Archery Elk in the Gravelly Range of SW Montana

[samuel_284Win]

All,

My father and I were in the Gravelly Range this week for archery elk. We camped up at the Clover Meadows dispersed campground on Gravelly Range Rd.

We were very perplexed at the amount of country we covered and only found (via some distant bugling) ~ 2-3 elk at the bottom of the deep canyon where the Monument fire burned in 2018. Never laid eyes on a single elk when we were there. Only saw one camp that had successfully harvested a good bull.

Wondering if others have had or are having this experience in the Gravelly/Snowcrest Range area?

Also wondering if others observed a high volume of hunters in the Gravelly Range during opening week that might have pushed elk out or turned call shy?

I did observe a bunch of grazing pressure from cattle that were still on at least 1/4 of the Gravelly Range. I had the Gravelly Range area on my list as a possible spot for rifle season but am now unsure of its productivity this season.

What are thoughts from others on this?

 

[Pagosa]

I was down yesterday scouting in Region 3 and was amazed by the amount of archery hunters. I also seen three different game wardens. My game camera have no new elk photos since late July. Very, very dry also. I personally think a lot of elk will be feeding in irrigated fields very soon, from my limited experience

 

[MTorWY]

It gets completely invaded in rifle season. And numbers seem to be way down in my experience. They’ve left it open to shooting a cow on a general tag for almost ten years now.

 

[Spedray]

The gravellys get hit pretty hard all season long. Lots of roads all over the place. I have always found elk but a lot of the times they don't talk. Look for water and places with no roads.

 

[Luke_with_a_lab]

All,

My father and I were in the Gravelly Range this week for archery elk. We camped up at the Clover Meadows dispersed campground on Gravelly Range Rd.

We were very perplexed at the amount of country we covered and only found (via some distant bugling) ~ 2-3 elk at the bottom of the deep canyon where the Monument fire burned in 2018. Never laid eyes on a single elk when we were there. Only saw one camp that had successfully harvested a good bull.

Wondering if others have had or are having this experience in the Gravelly/Snowcrest Range area?

Also wondering if others observed a high volume of hunters in the Gravelly Range during opening week that might have pushed elk out or turned call shy?

I did observe a bunch of grazing pressure from cattle that were still on at least 1/4 of the Gravelly Range. I had the Gravelly Range area on my list as a possible spot for rifle season but am now unsure of its productivity this season.

What are thoughts from others on this?

In my experience the cattle do displace the elk to some extent. Also Ive found due to the pressure down there the elk are very very nomadic. Yes you can find some upressured elk in super dark hidy holes but most the elk will get pressured in some way. Therefore I think they consistantly are on the move. Ive hunted down there a fair amount and have found you cant just keep hunting one singular large basin or drainage. Feel free to PM me for a little more info if you'd like about the area.

 

[geewhiz]

Google "where to hunt elk in Montana". Your results will primarily be SW Montana and the gravely range/Dillon/Lima. Everybody that is unfamiliar with the state ends up there. This is why there are so many hunters and call shy elk. Best of luck with your search.

 

[JT88]

I've hunted the Gravellies and I think too many roads and too much hunting pressure are the biggest issues from making it great. Also the elk herd size has dropped dramatically since the wolf & grizzly populations along that corridor have been increasing pretty noticeably. There have been multiple grizzly attacks on hunters in that area in the last few years. Be safe out there

 

[mikemulligan32]

That area gets hammered pretty hard by hunters. Ive found a pretty good spot that seems to hold elk year round and I've taken 3 bulls out of that area. That being said very little success in September due to hunting pressure, I've called in WAY more bulls the last week of archery in there especially after a weather event. I'm hunting elsewhere this season and am finding elk (and not killing elk so take it for what it's worth) further back in but low in the cooler parts of the drainage. Higher elevation, but lower near creeks and NE benches. I'd search out areas like this with good wind for sign or bugles (with gun or bear spray READILY available) and move to the next if you don't turn anything up, repeat. Literally killed two bulls by tracking in snow, when they start meandering around they are looking to bed, slow way down and call there and continue until you " clear" the area. That's worked for me in the 4 years I hunted the gravelly range.

 

[MITCHMO]

Hunted it last year in rifle and started laughing out loud when I hit the trailhead. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. So many people.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

great. Also the elk herd size has dropped dramatically since the wolf & grizzly populations along that corridor have been increasing pretty noticeably.

I’m sure the liberal cow seasons have a lot to do with that. I doubt there are enough grizzlies in that unit to impact the elk to any significant extent.

 

[Southern Elk]

The Gravellies aren’t what they used to be.

 

[MTLabrador]

I’m sure the liberal cow seasons have a lot to do with that. I doubt there are enough grizzlies in that unit to impact the elk to any significant extent.

I knew the liberals were behind it....

 

[Deleted member 20812]

The Gravellies aren’t what they used to be.

Sadly, no.

 

[Gerald Martin]

I knew the liberals were behind it....

If right is left then yes.....

Thank our legislators for the war on elk.

Dang wolves. If we could train them to like the taste of lawmaker instead of elk and turn them loose in Helena we might save our elk herd.

 

[MTLabrador]

If right is left then yes.....

Thank our legislators for the war on elk.

Dang wolves. If we could train them to like the taste of lawmaker instead of elk and turn them loose in Helena we might save our elk herd.

That’s the truth... If all Montana’s elk had to worry about were wolves and grizzlies instead of the legislature we’d be in pretty good shape.

 

[JT88]

I’m sure the liberal cow seasons have a lot to do with that. I doubt there are enough grizzlies in that unit to impact the elk to any significant extent.

Sure they do, but don't you think that if there are enough grizzlies to be regularly attacking hunters then they must be killing a fair amount of elk calves too?

 

[bonniecutthroat]

But at least Chicks in Alder is still around... I great place to have a drink regardless of the outcome of the hunt.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Sure they do, but don't you think that if there are enough grizzlies to be regularly attacking hunters then they must be killing a fair amount of elk calves too?

Hard to say. LOTS of hunters = much higher probability of bear encounter. I'm guessing your resident population of griz in that neck of the woods is 15 on the high side. I don't see this as a significant impact on elk herds, given the narrow window that bears prey on calves.

Without hard numbers, it's pretty hard to attach a level of significance to the population when you are talking elk numbers in the thousands.

 

[JT88]

Hard to say. LOTS of hunters = much higher probability of bear encounter. I'm guessing your resident population of griz in that neck of the woods is 15 on the high side. I don't see this as a significant impact on elk herds, given the narrow window that bears prey on calves.

Without hard numbers, it's pretty hard to attach a level of significance to the population when you are talking elk numbers in the thousands.

Yeah, you may be right. I know there are a ridiculous amount of hunters in this area. But I really wonder if we'll ever see studies showing good hard data on how often wolves kill an elk and a griz steals the kill, which then leads the wolves to make another kill. Because to me, it seems like the grizzly population has exploded in the GYE since wolf populations have risen. Anyone have any insight into this topic? We've seen plenty of videos of this happening in Yellowstone so naturally I wonder how common this really is...

 

[BRI]

The Gravellies aren’t what they used to be.

Unfortunately this is true of nearly all general tag units in Montana.