Early Rifle Elk Hunt in MT

[RoaminPublic]

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Two years ago (or three?), my partner and I dragged sleds into the Bob. Keep 'em light and it's a cake walk compared to multi trip backpacking elk - not something I would ever do, at least not to reach 150 areas.
We threw our packs in and had additional items such as rifle cases, tarp(s), 12 lb tent w/ titanium stove, etc... Items we would not have packed if just boots only packing.

For sake of packing an elk out a minimum of 5 miles (exceptions apply) two good hard sided sleds is doable... if you're dead set for the Bob. You'll get some peculiar looks from the horse pack trains though give space, pull sleds into the downhill side of the trail. It's your trail as much as it's theirs if you get lip though respect goes a mutual distance.

It's almost always steep switchback or hard packing uphill to enter the Bob.

It's a hike... Both of us with sleds worked... Until he injured his leg after his sleeping bag bounced out for a downhill tumble. As he climbed downhill, he (64-5 y/o) did the splits as one leg planted and the other slipped downhill. Thankfully we had the sleds and made his weight minimal as he winced back.

Still nice to toss the back pack into the sled and still a light load to pull out, especially downhill.

Ideal? No. Don't take no for an answer if you want to get into the Bob.

How do those sleds pull on bare dirt?? We use them back home but thats with snow..

 

[Sytes]

They did great on the dry trails and the trail width worked as a nice track. A bit of abuse to the bottom though I'm still using them today.

I would not have tried the use with sleds other than the thick black bodied ones. And not claiming it didn't suck sometimes though the value outweighed the cuss jar.

The two areas we ran into issues were dead fall and mud. Mud acted as a suction to the underside though that's me being picky to find issue with them. Dead fall is a given.

We added a bunch of weight just because we had the ability beyond boot only packing. Less weight would have been much less wear on us. To do it over, I would carry the titanium stove and 12# tent and a few odds and ends...
The weight uphill switchbacks sucked though a 65 y/o did it w/o complaints. We laugh about it to this day - the oddity of our actions. Had he not injured his leg, we would have made it to our base camp location. We're talking about another go before it's a no go.


This is one of the sleds in the picture after a couple additional years use. Without regard to concern for the sled, we toss firewood from our shed into it to haul to the house (snow's a beauty for them). My point is firewood abuse w/o regard beats the heck out of them, and they keep sledding.



Best bet is try it yourself uphill as weight does effect the extent of swear words though two sleds will pack out one bull in one trip.

There's a will, there's a way. It's not ideal but it worked.

 

[RobG]

My daughter and I camped up Buffalo Fork in HD 316. Holy sh*t there were lots of Griz in there.

I'm told the reason for the early rifle hunt in these remote areas is that they get snowed in early on and would otherwise be inaccessible. Been that way forever.

 

[BigHornRam]

Can you buy grizzly insurance if you rent llamas?

 

[RoaminPublic]

Can you buy grizzly insurance if you rent llamas?

Good point, didn't even think of that with the llamas.

 

[RoaminPublic]

They did great on the dry trails and the trail width worked as a nice track. A bit of abuse to the bottom though I'm still using them today.

I would not have tried the use with sleds other than the thick black bodied ones. And not claiming it didn't suck sometimes though the value outweighed the cuss jar.

The two areas we ran into issues were dead fall and mud. Mud acted as a suction to the underside though that's me being picky to find issue with them. Dead fall is a given.

We added a bunch of weight just because we had the ability beyond boot only packing. Less weight would have been much less wear on us. To do it over, I would carry the titanium stove and 12# tent and a few odds and ends...
The weight uphill switchbacks sucked though a 65 y/o did it w/o complaints. We laugh about it to this day - the oddity of our actions. Had he not injured his leg, we would have made it to our base camp location. We're talking about another go before it's a no go.


This is one of the sleds in the picture after a couple additional years use. Without regard to concern for the sled, we toss firewood from our shed into it to haul to the house (snow's a beauty for them). My point is firewood abuse w/o regard beats the heck out of them, and they keep sledding.

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Best bet is try it yourself uphill as weight does effect the extent of swear words though two sleds will pack out one bull in one trip.

There's a will, there's a way. It's not ideal but it worked.

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That is cool! think what a set of those teflon runners could have done for you too, you would be running up those mountains! ha

Anyone see people taking those motorized mountain bike in there? Or non motorized?

 

[BigHornRam]

316 is summer range for Yellowstone Park. A little snow and hunting pressure and the elk migrate into the park.

 

[BigHornRam]

That is cool! think what a set of those teflon runners could have done for you too, you would be running up those mountains! ha

Anyone see people taking those motorized mountain bike in there? Or non motorized?

No bikes or game carts in wilderness. You can pack a gun through the park now but can't pack game meat. Park rules turned this 6 mile trip into 20 miles on a friends hunt. I hate horses, but liked them a lot on this day.

