mdunc8
Well-known member
I'd like to give you more, but it's not my honey hole. Followed a friend up there. If it helps, we were right at treeline the first week of September.
East side of the Crazy Mountains
- Thread starter wingman1
- Start date
I'd like to give you more, but it's not my honey hole. Followed a friend up there. If it helps, we were right at treeline the first week of September.
montanadogs
New member
mdunc8
Well-known member
Great bull. Congrats. Maybe next year for me.
Drake4
Well-known member
Congrats...that is a great bull!
DreaminofMT6X6s
Member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2010
- Messages
- 800
Wingman, while I haven't hunted the crazies yet I completely understand and share your pain about the
"crowd's" in the central part of the state. Last year it was race to the end of the road and when you beat someone there someone usually had a 5th wheel or TWO already set up with a group hunting out of them. Most of these guys are out of staters and while I think it's great they bring all this money into the state, I wish they spread out a bit more. I really enjoy Bugle magazine, but last year Bugle recommended Central Montana....and the NR we spoke with were only in that area because of Bugle. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm looking to do the backcountry bivy thing from here on out, maybe even check out the crazies. Good luck!
"crowd's" in the central part of the state. Last year it was race to the end of the road and when you beat someone there someone usually had a 5th wheel or TWO already set up with a group hunting out of them. Most of these guys are out of staters and while I think it's great they bring all this money into the state, I wish they spread out a bit more. I really enjoy Bugle magazine, but last year Bugle recommended Central Montana....and the NR we spoke with were only in that area because of Bugle. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm looking to do the backcountry bivy thing from here on out, maybe even check out the crazies. Good luck!
DreaminofMT6X6s
Member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2010
- Messages
- 800
Oh and I almost forgot, one of the guys at work used to hunt the Crazies on a section of National Forest that borders private property and he always did well. If I can find out where it was I'll PM you and maybe we'll see each other there.
elk_hunter
Active member
Hell of an elk! Congrats, montanadogs!
elk_hunter
Active member
Say, does anyone know if the snow has melted enough over there in central MT where a few of us could chopper in and do some shed hunting?
Horn Seeker
New member
I might bump into you folks up there this year too... its been on my list for a few years now... but the crowds at the limited public entry points and small numbers of big bulls that come out of there have kept me away...
Bivy
Member
Lots of elk...lots of elk on private...obviously some bulls hanging up on forest after the cow herds head for lower ground.
Lots of elk harvested on forest.....after corner crossing or just complete and total trespassing!
The Crazies is frustrating...nothing against "montanadogs" (I'm not knocking your kills--I'm sure they were legal) but I know of one trail where people kill elk and they trespass across an outfitted ranch to get there.
My only point is...get HuntingGPSmaps! These landowners...or more so their outfitters! are strict
Lots of elk harvested on forest.....after corner crossing or just complete and total trespassing!
The Crazies is frustrating...nothing against "montanadogs" (I'm not knocking your kills--I'm sure they were legal) but I know of one trail where people kill elk and they trespass across an outfitted ranch to get there.
My only point is...get HuntingGPSmaps! These landowners...or more so their outfitters! are strict
Rat Fink
Member
Or a guy with at least a 7th grade education could just make a great set of GPS compatible maps by using tools like http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/state/mt/
Why pay someone big bucks to do something that can easily be done in 15 minutes and get the same result? Hunting checkerboard lands suck, but it can be done in a limited way if you have good maps and GPS skills.
Lawnboy
Well-known member
Bivy is the trail your referring to a NF trail? Many trails get touted off limits by landowners that might cross through some of their land. They have no right to harass or block accesss but they do. On the other hand the public shouldn't trespass and poach on land or trails that aren't really public.
Horn Seeker
New member
HuntingGPSmaps Kicks Ass....
mdunc8
Well-known member
You don't need a GPS in the Crazies to understand the property boundaries. There's enough variation in the topography that a good map will do just fine. Unless of course you want to be sure the bull you're about to shoot is really 15ft from the property line, which I guess is a good thing to know.
Bivy
Member
Rat Fink...I will have to check that out...I already have Montana but for other states like wyoming that would be super handy! Does that have cadastral?
Lawnboy...it is not an "official trail"...it is though to the private land; however, the private land is not fenced or marked and the trail continues on.
