Elk hunting west of West YellowStone

[wswat]

Didn't draw my special unit so I'm looking at going out past west Yellowstone south of Ennis. Anyone bow or Rifle hunted there before? Looking for any tips on what to be looking for. Doing it DIY and scouting all on my own so not sure what to expect.

Thanks

 

[A-con]

I know the area West of West Yellowstone and South of Ennis has been hit hard by wolves. Some time back it was on my "short list" and I did a bit of research. Sounded good at the time, but I ended up hunting elsewhere.
Two years ago I hunted central Montana, and on my way home I drove through Ennis, and went to check out some trailheads and areas I had researched. Several local hunters said there were still "some" elk, but numbers had really dropped with increasing wolf numbers.
Don't talk my word for it, make some phone calls.
Really spectacular country, but I would inquire about current population numbers before I used a non resident tag there.

 

[Bambistew]

If I had to guess, I would bet that the population is about 35% what it was 15 years ago. Wolves, and too many cow tags given out are the issue. The wolves push the elk onto the flat, the hunters shoot he hell out of them.

I'd look further to the east if it was me.

 

[Big Fin]

I have shot two bulls in there. I don't hunt there much anymore. Still some elk, but they get hammered like Bambi says. It used to be very good. Now, they hold on the forest until pressure or weather push them to the private lands on the south end of the Madison Valley. The majority of the elk make that migration in one night, reaching sanctuary in the cover of darkness.

Still some that straggle along and can be vulnerable if you have good snow for spotting and tracking. Tough country.

I live here and I find other places to chase them, even though I think I had a pretty good handle on that spot.

Oh, and my only two grizzly bear encounters were both in that area. Thankfully, they both wanted to get away from me as bad as I wanted to get away from them. One was in the first week of November, which I thought was pretty late for a grizz to be out and about.

 

[thecrittergitter]

Used to be the only area i hunted, now, dont care to go. So many hunters for the amount of elk, and the biggest thing is the ridiculous amount of grizzlies now. I have now been charged by two griz, one having to get the bullet and the other fortunately stopped after a 100 yard sprint. make sure you bring bear spray and a 44 mag

 

[wswat]

Thank you to all for the info. Any thoughts on any place else that I can go and try to get an elk? Not looking for a real monster would be nice but just would like to get my first animal.

 

[shoots-straight]

Have you tried going to Montana's FW&PS web site and using their "Hunt Planner"?
http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/planahunt/

 

[wswat]

Have tried all that stuff but there is so much out there its really hard to pinpoint any certian areas.
I had everything lined up for my special unit that was supposed to be 100% without at point and I had 2 points.

 

[mthunter]

Don't let the wolves scare you off. I counted well over 1,000 head of elk on the west side of the madison this summer. They are there, but I would go with the bow before the lead shooting pushes them down onto private. So much country to hunt.