 

[buffybr]

Thanks guys for all of the anecdotal advice here. I figured it was a place that you would want stock. We could rent a handful of those llamas everyone is raving about too! we have seen a couple groups in ID with them, they usually give us weird looks as we go hiking past.

If a guy on foot with 5 days of food and a shelter were to go in there, sounds like 5 miles is just scratching the surface. Also sounds like the Elk numbers are low. And the country doesn't lend itself to putting on 10 miles a day in search of elk.

I think we are going to apply for the general tag then here by 4/1, and keep doing research on these rifle hunts.

Being 30 right now seems like the time to do one of these back-breaker hunts if you were to ever do one!

Yes in some of those Wilderness hunts, its often several miles from the trailhead just to the Unit boundary.

And yeah, being 30 is the time to do those back-breaker hunts. At almost 2 1/2 times 30 and no longer having horses, every year when I apply for a Moose, Sheep, and Goat tag I wonder if I can still so a solo hunt for those critters.

 

[Sytes]

Sleds are the closest you will find legal to bring in to the backcountry (Wilderness Act) without pack animals. In a sense, you're your own pack animal with a sled. No motorized or wheeled instrument unless you fall under the Americans with disability act.
We talked about the Teflon portion. Not a bad idea!

 

[BigHornRam]

Did anyone mention horses, yet?

 

[RoaminPublic]

Did anyone mention horses, yet?

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That is a nice bull!! I wish horses were an option. I grew up with them, but a couple of my buddies wont be caught dead around them (cattle lovers). Haha

That's exactly why I thought this might be a good thread, I cant be the only guy thinking a rut rifle hunt would be fun. But I knew plenty of guys on here would have some input on how realistic a backpack hunt is in the wilderness.

This will probably be our plan B.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

I think llamas and lightweight backpacking gear is a very realistic way to hunt some of these units, but I’d make sure your logistical planning is conservative and sound before you pull the trigger. Literally.

 

[RoaminPublic]

Right Now I think if I were to do this hunt on foot out of a backpack I may take a page out of @Big Fin play book and hunt 150 around those burns up by Puma Peak and Gust Mountain. There are a handful of age classes of burns in that area. Has anyone ever been up in that country? from there basically north and west along Young's Creek. Looks good on an Aerial. 10 miles in should keep the foot traffic out...

P.S. sorry if I am giving away someones honey hole! ha

 

[Deleted member 20812]

You’ll find a lot of really good looking country that looks like it should hold elk, that doesn’t have elk. That’s consistent across the entire Bob Marshall complex.

 

[RoaminPublic]

You’ll find a lot of really good looking country that looks like it should hold elk, that doesn’t have elk. That’s consistent across the entire Bob Marshall complex.

I have heard and experienced that many times. Places that look too good to have elk in them! But if I get the deer/elk combo, maybe a deer would be a consolation prize!

 

[EYJONAS!]

I've spent about 45 days in that area over the past 3 or 4 seasons and haven't seen 1 elk since the 1st day I was in there. We saw 3 bulls all 6pts, when I told someone I knew who lived in the area he about shit himself, he hadn't seen a bull in 3 or 4 years himself at the time and he lives there! Haven't seen an elk or mule deer buck bigger than a 2pt. since. Just FYI...... not saying it can't happen but its not high on the likely scale of things. I'm talking about 316 not the Bob.......

Do you archery hunt?

 

[Ben Long]

I hunted 150 in 2019. Six hunters in camp. Most very experienced hunters. We killed 3 bulls. We worked and suffered. I got a bull in the 330-340 inch range. Totally impossible without horses IMO. We hired Wilderness Lodge Outfitters, who earned every penny. It was a great wilderness experience but if your definition of success depends on seeing lots of elk, there are easier units. If your success is based on big wild country, being out among wolves and bears, and having an adventure, it's your huckleberry. I'll take this day to the grave with me.

 

[BigHornRam]

Last time I was in that country, the trailhead parking lot was packed with stock trailers. That was over 10 years ago so things may have changed since then. Trails were a zoo. Off trail I didn't see a person. That's where I would go if I was dead set on backpacking an elk out of there. Places where horses can't go.

 

[RoaminPublic]

I hunted 150 in 2019. Six hunters in camp. Most very experienced hunters. We killed 3 bulls. We worked and suffered. I got a bull in the 330-340 inch range. Totally impossible without horses IMO. We hired Wilderness Lodge Outfitters, who earned every penny. It was a great wilderness experience but if your definition of success depends on seeing lots of elk, there are easier units. If your success is based on big wild country, being out among wolves and bears, and having an adventure, it's your huckleberry. I'll take this day to the grave with me.

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I fall more into the second camp, being out there in the wilderness makes my day! Agreeable weather is nice too! That looks like a happy ride back to the truck!