Hunting on the HiLine

The Hunting Lodge is open this weekend.  Today is opening day of gun season for antelope, and I rode along this morning with Jeff and his friend as Jeff sought his trophy antelope.  It was a beautiful autumn morning-- a nice crispness to the air.  Beautiful golden light that nevertheless warms your face and back  despite the cool airs attempts to chill.  

We saw a lot of antelope all around.  We also saw a lot of hunters.  Hunting season brings them out in numbers around here, crawling out of the woodwork.  Frankly, it makes a person a bit nervous.  I found myself hoping that all these excess people had the same standards for safety and responsible hunting that I think Jeff and his friends have.   This is only antelope season.  I wonder what deer opening day will be like in two weeks.  Our sleepy northern countryside will not seem so empty.  

We were out at first light.  Shooting light was 7:06 am, and I believe we were out at 7:05.  We did a little preliminary scouting from the pickup and then did some walking, donning blaze orange vests and fleece.  It felt good to walk, and refreshing.  

An old corral.  Not an uncommon sight in the country. 

Shadows of the three hunters, walking through a stubble field.
Trying to sneak up on an antelope. 

Looking through the windshield of the pickup straight west toward the Sweetgrass Hills.
Fields of dried sweet clover lining the trail. 

An antelope teasing us, in silhouette against the Hills. 

Jeff got his antelope mid-morning.  He was pleased with his shot-- right behind the front legs.

Jeff is working on me to shoot an animal of my own.  I'm not sure when or if that day will come.  For now, I mostly enjoy hiking through the fields in the nice morning air.