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BIG BULL ELK WITH ANTLERS LIKE tree branches and a golden hide that shines in the daylight is mounted in the cozy liv- ing room, its distinguished presence tak- ing up an entire corner of the home.
Some hunters can spend a lifetime in the field and never witness an animal this grand. It took Pat McVay 89 years and a “long walk.”
The six-point bull now resides near the edge of the forest east of Kalispell, keeping McVay company in the longtime home of one of Montana’s great, visionary
sportsmen.
It’s autumn, and McVay has this year’s tags ready
along with “Maggie,” his beloved 300 H & H Magnum Model 70 rifle.
“She’s pretty faithful,” he says, clutching the rustic firearm that was made in 1938.
It’s almost time to resume the general hunting sea- son, a Montana tradition dating back 120 years, one that is inextricably tied to the state’s identity. One of the first bedrock laws in the Montana territory in 1895 estab- lished regulations for hunting in an effort to protect big
game populations for future generations. Hunting is a journey that tends to follow five stages. Many hunters begin with an interest in marksmanship. As they learn the basic skills and tenants of the sport, they embark into the wild in the age-old pursuit of big game. With success, they graduate to a more selective stage, search- ing for that monumental triumph. After achiev- ing success, they can become inspired to follow the sport to its challenging extremes in search of greater lessons and growth, such as bow hunting. And finally, after years of experiencing the thrill firsthand, seasoned hunters often arrive at what is called the philosopher stage, a point character- ized by the desire to pass on a lifetime of lessons
and knowledge to a new generation.
At 95, McVay is still going in the field each fall
for hunting trips with family and friends, but more notably he is still relishing the final phase as a true mentor.
McVay holds the distinction of being the first official hunter education instructor in Montana. Every year since 1957, when Montana adopted a new law requiring all hunters under 18 to take a state-sanctioned educational course, he has vol- unteered to lead classes. He has taught three generations of hunters in the Flathead Valley
the proper steps it takes to be a hunter, helping them undergo a rite of passage before they embark on per- sonal journeys that often span lifetimes.
“There’s a lot of stuff in hunter safety, not only the four rules of gun safety, but about the outdoors, what’s out there and how to accept it,” he says.
McVay is a lifelong hunter who has chased game everywhere, from the plains of eastern Montana to the rugged Bob Marshall Wilderness, where he has logged over 7,000 miles.
You could say he has a few tips worth sharing.
A student must be at least 11 years old to become cer- tified in hunter education. The courses are free and open to anyone. The courses often feature kids and adults, especially parents who want to accompany their child in the field. The classes vary in length depending on the instructor. McVay’s span five nights with a field day at the end. He holds the courses at his home in a basement that could double as a sportsmen museum, and spends time going over firearms safety, wildlife identification, the ethics of fair chase, laws and regulations and sur- vival techniques for the outdoors.
“I’ve watched a couple hunting shows, and they climb up a tree and sit up there. And then they shoot a deer,” McVay says, shaking his head. “That’s not hunt- ing. You got to get out there and give a fair chase.”
On the field day, he sets up a course in his back- yard where students must properly carry firearms through fences and over obstacles. They also learn to shoot from various stances, taking into account all the surroundings.
“I feel that every kid has a natural curiosity about guns and if you can satisfy that in a safe and reason- able, careful way, then you’ve got that kid going down the right path,” McVay says.
Yet in the end, shooting ends up playing a minor role in hunting.
“Everything that you can see and enjoy, and
Members of the state’s first certfied hunter education course held in Hungry Horse in 1957 and led by Pat McVay, back row, third from left. PHOTO COURTESY PAT MCVAY
OCTOBER 14, 2015 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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