Archery Options

[Don K]

Starting to do some digging and research some options to take my son bow hunting for elk before he heads off to college. We where unsuccessful in the NM lottery on tags I thought where going to be easy to draw. (all drew last year)

Anyway I am looking into over the counter tags in states and left overs in Montana. I have been to MT two times on my own but the problem is it was 15 and 17 years ago. I have been looking over the units I archery hunted back then and trying to find out how they stand today. My main concern is how the wolves have or have not affected those units and what the population looks like currently. I have looked over the success rates and I don't see any breakdown from harvest bow vrs gun. I have looked over the wolf pack distribution chart from 2011. I'm looking at the Montana Cadastral online at the areas. I have not reached out to the area Biologists as of yet but will do so.

Is there something out there that shows elk numbers? Not being there for so many years I want to research units the best I can as I am sure they have changed a bunch in that many years. I told my son if he got good grades I would take him for two weeks this next season as he would be a senior in high school. He went from a "C" student to honor roll so now I need to do my part.
Is there anything else I may have missed I should look at?

Thanks

Don

 

[2rocky]

YOu may already know this, Forgiove me if this is repetitive.
You can find Harvest and hunter numbers on the Montana FWP Hunt Planner Website: http://fwp.mt.gov/gis/maps/huntPlanner/?region=3&species=elk

 

[Don K]

2rocky,

Thanks for the advice. I looked at the unit and it shows total harvest with total hunters. I was wondering if there is a archery harvest vrs gun harvest breakdown. What I see is total hunters with what was harvested but with MT tags being good for gun and bow I was wondering if there was a breakdown.

Thanks

 

[ric]

You might also look at Idaho, OTC tags. Wolves are not an issue here, never have been. Elk numbers go up and down. In Idaho you can hunt elk from mid August thru January. Be glad to help you if you need anything.

 

[Don K]

Ric,

Thanks for the advice I will take a look.

 

[HighDesertSage]

You have until June 5th to get your applications in for controlled hunts in Idaho. I would go that route, as Idaho has some awesome hunts if you can draw a tag. Then, if you don't draw you can go OTC in Idaho. PM me for more specific areas. Also, I can help you out if you want to come to CO, but it seems that everyone is coming to CO these days. I would personally do ID or MT because of the longer seasons. Also, I just read about Idaho's Motorized Vehicle Rule, which is fricken awesome....good luck.

 

[Don K]

Sent you a P.M. Looking through the Idaho regs trying to figure out total cost for archery tags for my son and I.