I Have Filled My Share of Tags

Montana’s general big game hunting season opened last weekend and I didn’t go.

I rarely hunt deer and elk anymore, preferring to chase the dogs all fall in pursuit of grouse, pheasants and ducks. They’re easier to pack out.

I certainly filled my share of tags. While I can’t recall how many deer or antelope I killed over the years, I kept track of the elk – 10 bulls and 10 cows.

Where and when I killed each cow is a bit foggy, but the bulls, because of their headgear, are easier to remember.

My first bull was a raghorn that appeared at the edge of a clearcut on Eagle Creek above Gardiner. I was...