Recent content by COSA

I would be careful about going to a show, banquet, etc. and booking/bidding w/o checking references. Africa is an incredible experience, and there are many great safari outfits. The level of service, quantity/quality of game, and value for your money is way ahead of North America. I would look...

There are lots of good outfitters in Africa, and so much more value for your money compared with North America. Check out the hunt reviews on the Africa hunting and accurate reloading forums. I would stay clear of the NRA auction type hunts, they are typically trying to get you there and then...

I believe we as hunters are almost certainly having an impact on antler genetics. The argument that does are the primary contributor is incorrect; it's 50:50 and a mature buck will breed multiple does. Example, a hunter has an opportunity at a group of bucks, or several opportunities at...

Their seemed to be a really good crop of 2.5 year old bucks this year (must have had a good fawn crop in 2018). So there should be some 3.5 year old bucks left after the annual November slaughter. Fun place to hunt, but not much for older deer; I just take my daughter's there, never shoot...

My vote would be to make the area open sight or muzzleloader only, rather than trying to limit resident (not going to happen). This weapon restriction would probably reduce the # of hunters as well. I'd rather see giant deer and not harvest because I can't shoot 500 yards. Only downside, may be...

Went on my first trip last year, going back again in 2021. There is a good forum that should not be hard to find, I'd start there looking at the hunting reports. The good outfitters typically have several positive reviews, and no negative. Hunting SA is not like hunting the western US. There's...

LAST EDITED ON Nov-20-19 AT 07:04PM (MST)[p]I moved to Montana years ago, lived in NV and WY before. It's the "Bubba" state of the west. Poaching is almost a culture - Herd shooting elk, Trespassing, Grown men shooting forky mule deer from the truck in late November. Many hunting tales begin...

LAST EDITED ON Nov-19-19 AT 06:37PM (MST)[p]There's an easy solution w/o losing opportunity. Stop hunting mule deer until December 1st with a rifle. I don't understand why most hunters in MT think it's their god given right to roll up on a a rutting mule deer and shoot it from the truck. We...

LAST EDITED ON Aug-14-19 AT 12:44PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Aug-14-19 AT 12:41?PM (MST) LAST EDITED ON Aug-14-19 AT 12:40?PM (MST) Great or crappy genetics don't really matter at all with FWP management practices... 6 week general season until Dec. 1st Some simple math from MT FWP's own...

Buzz bit the mail on the head with Montana being the worst. Moved here from Wyoming, and don't even bother hunting deer or elk, just doing unlimited sheep and hunt other states for deer.

Better elk than deer in those parts (Bighorns & Absarokee if you have stock); draw odds are not too bad as a resident. For deer, I always went down to the areas South of Jackson. Decent antelope in the Big Horn Basin, not as good as south central Wyoming.

Statistically speaking if you are a NR, you are in "no mans land" for everything except deer in the early or mid seasons. It's not going to change, you will probably draw one of those tags in the next 20 years if you keep at it.

LAST EDITED ON Mar-02-19 AT 10:02AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Mar-02-19 AT 10:00?AM (MST) Don't get to hung up on score. Look for a ram that has the look you like. If I ever draw a good tag, I like the look of a ram with a tight curl that comes around, with the tips flaring outwards. Only ram I...

LAST EDITED ON Feb-26-19 AT 07:24PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Feb-26-19 AT 07:23?PM (MST) For those thinking about applying. February has been brutal in Montana as far as cold and snow (2nd coldest in recorded history). 2 bad winters in a row on an already depleted deer resource - I would not have...

For hunts that only have 1 NR tag (early rifle elk), does the tag go to the highest point holder or to the bonus/random applicants?