Any Advice Helps!!! Montana General License

[Jesnoc]

Hello All,
Found this awesome site while prepping for our 2015 Montana elk/ deer hunt. Long story short before I get to the begging part of this post!! My parents live in Wolf Creek Mt. I have archery hunted the area for whitetail with otc doe tags, but am now heading out this year with a Big game combo license. The immediate areas that would be easy for me to gain access are either HD 339, 423 or 455. A friend (local) filled me with great info on 455 (Beartooth), but as I dug deeper into the regs, realized that that is unhuntable during rifle season without permits (purchased license as surplus, too late for permits)!! There are 3 of us flying out for the first week of rifle. I am spending countless hours on the Internet and telephone attempting to prepare for a fun elk hunt. For the begging part... Are there any fine fellow hunters that have insight to share on any areas around Wolf Creek/ Craig or the Holter Lake area that would be accessible for elk with a General License? Thanks for any help or shared experiences in advance.

 

[sneakypete]

I would call the FWP region office and ask to speak with the area biologist / warden for advice.

 

[TRS_Montana]

339 is also a permit-only area. You can shoot a spike with a general tag, but I wouldn't come from PA to hunt an area that you can only shoot a spike in.

 

[.280 Remington]

Head north of town and take the first forest service road on the left. Follow it up to the dry creekbed then turn at the big rock. Three fence posts down is an old tire. Look under the tire. An old miner once drew a map to a secret valley where all the 6 point Bulls go when the season opens. Nobody else hunts there. Please don't tell anyone though.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

I've had good success talking to taxidermist, and butcher shops. Those guys want you to be successful for their business. As far as specific advice on that area I am not familiar. You may have a tough time getting guys to share. Good luck, welcome to the forum, stick around for a while and guys tend to give up a little more information.

 

[whiskeydog]

check your PMs...you'll find some basic info on a few of the general tag areas near where you are looking.

 

[FAIR CHASE]

Head north of town and take the first forest service road on the left. Follow it up to the dry creekbed then turn at the big rock. Three fence posts down is an old tire. Look under the tire. An old miner once drew a map to a secret valley where all the 6 point Bulls go when the season opens. Nobody else hunts there. Please don't tell anyone though.

Better be careful or you'll get piled on from the holier-than-thou. Good thing for you he didn't mention he was in the service.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Pretty tough right around Holter and Wolf Creek. There are a few isolated pieces of public land scattered around 423 that will have elk. Access to private is very tough.

If I were you I'd look around Rogers or Flesher Passes if you're looking for somewhere you can drive to each day.

 

[SunRiverMan]

Head north of town and take the first forest service road on the left. Follow it up to the dry creekbed then turn at the big rock. Three fence posts down is an old tire. Look under the tire. An old miner once drew a map to a secret valley where all the 6 point Bulls go when the season opens. Nobody else hunts there. Please don't tell anyone though.

Used to fish near there. The landowner hates trespassers and gets mighty angry at fisherman. I can't imagine a misguided hunter. Peace!

EDIT- I keep hearing about awesome elk hunting with a high success rate near Helena. Some research, talking to biologists, and researching the success rates will help you find where.

 

[Jesnoc]

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Although there are deer in our yard and pasture everyday, my rule is I travel at least an hour to hunt. If you want to use your general elk tag and are staying around Wolf Creek, drive an hour or so southeast or southwest and you won't have to worry so much about lacking an elk special permit.

As reiterated on this forum time and again ... read the regulations, look at the map(s), read the regulations, go scout an area, read the regulations ... then you will be prepared to have a fun hunt.