marshman
Well-known member
I have drawn a Mule Deer Tag for unit 215. I have not hunted this unit before, would anyone be willing to let me know if hunter numbers are high in this unit? I am looking at the north section of the unit near Elliston.
Hunter numbers - Montana HD 215
- Thread starter marshman
- Start date
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hobbes
Guest
I'm not sure what you consider "high" hunter numbers. I've not hunted the general season, but hunt the archery season some in 215. I'm sure there are more general season hunters than archery hunters so I'd say you'll have some company. Maybe the general season will show more bucks, but I can count on one hand the number of mule deer I've seen in the last several years.
rammac
Member
It depends on where in 215 you hunt. The area I hunt has very few hunters, I usually only see less than a dozen people for the entire season and they are usually pretty far from me, I've never felt the need to move because of other hunters being too numerous.
Be aware, the forest service is starting to abate the snag problem and will be harvesting wood along Hahn Creek and Telegraph Creek which are on the eastern edge of 215 so there will be logging trucks and wood cutting going on in those areas. Also, just the other day, we saw fresh grizzly tracks along FS 495 about 10 miles south of highway 12. I've also seen wolf tracks along the top of a couple of ridges and we have black bear and mountain lions in the area, the wife had to chase a cat out of our back yard a couple weeks ago (we live inside 215 along the west face of the divide on the edge of Helena Ntl Forest), it was a good sized tom.
Be aware, the forest service is starting to abate the snag problem and will be harvesting wood along Hahn Creek and Telegraph Creek which are on the eastern edge of 215 so there will be logging trucks and wood cutting going on in those areas. Also, just the other day, we saw fresh grizzly tracks along FS 495 about 10 miles south of highway 12. I've also seen wolf tracks along the top of a couple of ridges and we have black bear and mountain lions in the area, the wife had to chase a cat out of our back yard a couple weeks ago (we live inside 215 along the west face of the divide on the edge of Helena Ntl Forest), it was a good sized tom.
marshman
Well-known member
I am in good shape and plan on hiking far from roads, the challenge is fine. Thank you for the information on the Hahn Creek/Telegraph Creek areas, I scouted this area a lot, if you wondered what the RAV 4 from WA was doing up there in July
Will this logging go on with snowfall? In WA that kinda shuts them down. Looked for Grizzly Bear sign this past July and couldn't find any, but i know they are there, about a half dozen according to MFWP.
The Black Bears and Cat's I get to deal with at home. The Cat's are the creepy ones, if a Bear knows you are there they leave; a Cat just hides and watches you, creepy.
Will this logging go on with snowfall? In WA that kinda shuts them down. Looked for Grizzly Bear sign this past July and couldn't find any, but i know they are there, about a half dozen according to MFWP.The Black Bears and Cat's I get to deal with at home. The Cat's are the creepy ones, if a Bear knows you are there they leave; a Cat just hides and watches you, creepy.
rammac
Member
I talked with the forest service about the logging and I was told that the intention is to have them continue logging throughout the winter, they are scheduled to work the area for the next 5 years. The logging companies are authorized to build roads as necessary but they have to reclaim the land when they are done. I actually live about a half mile from the Hahn Creek road where it turns off from FS 495 so I'm very familiar with this area. If you want some details about what the loggers are doing you can PM me and I can tell you who to contact for more information.
By the way, we're getting snow right now, it isn't supposed to be much, maybe 6 inches or so by Tuesday but it's supposed to warm up again this Friday.
By the way, we're getting snow right now, it isn't supposed to be much, maybe 6 inches or so by Tuesday but it's supposed to warm up again this Friday.
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hobbes
Guest
I hate hearing the grizzly track info. I hunt that region some and haven't seen sign of grizzly yet and would prefer it to stay that way. I guess they are eventually going to be a reality anywhere you hunt in Montana.
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rammac
Member
I've seen quite a bit of bear scat and a couple of black bear along the Flume Gulch and the east face above the Mike Renig Gulch. The year before last we saw a sow with two cubs several times along the east face of the Telegraph Creek valley, they were never close enough for me too tell if they were black or brown bear but one cub was brown and the other was black so...
