Becker Among 10 Winners In Youth Hunting Story Contest

Culbertson student Beau Becker 13, is one of 10 winners in Gov. Greg Gianforte’s annual youth hunting story contest.

Becker, who resides in Brockton, earned the honor about the story of his Thanksgiving Day buck.

“Montana’s youth hunters are the future of our state’s proud hunting tradition,” Gianforte said in a press release. “We received nearly 150 stories from young hunters across Montana this year, each showing passion, skill and respect for the outdoors. I look forward to welcoming the top 10 winners to the state capitol in the new year to celebrate their achievements and our hunting heritage.”

Gianforte started the contest in 2022 for Montana youth and apprentice hunters between the ages of 10 and 17.

Winning hunters will receive prizes from Stone Glacier, Vista Outdoor, Sitka, J2 Taxidermy, Kenetrek, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Montana Outfitters and Guides Association, Murdoch’s and Zink’s Big Sky Archery Targets.

“Our partners have stepped up to provide incredible prizes that will support these young hunters for years to come,” Gianforte said.

Other winning hunters included Xavier McCormack of Helena, Kael Milam of Havre, Emmy Parsons of Boulder, Scott Johnson of Columbia Falls, Brooklyn Bieber of Frenchtown, Wyatt McKenzie of East Helena, Eliana Johnston of Laurel, Isaiah Kuehnel of St. Ignatius and Samuel Kirby of Belt.

Becker’s story about his Thanksgiving Day buck consisted of the following: “I first heard about the hunting story competition when Gov. Gianforte came to our 4-H program during National 4-H Week. I told him that I was in the shooting sports project and was using some of my 4-H money to get hunting gear was going to get my hunters education certificate that year.

“During the last week of school, I got pneumonia. I couldn’t keep the medicine down and I had to get put in the hospital. As I was sitting there, I got severe headaches. I had a lot of pain that just wouldn’t go away so they took me in for a CT scan. Within minutes, the Doc was horrified to find that my brain was swelling and there was blood in it. Immediately, he sent me on an airplane to go from Sidney to Colorado Children’s Hospital. I was admitted to the PICU for seven days and three days in the hospital. During those miserable seven days, I had a seizure, severe headaches, that were from the swelling and blood clot, and the brain bleed was considered a stroke. “While I was in the hospital, the nurses and doctors always asked about the things that I like to do, and I talked about sports, farming, and hoping to get my first deer this year. I wasn’t sure that I would be able to since I had lost some motor coordination on my left side. Eventually, I got to go home and was on two shots of blood thinner and salt tabs three times a day, but I survived with my mom and God by my side.

“I gradually got better, after doing physical, occupational and speech therapy. Sadly, I couldn’t finish my baseball season, I also was restricted on practicing my shooting because of the blood thinners. By mid-August I was cleared of the medicines. I started practicing shooting and I I got to take the hunters education course and got my license. I told my dad I really wanted to go hunting since I didn’t get to play sports this fall. Me and my dad went out every day, we saw several does – more than 30, and a few spike bucks on the river bottom, but I kept trying.

“Finally on a cold snowy Thanksgiving Day, we drove toward an area where we previously went, and we walked around a lot and didn’t see anything. We thought our luck had run out. Then in the distance I saw a buck with a group of does, it looked like a nice first buck. I set up and was about 50 yards away in tall sagebrush. I took the shot, and I dropped him, but he kept on crawling through the thick sage and into the trees. I blood trailed him and I saw him lying by some trees and thick sagebrush. I was so happy after all I had gone through to finally get my first deer.”