Winnett, Montana Hunting

[CavemantheHunter]

Has anyone here ever hunted near Winnett, Montana? My buddy hunts there all of the time and I'm going to hunt there next year with him. Just wondering what I should expect.

Thanks y'all

[spookgus]

Gumbo and wind. Should be fun.
What info are you looking for that your buddy can't provide?

[JLS]

Use Google Earth.  Prairie and wind.  Brushy coulees.  Rattlesnakes.  Gumbo.

[CavemantheHunter]

I should have clarified, my buddy has never hunted there, but his family hunts there yearly. So this will be both mine and his first times over there. From Google Earth, it looks like a lot of rock and very little tree cover and lots of valleys and ravines. I'm assuming that the animals use the ravines as travelways and bedding aras during the day similar to around here?

[JLS]

Look beneath the crests of buttes, sides of coulees, rockpiles for bedding areas.  If it's hot, find the shade.  If it's cold find the sunny slopes.  If it's windy, find the wind shadows.

[canyelk48]

....and if it's rainy, forget about it cause you aren't going anywhere until it dries out!   

[CavemantheHunter]

It's not until mid-November, so I'm assuming there will be snow there?

[JLS]

or it could be 75 degrees...

[spookgus]

I haven't seen a lot of snow there. If it snows and melts midday the roads will get bad. If it snows with a bitter north wind the roads will stay frozen and deer will likely be on the southern slopes out of the wind. Be cautious where you kneel or sit and wear boots that will resist cactus. The cactus are short and unnoticed till it's too late.

There was enough snow to cover the ground one day when I went to the prone position to shoot a buck and laid in cactus. I crawled right and more cactus. I ignored it and shot the buck and spent the next half hour removing cactus from my legs. That north wind was brisk on bare skin.

[Craig]

I am in Winnett a couple times a year. Cool little town. I hunt north of there. 2010 it was -15 degrees during part of the deer season. 2011 I was in a t shirt for a couple days I was there during deer season. Like everyone said. watch for the gumbo. If its windy find coulees or any low spot were the deer get out of the wind. Deer numbers have been way down the last couple of years. Have fun.

[buckhorn2]

My buddy sat down in some catus and he said either the hospital or one of us had to get them out and it cost him 2 prime rib dinners.

[jjdavis2222]

We have hunted around that area 3 times. First two times the whole group tagged out. As stated, the deer numbers are WAY down! Last year our camp went 0-5!!!! Couldnt believe how bad it was. Good luck it is fun hunting!

[JLS]

I haven't seen a lot of snow there.

Most likely, but I've also seen 8-10 inches on the ground during antelope season.  Plan for anything

[spookgus]

I haven't seen a lot of snow there.

Most likely, but I've also seen 8-10 inches on the ground during antelope season.  Plan for anything

Exactly. When I think about a lot of snow it reminds me of the panhandle in '96.

[JLS]

The panhandle in 96 puts things in perspective, doesn't it?

The thing about 8 inches in eastern MT, is that a 30 mph wind quickly equals 0 inches in some places and three feet in others.