As the senior senator from Big Sky Country, it is important for Sen. Jon Tester to play to his western roots. So the Montana Democrat campaigns as a hunter. He pushes pro-hunting legislation. His campaign fliers shows him gun-in-hand and, you guessed it, hunting. But there is a problem: That senator just don’t hunt.
According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks records, first reviewed by Alex Pappas of Fox News, Tester hasn’t held a hunting license since Barack Obama was president. The last time the senator was registered to hunt in Montana was in 2012 when Tester was running in a tight race against Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg. Now Tester finds himself in a similar situation six years but without license to hunt.
Tester maintains a slim lead against state auditor Matt Rosendale in one of the red state contests that could determine control of the Senate. And like last time Tester is playing up his hunting background.
“As we gear up for hunting season, Montanans know that hunting isn’t just a sport – it feeds our families, and it creates lifelong memories with our kids and grandkids,” Tester says in a campaign flier. “Montanans are lucky to have some of the best access, longest seasons and greatest hunting in the world.”
But while Montanans have some of the greatest hunting ground in the world (just ask Donald Trump Jr.), Tester isn’t making the most of those outdoors. His campaign admitted as much telling Fox News that the senator frequently shoots on his farm.
“Running a farm and defending Montana in the U.S. Senate doesn’t leave much time for hunting,” spokesman Chris Meagher said.
What is Tester’s game? Prairie dogs mostly.
Tester posted a picture of himself sitting behind the wheel of a rust-colored Chevy armed with a rifle last April. Besides those burrowing pests, the campaign told Fox that Tester likes to shoot cows and pigs because he enjoys eating them which, by the way, isn’t exactly sporting.
“Hunting gophers and waiting for the fields to dry out” –@bterris https://t.co/HZjvM2hPXr pic.twitter.com/u0vpOlTMkt
— Senator Jon Tester (@SenatorTester) April 16, 2017
If Tester wants to continue this outdoorsman shtick through November, he might want to make a campaign stop at a sporting goods store and get his hunting license.
