Your chance to win one of three elk/deer hunts in Montana in 2006

Are you a big game hunter or a would-be, big game hunter? Well, if you are, read on because this week's column is aimed right at you. I guarantee to have your total attention before you finish. To continue: As a big game hunter or as a would-be big game hunter:

Have you ever dreamed of hunting out of state?

Have you ever dreamt of hunting for a record-book bull elk?

Have you ever dreamt of hunting for a trophy buck deer?

And, if you're just like me, have you also been spooked off by the ever-increasing price and the tremendous total expense of one of those out of state hunts?

Well, I have some fabulous news for you: How would you like to go on a nine-day, packhorse, big game hunting trip in Montana in 2006?

And while on that horseback trip, how would you like to hunt for Rocky Mountain bull elk, plus buck mule deer or buck white-tail deer?

If your answer is "Yes," here comes the best part:

How would you like to do all that for a total cost of only $50?

That's correct! Only $50!

Here's how to do it: The Carson City Sheriff's Mounted Police Unit is going to hold a special raffle for "A Hunting Trip of A Lifetime."

And this is what makes that raffle so special: There will only be 1,000 tickets sold at $50 each, from which three winners will be picked.

Three winners out of 1,000 tickets! You'll have one chance in 333 of winning a dream hunt.

Those three hunters will go on an all-expense-paid, fully-guided, hunting trip in Montana in 2006. They will each receive a nine-day, combination elk and deer hunt on horseback in the world-famous Bob Marshall Wilderness Area.

That nine-day hunt includes one day of travel to reach base camp, seven full days of hunting and one day to come out.

While at base camp, the hunters will have polyfoam sleeping pads, cots and wood-burning stoves in canvas-floored tents. Plus they will eat their meals on a cloth-covered table. How's that for "Roughing It?"

The Marshall Wilderness Area is located about 30 miles east of Missoula, and contains a wide variety of big game including mule deer, white tail deer, Rocky Mountain elk, black bear, Grizzly bear, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain goat.

Each of the three winners will win $3,650 for the hunt, $1,000 for guaranteed hunting license and necessary tags, $500 for travel expenses and $400 for pocket money for a grand total of $5,550 per person!

I plan to buy several tickets and if I am lucky enough to be a winner, that $400 for pocket money is going to buy a lot of Manhattans while celebrating Don Q taking a big game hunt, out of state.

The three hunts are scheduled for Oct. 28 - Nov. 5, 2006 with the White Tail Ranch (WTR) Outfitters LLC of Ovando, Montana (406-793-5666) (Montana License No. 3341).

WTR is a 1,100 acre outfitting ranch that specializes in packtrips into the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

It has been in continuous operation for over 40 years and is located north of U.S. 200, between Great Falls and Missoula.

If you are one of the winners, you will ride on horseback for 22 miles into base camp on the headwaters of Danaher Creek.

Yipes! 22 miles on horseback!

Your rear-end is going to be sore.

Geez, if I am lucky enough to go, I guarantee that long before we reach that remote base camp, I'll be standing on that miserable saddle rather than sitting.

Riding that far on a "hay-burner" is going to make my tender rear-end very sore for a long time!

Your Montana, Non-Resident combination license will allow you to hunt Elk, Mule or White-Tailed deer, plus Blue, Franklin and Ruffed Grouse and to fish in the river and nearby streams.

You can also hunt Black Bear with an additional Special Permit.

This is a golden opportunity to take that very special, out of state, once-in-a-lifetime, big game hunt.

And, for only $50 a ticket!

How in the heck can you turn down a deal like that?

Good luck to you on winning ONE of TWO of those THREE trips.

I plan to win the other one!

And, if I do, there is going to be a whole lot of cheering, "high-fiving," tap-dancing and partying!

Finally: Proceeds from the raffle go to the Carson City Sheriff's Mounted Unit. The winning tickets are to be drawn sometime in December, 2005 at the Carson City Sheriff's Office.

For tickets or information, call Vince Pirozzi at 887-2210, ext. 1006.

For WTR Outfitters LLC information, call (406) 793-5666 or got to website www.wtroutfitters.com.

• Bet Your Favorite Pigeon

Bet your favorite pigeon he can't tell you the cost of a 2005 Montana Non-Resident Big Game Elk/Deer Combination - Outfitter license.

If he grins and says, "In 2005, it will cost you $977.25 for that license," he wins this bet.

• Don Quilici is the Outdoors editor for the Nevada Appeal.