Highwood Mtns MT

[EagleEye]

I'm curious to hear some opinions on archery in the Highwoods. My brother and I drew the 900 tag and have our eyes on the Highwoods but to be honest are open to and are actively researching several of the units that are huntable with that tag. Knowing the elk are over objective in the Highwoods is appealing but I realize private property plays a pretty big role in the success of a hunt. Anyone hunted there in September? What's your opinion?

 

[starvingoutdoorsman]

I have friends that keep wanting me to go to the Highwoods. Never been yet. But there has to be a reason why they keep insisting...

 

[Big Sky]

There are elk and bow season is a better time to catch them on public land. However the Highwoods are very close to Great Falls and especially the Air Force base. Expect to have company.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

The dynamics of elk hunting in the Highwoods have changed very drastically over the last 15 to 20 years.

The elk tend to locate the private land refuges and spend their time there. At one point in time you could regularly plan on finding elk on public ground. You still can, but you'll work harder for it and find fewer elk than in years gone by.

Also, as Big Sky alluded to you have the air base. Those guys are constantly flying over the Highwoods, so you can bet that they are seeing the elk that are visible. No secrets there.

At one point, the Highwoods were a premier location for big bulls. There are still big bulls there, but honestly I think you can find as good, if not better elk hunting in other nearby areas.

 

[MHMT]

Last September I could hardly find a place to park there. Also, I would treat the trails like interstates, some are open to motorbikes. Cool looking country though.

 

[EagleEye]

Thanks for input guys. No surprises based on what I've heard around the rumor mill. We are planning a scouting trip or two this summer to at the very least scope out some new country. It looks like great habitat that's for sure.

 

[Elkaholic3428]

2013 was the first year I have ever been in the highwoods to hunt. And I know this is an older thread but after reading some of the comments and reading stuff about the Air Force guys I had to comment on it cuz those guys really pissed me off. First day out we didn't expect anything but we barely got outta the truck and we ran into an elk herd next thing we knew there was a helicopter that shows up flying low which we thought wasn't normal next thing you know these guys hoovered there over the elk for a minute then they dropped where they were dang near touching the tree tops then they started pushing or chasing the elk with the helicopter. I'm a non resident so I didn't know who to call but I started telling others and asking about it and turns out I'm not the only one that has seen or heard of these tools doing this!

 

[Deleted member 20812]

2013 was the first year I have ever been in the highwoods to hunt. And I know this is an older thread but after reading some of the comments and reading stuff about the Air Force guys I had to comment on it cuz those guys really pissed me off. First day out we didn't expect anything but we barely got outta the truck and we ran into an elk herd next thing we knew there was a helicopter that shows up flying low which we thought wasn't normal next thing you know these guys hoovered there over the elk for a minute then they dropped where they were dang near touching the tree tops then they started pushing or chasing the elk with the helicopter. I'm a non resident so I didn't know who to call but I started telling others and asking about it and turns out I'm not the only one that has seen or heard of these tools doing this!

It happens. When you get a hotshot 24 year old flying a Blackhawk around where he can look at elk, you pretty much expect him to do something dumb. Kind of like turning a couple of 16 year olds loose on a jet ski in front of the bikini beach....

And then sometimes they are legitimately doing what they need to do and people complain anyway.