Which Animal Should You Hunt First? (It's Fine Not to Know.)

Most people who want to start hunting can't name the animal they want. That is completely normal.

You have never done this. How would you know yet?

Here is the good news. You do not have to decide before you call. Plenty of people figure out what they want while talking to someone who hunts. That is part of the fun.

So let's walk through the main options for a first hunt in Montana. For each one, you'll get a feel for the day, and whether it suits someone starting out for the first time.

Deer

Deer is the classic first big game animal, and for good reason.

"Big game" means the larger animals, like deer and elk, rather than birds. Deer are the easiest of that group to start with.

Mule deer are widespread and common across Montana. Whitetail deer are thickest in the eastern river valleys, and in the forested country of the northwest.

What it feels like. You walk quiet ground at first light, or sit still where deer move. The country is open enough to see a long way. When you spot one, your heart will go faster than you expect. It is a slow, patient morning, and most of it is looking.

Good for a first hunt? Yes. Deer are approachable and there is a lot of opportunity around the state. This is where many first hunts happen.

Pronghorn (Antelope)

People call them antelope, but the proper name is pronghorn. They are the fastest land animal in North America, and they live on the open prairie.

You find them in eastern Montana, where the land goes flat and wide and the sky takes up most of the view.

One thing to know. Pronghorn is a drawn tag. A tag is your permission to hunt a particular animal. For pronghorn you apply, and you may or may not get one. Your outfitter handles that part, so you never have to learn the system yourself.

What it feels like. You sit behind binoculars, scanning miles of grass. When you find a herd, you plan a slow approach using the low ground. The wind matters more here than almost anywhere. It is a hunt of open country and patient watching.

Good for a first hunt? Often, yes. Outfitters suggest it to beginners a lot, because the country is visible and the animals are easy to see.

Elk

Elk is the animal people picture when they picture Montana. It is the big dream.

Elk are widely distributed in the forested and rugged parts of the state. In recent years they have also grown more common in some eastern areas.

What it feels like. Steep ground, dark timber, cold mornings. You may hear a bull elk bugle (a bull is a male elk) — a high, wild whistle that carries through the trees. Then you climb. Elk hunting is walking, and then more walking.

Good for a first hunt? It can be. Be honest with yourself. Elk is harder and more physical than deer. It is worth doing, and many people want it as their first animal. It asks more of your legs and lungs.

If elk is the one you truly want, say so. There are outfitters who take first-timers on elk and build the hunt around your fitness. You do not have to be an athlete. You do have to be willing to walk.

Birds (Pheasant and Upland)

Not every first hunt has to be a big game animal. Birds are a gentler way in.

Pheasants live in the farm country of eastern Montana, in the fields and brushy edges and tall grass.

What it feels like. You walk a field edge in the morning with a dog working ahead of you. The dog gets excited, then locks up and goes still. A rooster (a male pheasant) flushes — bursts up out of the grass with a loud whir of wings. It is fast and loud and over in a second. Then you keep walking.

Good for a first hunt? Very. It is social, the walking is easy, and the day is relaxed. You can talk while you walk, which is not true of most hunting. Many people get their first taste of hunting this way, and the dog does a lot of the hard work.

Trout Fishing on the Great Rivers

This is not hunting. But it belongs on this list, because it gives you the same wild Montana feeling.

Montana has roughly 28,000 miles of rivers and streams, and more than a thousand mountain lakes. Some of the best-known trout rivers are the Big Hole, the Madison, the Blackfoot, the Bighorn, the Yellowstone, and the upper Missouri.

What it feels like. You stand in a cold river at sunrise, with mountains on both sides. You cast, watch the water, and listen. Nothing about it is rushed.

Good for a first hunt? As a first taste of the outdoors, it is the easiest possible start. There is no tag and no draw, and the learning curve is gentle. If hunting still feels like a lot, this is a soft place to begin.

Still Not Sure?

That is fine. You do not have to pick today.

Tell us what sounds exciting. The mountains, the prairie, or the river. We will point you the right way.

Sometimes the land chooses the animal for you. If the open country sounds good, pronghorn. If you want the classic, deer. If you want the dream, elk. If you want an easy first day out, birds or a river.

The point is that you do not have to know. You only have to start. When you know roughly what you want, Where You'll Hunt shows you the country in plain pictures.