# Best goose hunting in Montana?



## UtahGooseHunta

Hey Montana fuge members,

Like Drake said, the last thing you want is a bunch of people moving into your spot! but good hunting buddies with good equipment is also a nice to have!

I'm considering a move to Montana myself. I have family in Libby and Bozeman and have enjoyed big game hunting there in the past. But I'm really moving for waterfowl, primarily to get closer to Canada. I want to live where I can easily do a 3-4 day trip to southern AB and SK, but also hunt ducks and geese near home, especially field goose hunting. It's 12 hours to the CAD border from here... 

Where would you choose? I'm thinking about Helena, Billings or Great Falls....maybe even Missoula? Anything smaller and I'm worried about not being able to find work....I drove through Helena on my way to SK last month and loved it! It looked awful goosey going from helena to great falls! I have lined up a good job oppt in Billings, but not sure about the hunting there?

Any help would be greatly appreciated...


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## UtahGooseHunta

oops on the frown icons....they were supposed to go after the 12yr drive to CAD


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## MT H2OFowl

I would say the closer to Great Falls the better. Nothing but wheat as far as the eye can see. My buddy just went for a weekend hunt over by shelby. Limited every day. I know nothing about Billings.

Oh, Great Falls is THE windiest city in the USA, not a word of lie!!!


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## UtahGooseHunta

Thanks MT Hunter,

Hey how long would it take you to get from Kalispell to the Lethbridge/Taber, Alberta area?

I'm wondering if that is a pretty nasty drive around Glacier?


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## MT H2OFowl

I am not sure how long it would be. The only time I went there, I took the Going-to-the-sun highway over to the east side. Right now it would be a piece of cake. We just haven't had the snow yet. It has just been c c c c coooollllldddd. I wish it would warm up a little and dump a couple feet of snow. That would push some of those dirty butt bulls down out of their holes. I am having a heck of a time getting an elk this year. I must have been cursed or something cause you would not believe some of the things that have happened.


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## UtahGooseHunta

Well you live in a beautiful place man! I love hunting the Libby, Troy, Eureka area. I killed a dandy whitetail up there...passed a raghorn bull the first day and never did see another elk. Killed a few good bears in the Yaak country... Can't wait till i'm a resident and can hunt cats and bulls! I just need to be located where I can easily get to the...GEESE! Helena or Great Falls might be the ticket....

Do you guys have field goose hunting in Kalispell? My buddy lived in Poulsen and said it wasn't great for geese, but awesome big game hunting?


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## MT H2OFowl

Cripes man, I am from Eureka. Where did you shoot your buck? I shoot most my good ones in Trego area. Now it is overrun by Flatheaders(What I am now   ). I used to work for the Forest Service, spent lots of time around the Yaak.

Yes, there is great goose hunting in fields here, if you know someone. Most of the hunting rights have been bought by doctors and lawyers and out-of -staters that hunt one or two times and that's it. I am trying to make some contacts but for now I have to try to get some pass shooting out on the north end of Flathead Lake.

Elk hunting is rough here. Way more elk in the southern part and south central MT. You have a better chance at seeing a trophy in the Flathead drainage than many other places though (my opinion). Killer to hunt, steep, brushy, g-bears. This bow season I was at full draw 15 yards from a 340+ class bull and had to let it walk away cause I had no clear shot at vitals.


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## Duckinlead

I hunt Montana every two years and I would check out Lewistown. Great town and lots of wheat fields. Northwest montana is getting to pricey. Bozeman is to yuppy and Greatfalls and Billings to big and to windy. Lewistown in my opinion is what Kalispell was in the 70's.


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## UtahGooseHunta

Thanks guys....I pulled up to a "secret spot" my buddy told me about today for ducks. Sunday with nasty weather, 16 rigs in the parking lot! I thought all the mormons had church on sunday!

Man I really wanna move North!

Mthunter, I killed that buck just a few miles from my uncles place in Libby.


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## NJOY

Same story up here yesterday, had 4 outfits pull in and try to hunt ducks where we were set up on some open water. Rest of the area was all ice. Some folks must already have their elk and were skipping church  Usually nobody pays much attention to ducks until big game season is over, then its all after the geese.


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## UtahGooseHunta

Njoy, what part of the state do you live in?

Do you guys know what kind of a boat you would need to run the Missouri?

I mean do you need a large jet boat type, or could you run it pretty safe in a 16ft jon boat with a longshaft motor???


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## NJOY

Southcentral---east of yuppieville(Bozeman)  I have used a jon in the upper Mo. years ago. Just depends where you are at on the river. A 16 foot jet works well in some areas. Fort Benton and such.


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## UtahGooseHunta

How about the area from Townsend to Toston or Cascade to Wolf creek?


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## drakehead

I would suggest the billings area. I just returned from my first trip over there and had limits with four guys sat and sun. There are a ton of geese over there and the crops are amazing. The area around Hardin (near the bighorn) was loaded as well. My buddy used to live there and said it is usually consistant with the large number of geese in the area.


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## dblkluk

Hows land access around the Hardin/Yellowstone area. We fish the Bighorn alot and we were thinking about making a combo goose hunt/ trout fish trip, when everything is over in ND. Fee hunting, hunting with permission etc??? how about pressure??
We have lots of gear(bigfoots blinds etc.) anyone looking for a trade. Great duck/goose hunting in ND. Thanks for any help!!


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## UtahGooseHunta

Hey guys any idea how long the birds will hold in Montana? I guess it's weather/snow permitting. We are planning a Jan 1 trip up there, either the billings or great falls area for field goose hunting or to the townsend or wolf creek area on the river??? Think there will still be birds?

Any help is greatly appreciated.


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