Flight ideas near or out of Lewistown, Montana?

[Hammsolo]

Hey All, I’m on the hunt for a flight from Lewistown into the hills. So far I’ve found helicopter charters out of Bozeman that’ll cost me $6k. That’s out of my budget. I’ve heard rumors of Super Cubs flying out of Lewistown. I sent an email to the airport, but haven’t heard back yet. All ideas are welcome.

 

[44hunter45]

I know an unlicensed skydiving pilot out of Bozeman who might drop you.

 

[338win]

Call a few FBO’s. They will know some local commercial rated dudes. I’d do some legwork on the land management regs for where you want to go to make sure of the landing legality before even starting the inquiry with the pilots.

 

[Pagosa]

Maybe find you a local rancher/coyote hunter with a JA 3 or supercub to fly you around to look at the area. A lot of those guys are probably good pilots but arent commercial rated

 

[Hams42]

There are a few out of Lewistown but good luck with them actually responding to you. The only one that would respond to me was a group out of Billings. The spot you are wanting to go was quoted at 10k to me in 2021.

 

[Deez Nutz]

Are you looking for a scouting/sightseeing flight or a drop off to hunt flight? In other words, weight wise, just you? Or you and gear and potentially an animal?

 

[Hammsolo]

I’m looking for a flight for hunting for my brother and I for hopefully one elk. I have a friend with a Cessna out here in Spokane, but he’s worried about emergencies, weather and distance. I also have a friend that flies choppers, but he’ll be booked fighting fires at that time. I’m so close, but yet so far away.

 

[Deez Nutz]

Just to keep things in perspective. If you find a flight in a supercub, you aren't looking for 1 flight, you are looking for at least 2-3 round trips for a drop off and that plus a trip or 2 to shuttle meat out for your pick up trip. Most supercubs have a usable load of 650ish+/- lbs, that includes the pilot, the fuel, and any cargo/passengers. Just something to keep in mind when considering quoted prices. Many outfits in Alaska allow 250lbs for a client/gear per trip in a supercub, and more weight than that means the cost of an additional round trip. Something like a 180 may fit your mission better but that limits you on where you could land, and I don't think a lot of guys would be too excited to throw bloody quarters in a 180 unless they have a business that revolved around that.

 

[D4570]

Remember, in MT, you can not hunt for 24 hours after you fly.

 

[bigsky2]

I realize I’m probably stating the obvious, but I’d make sure and talk to someone who has flown into that area recently to see if they had a good hunt or not. I’m a local and in 2014 or 15 I flew into the area where I’m guessing you are planning to go. We saw very few elk on public and the whole time I was wishing I could get a flight out and be hunting somewhere else. That was during archery season and I realize there are probably times when there are a lot of elk on there. I don’t hear of locals flying in like I used to, and I’m not sure if that’s because of hunting quality or the high demand for flights.

 

[Straight Arrow]

I realize I’m probably stating the obvious, but I’d make sure and talk to someone who has flown into that area recently to see if they had a good hunt or not. I’m a local and in 2014 or 15 I flew into the area where I’m guessing you are planning to go. We saw very few elk on public and the whole time I was wishing I could get a flight out and be hunting somewhere else. That was during archery season and I realize there are probably times when there are a lot of elk on there. I don’t hear of locals flying in like I used to, and I’m not sure if that’s because of hunting quality or the high demand for flights.

Having flown helicopters for many years all over Montana as a Montana Army Guard pilot and often observing wildlife with great interest as a hunter, then later hiking into the areas to hunt, usually the elk or deer had moved on to somewhere else. It always seemed to be "cheating" to be flown into an area to hunt or to locate the wildlife by air even within a few days of the hunt. Investing in "boot leather" for scouting and on-the-trail recon has always seemed more satisfying to me.

 

[Deez Nutz]

I think it is a common misconception that if you fly into an area your hunt is going to be dynamite. That could be, but just because it's an area that not many others have access to, doesn't mean its a wonderland. I flew into 2 such parcels this past season that I had high hopes for, based on years of scouting and intel, and I came up bone dry, and then I killed a bull on public 2 miles from a paved highway.

 

[Dakotakid]

Remember, in MT, you can not hunt for 24 hours after you fly.

I think this changed in the legislature in 2025.

Now the 24 hour wait is if you spot or locate wildlife on your flight in.
Keep your eyes closed on landing you should be good…

(e) spot or locate a game animal or fur-bearing animal and communicate the location of the game animal or fur-bearing animal to any person as an aid to hunting:

(i) while in, using, or operating an aircraft; or

(ii) within 24 hours after utilizing an aircraft.

 

[D4570]

I hope the pilot is not hunting....

 

[Gerald Martin]

“Within 24 hours of utilizing an aircraft” is going to apply to the passengers being transported.

 

[Dakotakid]

“Within 24 hours of utilizing an aircraft” is going to apply to the passengers being transported.

That is two little ii, it modifies (e) spot and stalk.

 

[cgasner1]

I think this changed in the legislature in 2025.

Now the 24 hour wait is if you spot or locate wildlife on your flight in.
Keep your eyes closed on landing you should be good…

(e) spot or locate a game animal or fur-bearing animal and communicate the location of the game animal or fur-bearing animal to any person as an aid to hunting:

(i) while in, using, or operating an aircraft; or

(ii) within 24 hours after utilizing an aircraft.

That was put in to target drones. Flying in would also qualify