped to watch the sunrise over the beartooth foothills. The scene I encountered reminded me of a quote  or two rom one of my favorite movies by Norman McLean  - A river runs through it.

 For my wife Samantha- on our anniversary!

 Norman to Jessi -his future wife - " As the moon lingers a moment over the Bitterroot's, before its descent into the invisible, my mind is filled with song. I find I am humming, softly, not to the music, but to something else, some place else. A place remembered. A field of grass where no one seemed to have been, except the deer, and the memory is strengthened by the feeling of you, dancing in my awkward arms.

 For Andrew-

Older Norman  "My candle burns at both ends; it will not last the night. But ah my foes, and oh my friends - it gives a lovely light."

The pursuit of deer continued up Happy Jack draw for a shooter. Andrew saw plenty of deer, just no mature buck from his stand location
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Then we had a  great breakfast of  with eggs, bacon, grits and antelope loin an MT beer! Following breakfast we took down Andrews tree stand for storage.

  To town for fuel and a brief visit to Crazy Mountains Museum

Then it was back to the ranch house to hear up for the evening hunt. Andrew got in a few shots before heading to the hill one last time. He had another beautiful evening hunt but no shot opportunity on Mulies so guess this year Drew's having tag soup,  but was not disappointed in the hunt in the least. Many memories made to last a lifetime. Stand location and final MT sunset.

While Andrew hunted I visited with the ranch owner of the place we stayed and learned about his cattle operations.  Fascinating differences between MT and NC. A panorama of the farm from above.

We had a final dinner together which was a carnivores feast of moms parmesan meatballs, deer loin, turkey breast filets, antelope loin, and MT hoop cheese, with baked potatoes and salad.
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Final act of the day was hearing Elk bugling in the meadow just behind the house we were staying in. I grabbed my cow elk call and enticed the bull into a bulging battle and got the small herd to 150  yards very visible in the bright moonlight with binoculars

 Final images of the Montana adventure! Hope you have enjoyed the blog.
 Farm and field where antelope was harvested & brownlee ranch where I got the mule deer.