Bulldog0156
Well-known member
I've only been living in NW Montana for a little over a year. I really didn't explore or hunt much around here last fall, spending most of my time set aside for hunting in the eastern part of the state. Western Montana is definitely a different type of hunting than what I am used to having previously lived in more open parts of the state, and in my opinion can be a daunting task for many. I attempted to hunt the Yaak for deer last fall with some friends as some may remember, and ended up setting up camp at 4 in the morning the following morning in Hinsdale, MT. It's freaking thick in most places around here, steep, and there are more than a few large predators in the woods.
Yesterday, a friend and I decided to try a new spot to check out for elk and deer. As far as we could tell, it had all the makings of a great spot; it looked like it could hold elk as well as both species of deer. Our plan was to leave early and come in from the south side of the mountain, being in a great glassing location as the sun came up.
We were on the road that appeared to access the south side of the mountain with plenty of time to get into good position. There was one problem though; the road was blocked with a gate and a "no trespassing" sign. I wasn't too surprised as it passes through quite a bit of private before it goes back into public. A quick review of the MVUM this morning shows that the main road does not allow access through that piece, so no foul there, just some poor map reading by me. We had another way in, where we could access the area in a roundabout way from the north, so we turned around and pursued that route. We were still in position to start hiking about 30 min. before shooting light, but it was steep, unfamiliar territory and we decided we may be better off waiting a little before starting uphill. Plus the fog was thick and swirling, with max visibility of about 50-75 yards.
Fast forward to the top of the mountain. We still hunted our way up, partially because of all the evidence of critters, and partially because of the fog that wasn't lifting. It left everything in various shades of grey, to the point where you could walk right past something and if it didn't spook, you'd never see it. The yellow western larch through the fog more than once made me stop quick to assess if I was looking at a deer staring at me through the fog or an elk butt with the body hidden behind a tree. Unfortunately, the little wind there was seemed to be swirling quite a bit, and in all reality anything up there probably smelled us long before we got close enough to see them. We were committed though and figured if we could get to a good vantage point we had found using the topos and aerials, we would be OK. We finally got to our vantage point around 11, which would normally be way too late, except the fog still hadn't lifted.
By 1:30, the fog still hadn't lifted. We occasionally had some spectacular views of mountain peaks above the fog, but they would last for less than 30 seconds before swirling out of view. The fog was like the ebb and flow tides of the ocean; visibility would increase to 100 yards and just as quickly be reduced to less than 30. After sitting and trying to wait it out for 2.5 hours, we realized it was a lost cause, the day was lost to the fog. It would not burn off, and with the continued swirling of the little wind there, we were not going to see anything before it smelled us first. Even if we had been able to access from where we originally planned, the wind would have more than likely wreaked havok on our ability to successfully keep it on our faces and sneak up on anything.
We took a different route out, just to get a better picture of the area. After the trek out, we were able to confirm that we took the only "easy" way up the mountain in that area. It was an unbelievably steep mountain with blowdown that could be overwhelming. After an October that set records in the area for rainfall, the soft moss-covered soil was more than willing to give way under a heavy downhill pointed foot fatigued by a solid day of hiking.
We may have lost the day to the unpredictable wind and a thick swirling fog that turned everything a shade of grey, but we also found a spot with more potential for elk hunting than I ever thought I would find in this part of Montana. The sign was similar to what I have seen in wintering areas that hold hundreds of elk for months on end, except that the sign we found was much more fresh. There was also an astonishing amount of deer and even moose sign. Not surprisingly, there was also sign of predators, both large and small, including a very fresh track of a very large canid.
I can't wait to go back. It never registered to me before yesterday that there could be days hunting spent entirely in the fog. Hopefully next time the fog won't be so thick and the wind so unpredictable.
Yesterday, a friend and I decided to try a new spot to check out for elk and deer. As far as we could tell, it had all the makings of a great spot; it looked like it could hold elk as well as both species of deer. Our plan was to leave early and come in from the south side of the mountain, being in a great glassing location as the sun came up.
We were on the road that appeared to access the south side of the mountain with plenty of time to get into good position. There was one problem though; the road was blocked with a gate and a "no trespassing" sign. I wasn't too surprised as it passes through quite a bit of private before it goes back into public. A quick review of the MVUM this morning shows that the main road does not allow access through that piece, so no foul there, just some poor map reading by me. We had another way in, where we could access the area in a roundabout way from the north, so we turned around and pursued that route. We were still in position to start hiking about 30 min. before shooting light, but it was steep, unfamiliar territory and we decided we may be better off waiting a little before starting uphill. Plus the fog was thick and swirling, with max visibility of about 50-75 yards.
Fast forward to the top of the mountain. We still hunted our way up, partially because of all the evidence of critters, and partially because of the fog that wasn't lifting. It left everything in various shades of grey, to the point where you could walk right past something and if it didn't spook, you'd never see it. The yellow western larch through the fog more than once made me stop quick to assess if I was looking at a deer staring at me through the fog or an elk butt with the body hidden behind a tree. Unfortunately, the little wind there was seemed to be swirling quite a bit, and in all reality anything up there probably smelled us long before we got close enough to see them. We were committed though and figured if we could get to a good vantage point we had found using the topos and aerials, we would be OK. We finally got to our vantage point around 11, which would normally be way too late, except the fog still hadn't lifted.
By 1:30, the fog still hadn't lifted. We occasionally had some spectacular views of mountain peaks above the fog, but they would last for less than 30 seconds before swirling out of view. The fog was like the ebb and flow tides of the ocean; visibility would increase to 100 yards and just as quickly be reduced to less than 30. After sitting and trying to wait it out for 2.5 hours, we realized it was a lost cause, the day was lost to the fog. It would not burn off, and with the continued swirling of the little wind there, we were not going to see anything before it smelled us first. Even if we had been able to access from where we originally planned, the wind would have more than likely wreaked havok on our ability to successfully keep it on our faces and sneak up on anything.
We took a different route out, just to get a better picture of the area. After the trek out, we were able to confirm that we took the only "easy" way up the mountain in that area. It was an unbelievably steep mountain with blowdown that could be overwhelming. After an October that set records in the area for rainfall, the soft moss-covered soil was more than willing to give way under a heavy downhill pointed foot fatigued by a solid day of hiking.
We may have lost the day to the unpredictable wind and a thick swirling fog that turned everything a shade of grey, but we also found a spot with more potential for elk hunting than I ever thought I would find in this part of Montana. The sign was similar to what I have seen in wintering areas that hold hundreds of elk for months on end, except that the sign we found was much more fresh. There was also an astonishing amount of deer and even moose sign. Not surprisingly, there was also sign of predators, both large and small, including a very fresh track of a very large canid.
I can't wait to go back. It never registered to me before yesterday that there could be days hunting spent entirely in the fog. Hopefully next time the fog won't be so thick and the wind so unpredictable.
