Ken Barrett's Fast Facts
For TRCP's Life in the OpenTheodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch Mule Deer HuntLocation: Near Dupuyer, Montana. The 6,000 acre Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch is located approximately ten miles west of the small town of Dupuyer, Montana and approximately an hour’s drive south of Glacier National Park, in an area called the Rocky Mountain Front.  Access: The ranch is owned by the Boone & Crockett Club and is enrolled in Montana’s Block Management Program, which allows limited public access for hunting and other recreational purposes. Note: Obtaining a Non-Resident deer permit is not easy; it may take a number of years to draw one.
Best time of year: The best time of year to go is as late in the deer season as you can; after November 1st. The colder the weather and the deeper the snow the more likely you are to find the big bucks on the ranch and/or on surrounding areas that are open to hunting. Check state regulations and with the TR Memorial Ranch for specific season lengths; they often end earlier than the regular statewide seasons, to protect vulnerable trophy bucks. License availability: Resident licenses are $13.00 and Non-Resident licenses vary in price from approximately $340 to $640. Chances of drawing a tag the first year are limited. Go to http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/seasonslicenses/default.html to learn more. Recommended Equipment: I use a 30.06 for most of my deer hunting with either 165 or 180 grain bullets. Any good relatively flat shooting rifle from .243 all the way up to one of the .300’s, will work well. 100 yard shots are common, but so are two and three hundred yard shots. Personally, I try and limit my shots to 250 yards or less. You’ll need a good pack (to carry gear and meat, if you’re successful), good boots, and layers of clothes. You can expect temperatures to range anywhere from the plus 50’s to the minus single and even double digits! And that can happen on the same day. Good binoculars are also a must, you’ll spend hours glassing. A GPS and/or a compass are always good to have along as is a basic survival kit. This is big country and there are few people in it. Costs: Aside from getting there and your license fees this trip can be done quite inexpensively. The TR Memorial Ranch has a cabin, where you can cook your own meals, available for rent on a very limited basis. If that’s not available, you can camp nearby or stay in a nice motel within an hour’s drive of the ranch- that’s close by western standards (http://www.montanaadventure.com/dupuyer.htm). Tips & Commentary: My hat is off to the Boone & Crockett Club for opening up the ranch, on a limited basis, which maintains its high quality, to the public. Teddy would have appreciated that! The real trophy here is the whole experience, not big scoring bucks, though they do come along on occasion. The ranch lies in one of the most beautiful areas of the United States, and one that is threatened by potential energy exploration and development. Click here to learn more. Even if you never come to hunt here, you ought to come see it if you’re in this neck of the woods. Remember, it’s only an hour’s drive from Glacier National Park. Special thanks go to: Nebraska Mixed Upland BirdsLocation: Near Grand Island, Nebraska. Grand Island is a good jumping off stop for hunting a mixture of Nebraska’s upland game birds: bobwhite quail, pheasant and prairie chickens (sharptails and greater numbers of chickens are found further west). Grand Island is approximately 2 hours west of Omaha and one to one and a half hours from Lincoln. Get maps at http://www.mapathon.com/ne.shtml. Access: Ninety-seven percent of Nebraska is privately owned, but gaining access can be reminiscent of a bygone era. Don’t come the first week of pheasant season; do come and ask politely and chances are you’ll get a yes. Like in all things the further you are away from the city and the further you are from the start of the season the better your chances are. Nebraska does have a walk-in program called CRP-MAP or Conservation Reserve Program- Managed Access Program. Nebraska Game & Parks Commission and Pheasants Forever publish a program atlas with maps and descriptions of private lands (180,000 acres) and Wildlife Management Areas available throughout the state. Best time to go: I’d go anytime, but ten days to two weeks after the pheasant opener would be best. The pheasant season, the longest in the US, runs from mid-October to January 31st! License availability: Over the counter and among the least expensive for non-residents in the entire country: $67.00. Visit http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/hunting/guides/permfees.asp for more information about obtaining licenses. Recommended Equipment: I use a sixteen gauge for most pheasant and late season upland hunting, but any 20, 16 or 12 gauge upland bird gun with work just fine. I favor size 5 shot for pheasants, but have shot many more with 6’s, which work just fine on prairie chickens and late season quail. Bring good boots; you’re going to walk a great deal, bring a good bird dog, a vest capable of carrying water, for the dog and you. Costs: I stayed at local motels and ate at local restaurants, bars and cafés. Motels were very reasonable and food was both reasonable and plentiful- this is after all Nebraska! Some small towns are still vibrant and have both motels and cafés, but some do not. Make your plans in the morning, and know where you’re going to stay and eat before you take off for the
day. Tips & Commentary: I really like Nebraska. I liked the people, they’re open and friendly, and I like the land and cover, and the fact that you can shoot at least three species of upland birds within walking distance of your truck. I love Nebraska beef, especially a steak called the “Flat Iron” developed at the University of Nebraska. DO NOT miss eating one of these at the end of a good day’s shooting, they’re downright delicious. Special thanks go to: |