Belt Students Find Early Success in 2024 Hunting Season

As the 2024 hunting season kicks off, Belt students are already finding success. In this issue, the Valley Voice will focus on antelope, mule deer, whitetail deer, and elk. Several Huskies have already made impressive achievements.

Parker Osterman has been especially successful this year, already taking down two animals. On a hunt near Jordan, Osterman harvested a fine antelope buck from a remarkable 575 yards with his .257 Weatherby. When asked about the highlight of his hunt, he mentioned that making such a long shot was the best part. Osterman also took a stunning mule deer at 350 yards with the same rifle. This buck scored an impressive 172⅛ points, marking his largest buck to date.

Blake Waldner added to his trophy collection with a beautiful bull elk. During the hunt, Waldner saw a group of elk running, and then the bull suddenly stopped and looked straight at him, giving him a chance for a shot. He took the bull down from 300 yards with his .30-06. This was Waldner's first elk.

The community also welcomes a new hunter to the list. Sixth-grader Ryle Paulson took down his first buck on opening weekend. He shot the buck from 110 yards with his .308 near Jordan. When asked, Ryle shared that his favorite part of the hunt was that it was both his first and largest buck. He's sure to continue hunting after such a great start to his first season.

Next on the list is sophomore Keaton Borger, who took down a massive muley buck last weekend. Borger hunted near Stanford with his dad and brother and took his shot at 100 yards with his .300 Win Mag. This buck scored an impressive 180" gross. When asked about the highlight of his hunt, Borger mentioned the unique antlers, noting a splitter and a kicker coming off one of the antlers.

Finally, junior Sam Kirby claimed a nice antelope with his .257 from 210 yards away. Kirby shared that the highlight of his hunt was stalking the antelope for about 200 yards in an open field near Pleasant Valley Colony, west of Belt.

Congratulations to all these hunters for carrying on the Montana field sports tradition. The season is still young, and the Valley Voice is excited to share more hunting success stories with the community. Contact Holter Bumgarner with tales of the hunt for publication in upcoming issues, and be sure to include a picture and score if available.