Ken Barrett's Fast Facts
For The TRCP's Life in the Open

Borderline Whitetails Fast Fact Sheet

Location: Turner, Montana. Located just south or the Canadian border, Turner is not easy to reach; you can fly into Great Falls, rent a rig and drive three hours or else drive to Montana from your home. Even in sparsely populated Montana, Turner is a far piece from anywhere.

Access: I hunted mostly private lands with Miles Hutton, at his invitation. Miles can be reached at www.huttonranch.com/outfitting.htm or call 406-379-2661.  Miles hunts his own ranch, other private ranches in the area and some publicly accessible properties. I actually shot the buck on a piece of land open to the public through Montana’s Block Management Program.

Best time to go: I’d go sometime between November 7th and November 21st if I had the option. Montana’s general rifle season runs five weeks, from late October until late November or very early December. Check with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks at www.fwp.mt.gov for details.

License Availability: There are two kinds of non-resident deer licenses in Montana: a lottery license at $343, which is very difficult to draw, and an outfitter sponsored license at $795, which is guaranteed. Go to www.fwp.mt.gov to learn more about these licenses and your options.

Recommended equipment: Shots in the open grasslands can vary from 100 yards, all the way out to distances you feel comfortable with. This is big open country. A good flat-shooting rifle, from a .270 on up, is what I recommend. Binoculars and/or a spotting scope are essential. In this country you could use an astronomer’s telescope. Bring lots of layers of clothing; the weather up in this part of the country can fluctuate between the benign and the downright unbearable, all in the same day. Be prepared for wind, which can severely limit your ability to make an accurate shot. Bring along a day pack, shooting sticks and a rangefinder. It will definitely come in handy.

Costs:  Hutton’s fees are on the lower end of the outfitter scale; he charges $500- $600 a day for 3-5 day hunts and offers a six-day combo deer/antelope/bird hunt for $3,000. Note: There are fair amounts of publicly accessible Block Management lands in the area that could be hunted successfully on one’s own should you desire to do so.

Tips & Commentary: I spent a great deal of time riding around in a pick-up truck on this hunt, not my favorite way of hunting, but it’s overwhelming huge country and a pick-up is the only practical way to cover it. Miles’ clients kill some very nice bucks (occasional in the 150-160 class), with huge bodies, but few score alongside their northern Saskatchewan cousins. Don’t come here with your heart set on a 160, 170 or 180 class buck.  My buck weighed in at a bit over 200 pounds and rough scored shy of 120. I saw bigger deer, but never got close. Accommodations at the ranch are basic, no frills. The food is good, plain and plentiful; bring your own beer, wine and whiskey. I would hunt this country again, but on my own. For a first-timer on a limited budget, Miles will show you a great deal of country and work hard to get you a nice buck.

Special thanks go to:

Beretta
Federal Ammunition
Filson
Swarovski

Columbia River Sturgeon Fast Facts

Location: Bonneville Dam, Oregon. I flew into Portland, Oregon, rented a car and drove approximately 40 miles from downtown Portland to the boat ramp, located a few miles below Bonneville Dam.

Access: There are boat launches on both the Oregon and Washington sides of the river. We launched from a private, but publicly available, site near Ainsworth State Park for $10.

Best time to go: May is perhaps the best month, besides the great sturgeon fishing, there are Chinook or king salmon and loads of shad to catch.

License availability: Both residents and non-residents can buy licenses at numerous outlets. A three day non-resident license cost me $33.00, which is a real bargain in my opinion. If you can only fish one day, it will cost you just $12.00 for a license.

Recommended equipment: These sturgeon demand heavy equipment; we used your basic halibut gear with 80 pound line and 120 pound leaders. If you go with a guide, which I highly recommend you do, they will supply you with all the fishing gear.

Costs: This in my opinion is one of the great “big game” fishing bargains in the world. If you don’t have your own boat and fishing gear, you can hire a guide and join two or three other anglers, in on a boat for a little as $100 per day, fishing gear included. Just go to the Internet and type in the words “Columbia River,” “Sturgeon” and “fishing guides,” and pages of information will pop up.

Tips & Commentary: If you want to catch a fish that’s bigger than yourself, that jumps clear of the water like a marlin and wears you down to the point of crying uncle, while putting a huge smile on you face, get yourself to the Columbia River and catch a giant white sturgeon. If you find yourself in Portland on business, take an extra day and make a reservation with one of the many guides.  You will not soon forget it.

Special thanks go to:

Jim & Art Martin
Pure Fishing
Simms Inc.