Montana bound (Well eventually)

[rivercountry]

Hello everyone, I realize that these post aren’t always received well but here goes. First I don’t want coordinates to anyone’s hunting spots but, I could use just a little guidance. My wife and I do live for the outdoors and we love the state of Montana. We love it so much in fact that the Big Fork area is where we plan to buy our next home and retire. My wife has become the best hunting partner that I could ever ask for. We spend about 5 weeks a year on the outer banks of the North Carolina hunting for sea ducks and divers mostly and the occasional puddle duck on impoundments.

Well, like I said we plan to retire in or around the Big Fork area but, that is still a few years away. We visit as often as we can, because the country and scenery is just so awesome we never want to leave. The only depressing thing about a trip to montana is getting on the plane to fly back home. Ok well enough rambling, so I have been trying to research the waterfowl hunting opportunities in that area as far as what is accessible and what is not. The maps I have found are not the most user friendly and when we have visited and been in the area I have yet to find anyone that duck hunts or anyone that will admit to it anyway. I have hunted waterfowl most of my life and it has escalated from a hobby to an all-out addiction for me so anywhere we end up waterfowl hunting will be a priority. I have hunted all the way from the coast of NC to WMA’s of Kansas and the green timber and rice fields of Arkansas. I have always freelanced and made my own way and tried to be respectful of the locals after all it is their home and I was just visiting.
So if anyone could point me in the right direction as far as useable resources or explain exactly how the land access laws work I would really appreciate it. Thank you in advance.

[handyandy]

I've only visited montana as well, but I can say I want to duck hunt there. While trout fishing the big horn this past october with my wife on our honey moon I can say I wish I had a gun with me on the boat. Seemed every time we came around an island or bend we spooked up a group of blue wing, I would imagine had it been a couple weeks later it would have been more green or other birds. It has made me want to go back out for hunting trip.

I too would like to move to montana, but a both of us having good jobs, and a nearly paid for house in Indiana makes it hard to move now. Best of luck to you hopefully more of the longer time residents might chime in many were helpful with tips on things that my wife and I did on our recent trip through.

[rivercountry]

We fell in love with Montana the first time we ever step foot in the Rockies. Awesome country

[phutch30]

Personally, If I lived around Bigfork I would buy a flathead tribal permit and hunt the south end of Polson Bay and the rest of the Rez and be done

[rivercountry]

Thanks for the advice, I been away from the board for awhile trying to sqeeze in as much hunting as I can with just over 3 weeks left in our season. I like to make sure my wife and son get some trigger time during the holidays. In fact we are pulling out tomorrow to go at them again but, the weather seems to be fairing up here on the east coast with highs in the 60's during the day. Temps like that make our birds go stale in a hurry. Again thanks for the advice

[HNTFSH]

You should PM Montana Bound. He still checks in, just be patient.

https://www.duckhuntingchat.com/forum/m ... le&u=16478

[montana bound]

I don't know much about the Big Fork area, We have a few puppies down there .
We are up by Fort Peck Damn.

[Mean Gene]

I'll be exploring the hunting possibilities in earnest this year. We've spent most of the last 2 summers in Ennis and last summer we bought 5 1/2 acres of land just out of town. Our house in South Dakota has a pending sale, and we'll be building on our Montana land this summer. No idea what the bird hunting is like, but I know deer and elk are good. Guess I'll find out soon enough.