When Our 2006 Montana whitetail hunt came to an end, my dad and I vowed to someday return to this bowhunting paradise (see "Paradise Found," Whitetail Special 2006). That someday occurred exactly one year later.

We would again be hunting with Montana Whitetails, Inc., which is owned by Bob Harris and operated by Keith Miller, a friend of mine from Halifax, Pennsylvania. Since my last visit, Keith had been busy acquiring new leases along the Shields River, and then scouting and hanging stands in preparation for the 2007 season. Recent photos Keith had taken on his scouting forays and placed on Montana Whitetails' website showed lots of deer -- and lots of impressive bucks.

This trip, my close friend and hunting partner Tom Gaul, along with Bowhunter Magazine TV cameraman Bob Mussey, joined my dad and me. This was Tom's first trip West, and he could barely contain his excitement as he counted down the days to our November 11 departure for Wilsall, Montana.

My dad had come oh-so-close to taking his first buck with a bow the previous year. An equipment issue on the last evening's hunt cost him a nice buck, and taught him a valuable lesson about practical shooting practice. To avoid repeating this mistake, he practiced hard all summer and outfitted himself completely with bowhunter-friendly clothing. By November, he was more confident than ever that this would be his time to shine.

In 2006, I had taken a respectable 8-point at Keith's, but I, too, had learned a valuable lesson on that trip -- patience. My goal this year was to take a Pope and Young buck or come home empty-handed -- a rather lofty goal considering a big part of the trip was to capture enough footage for a future episode of the TV show.

These young Montana bucks are showing real promise.

After a disappointing Pennsylvania season, with few deer sightings, I was really looking forward to a week along the Shields River. My dad and Tom also had had frustrating seasons at home, and they echoed my sentiments.

We left Harrisburg on November 11, bound for Bozeman, Montana. During a layover in Minneapolis, we hooked up with Bob Mussey. Bob was with my dad and me in Montana the previous year, and his watchful eye played a big part in my success. Little did I know how helpful he would once again prove to be on this trip.

As we waited in Minneapolis for our flight to Montana, Bob, my dad, and I gave Tom some pointers about judging deer on the hoof. As a Pennsylvania bowhunter, Tom had taken his share of bucks, but his experience with trophy whitetails was limited.

"Whatever you do, please don't shoot a buck on the first, or even second, day of this hunt unless his size truly makes your jaw drop," I told Tom. "You've got six full days of hunting, and the deer are rutting, so there's no need to rush things. Trust me. If you are patient, you will get an opportunity at a really good buck."

Landing in Bozeman, we ran into Adam Flod. Adam had been in camp with us in 2006 and was on his way back home from Keith's place. "You guys are here at the right time," Adam said. "The bucks are on the move, and they are very responsive to rattling."

Continued -- click on page link below.