And...along with the other comments...yes the Crazies is huntable with just a map. But I like to be sure! A few years back while hunting Wyoming we had a landowner try to run us off of public ground that we had just shot a buck on. The usual deal---this is my land...you have nonresident plates...you can't trust those BLM maps...since you killed an antelope I'm calling the warden...the fine is $$$ and you will lose the goat....or you can pay me a trespass fee
...we were brighter than him and didn't cave and walked away from the situation with our goat. I have had no problems in the Crazies...but if a landowner should approach me I like having that GPS handy (particularly since that is the instrument the wardens use to settle trespassing disputes. Also, I know of one outfitter that doesn't quite follow the rules...likes to hunt the checkerboarded forest along with the checkerboarded private...always nice to keep these guys in check.
The Crazies has elk...most I believe are hanging out right on the boundary...The Crazies is ROUGH...and I have turned away from elk that are two drainages away that I know I cannot retrieve in time to prevent wasted game. Have fun...be careful...use common sense...and maybe I will see you out there unless I draw my 410 permit
Lawnboy...it is not an "official trail"...it is though to the private land; however, the private land is not fenced or marked and the trail continues on.
And...along with the other comments...yes the Crazies is huntable with just a map. But I like to be sure! A few years back while hunting Wyoming we had a landowner try to run us off of public ground that we had just shot a buck on. The usual deal---this is my land...you have nonresident plates...you can't trust those BLM maps...since you killed an antelope I'm calling the warden...the fine is $$$ and you will lose the goat....or you can pay me a trespass fee
...we were brighter than him and didn't cave and walked away from the situation with our goat. I have had no problems in the Crazies...but if a landowner should approach me I like having that GPS handy (particularly since that is the instrument the wardens use to settle trespassing disputes. Also, I know of one outfitter that doesn't quite follow the rules...likes to hunt the checkerboarded forest along with the checkerboarded private...always nice to keep these guys in check.The Crazies has elk...most I believe are hanging out right on the boundary...The Crazies is ROUGH...and I have turned away from elk that are two drainages away that I know I cannot retrieve in time to prevent wasted game. Have fun...be careful...use common sense...and maybe I will see you out there unless I draw my 410 permit
Horn Seeker
New member
So if I shoot one at say, 1600-2000 yards across a couple canyons (see my rifle post in the guns and ammo forum).... I may risk not being able to get to him or pack him out in time??
^%#$#^ Foiled!
^%#$#^ Foiled!
Drake4
Well-known member
That's where the helicopter comes in.
Bambistew
Well-known member
You realize that NRs are on a limted quote right?
I've always said if you complaing about Non-residents hunting in MT, you better be hunting in your own county, because odds are you drove a heck of a long ways to get to where you are. The area I grew up hunting in SW MT was usaully over run with instate hunters... most of them driving 4-6 hours to get there. ID and WY were less than an hour drive. Of all the cars parked at the trail head I was usually the ONLY one from that county, and it wasn't because I was stupid or there was better spots. The last time I drove by the parking lot... there was 25 trucks and not a single plate from that county, about 6 NR plates, the rest were 'in state' hunters. Talk about crowding and ruining a spot... 15 years ago I was usually the only person to hunt the area in archery season.
Its public land, they aren't making any more of it. Finding a place to go is getting harder and harder. Its unfortunate that magazines share our favorite spots.
wingman1
New member
Not sure, but will know by the weekend. Going in for the first sweep. After next week there will be people in there until the last horn is picked up and I'm not talking about me. Will try to post on the snow conditions
When I get back.
Bivy
Member
Wingman...where abouts are you referring to...Crazies? Breaks? your Snowies hotspot?
Do you really think the majority of branch-antlered bulls will be shed by this weekend or are you merely scouting for wintering bulls for a later return?
How low do you have to fly to spot sheds? Interesting concept...flying for sheds...I was curious if folks did that around here.
Seems to me a lot of your 300"-330" bulls will still be packing for about 10-14 days
Do you really think the majority of branch-antlered bulls will be shed by this weekend or are you merely scouting for wintering bulls for a later return?
How low do you have to fly to spot sheds? Interesting concept...flying for sheds...I was curious if folks did that around here.
Seems to me a lot of your 300"-330" bulls will still be packing for about 10-14 days
