Use Promo Code Randy for 20% off OutdoorClass

“Big 3” all from your home state

I have a friend in Gardiner MT who, I believe, has taken moose, goat, bison, and two unlimited rams, including a 186” giant. All were taken near Gardiner. I am not 100% sure on the moose, though. Can’t remember for some reason. I’ll confirm.

Edit: Yes on the bull moose. And another goat I didn’t know about. So this guy has a moose, two goats, a bison, and two rams all from his “home unit” around Gardiner.
 
Last edited:
Greenhorn your animals constitute one hell of an achievement, particularly the ram and the story surrounding it

Shrapnel nice trophies to you as well. I have a whitetail on that same form as the one you have hanging by your bear
 
Pretty sure I could check the sheep and goat off in one day from Craigslist. The moose would definitely be a challenge.

Congrats, beautiful animals. I'm sure that puts you in very limited company.
 
I have the MN Big 3....Moose (1987) Whitetail (lots) and wood duck (lots)!

So that brings up the question of what exactly is your states Big 3?

Very impressive moose Greenhorn! Well, they are all very impressive, but that moose is a specimen!
 
My wife and I are a moose short from combining for the big 3. I drew goat my third year living here. I kinda wish I’d not drawn it so soon as I really didn’t know what I was doing and did it solo and shot a young goat with good fur. My wife got a sheep 5 years ago. Some guys have insane luck with these things. Jason matzinger drew 2 breaks sheep tags about 10 years apart. Can’t imagine what the odds of that are.
 
I have 2 big 3s if you combine Idaho and Montana. Very lucky! Both moose were small but tastey. Very nice Montana big 3 trophies @Greenhorn . Very well earned!

Montana Moose and Goat in 2000 from the Beartooths while living in Bozeman.

20211203_085510.jpg
CCI04062014_0006.jpg

Idaho 2001 Bighorn as a lifetime license non-resident, Frank Church Wilderness.
20211203_085206.jpg
Montana Bighorn in 2007 close to home in Bitterroot.
20211203_084519.jpg
2020 Montana Mountain Goat from SW MT
20211203_085059.jpg
 
Last edited:
No goat for me, no interest in hunting them-too old now. I have shiras moose(2), bighorn sheep and cow bison(2) from Wyoming. Only my sheep is worthy of bragging on.
Nicely done Greenhorn!
 
I only apply in WA for those and the odds after 14 years of bonus points for goat tag with the best odds was 0.02%.
 
Well @Greenhorn you suck!!! :)

That is an incredible trio of Montana's finest and doubt anyone can match that. Or if so, very, very few. Congrats man.

I've been putting in for MSG every year in Montana for 39 years and have a grand total of 1 goat tag drawn when I was 14. So I suck at drawing.

I did shoot a Shiras moose in Utah and a Bighorn sheep this past September in Alberta but I don't think the Big 3 in Montana is happening for me.
 
@shrapnel Can you provide more info on the MT grizz hunt? That is one of those hunts that I hope I have a chance to at least apply for in my lifetime and try and hunt grizzly in my home state (along with continuing to apply for the M/G/S for the last 22 years.....)


That was years ago. When I was a kid, you didn't have to apply for a permit. You can see that I never got it mounted, we didn't do those things then. We skinned it out and nailed it to the floor of a barn and salted it. The skull was laying around the wood pile for years before I finally brought it inside and got it cleaned and registered through Montana FWP. It had been left outside for so many years, someone had taken a hatchet and chopped one of the canines out of the jaw and the side got busted. It did score 22 5/16" making it even bigger than the Grizzly I shot in Alaska...

thumbnail_IMG_5045.jpg
 
Last edited:
@Greenhorn - all three of those are seriously impressive.

I had the Moose tag in 2017 - it was a tag I never thought I would draw - and in a unit I didn't know much about. I hunted hard and found a decent Bull which I was very happy with. I found some great Elk spots that I'll be able to take my young hunters into, starting next year (the oldest is now ready).

Vel940r.jpg


I've been putting in since the early 90's. I've been involved on 1 goat tag and I'm really looking forward to drawing that tag. 3 sheep hunts, 1 south of Bozeman (successful hunt South of Hyalite Peak), 1 in the Breaks (successful hunt with a 190 Ram) - and one year I went into the Beartooths solo (2004).

The tags in MT are a blessing and curse. You want to hunt them - they are always a possibility - but then when you get the tag, the tag holder generally has no experience hunting them. I am very thankful I got to go on some successful hunts where I was not the tag holder to gain more experience.
 
Back
Top