HuntTalkers experiences with Hunt Roster in Montana

[WNC2500]

I will start off first of all by saying that I have used the search feature and there is Hunt Roster comments on Bison, but not a lot of comments or threads on deer/elk/antelope. I am only asking about Deer/Elk/Speed Goats, not Bison.
What have your experiences been like? How many of you have been selected, and then hunted? Stories?

 

[Doublecluck]

We use to sign up but every time we got selected our freezer was full, never went. I’ve went with a couple buddies who shot cows just off of hay piles outside Bozeman. Drove right up and tossed it in the back of the truck. If your looking for meat I think it’s a great thing, if your lookin for a “hunt” maybe not. I’m sure there’s a lot of different types of experiences based on where ya go when your number comes up.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Although I've never had to employ the deer roster opportunity, I do know that many landowners make deer readily available and easy to hunt.
The elk hunt roster is almost obsolete in that it hasn't been opened in many areas since the nearly year around shoulder elk massacres have been in place.

 

[bigsky2]

At our local season setting meeting with FWP this spring there was a big push by sportsmen to use the damage roster in place of shoulder seasons. The biologist said it hasn't worked well in the past because usually when they contact people from the roster those people never show up to hunt. We brought up that most people don't even know about the damage roster and it needs to be advertised better. We will see if anything comes of it.

 

[mtmiller]

Killed a deer using the system last year. Quite a few years ago I used it for a couple cows.

 

[2ski]

I've hunted twice. Once for deer and I didnt see anything but I know people had been there earlier in the day. Once for elk and shot a cow. Good way to get meat. There were about 10 guys. We had a time to meet up and then formulated a plan with the landowner to try and make it fair and all of us get a chance. Hiked up and waited for daylight and then for the elk to come up out of the field. 3 elk down. Land owner drove down and loaded it in the bale truck after it was down and gutted. I got a call about 4 days before it happened to be ready. The next call was less than 24 hours notice.

 

[MThuntr]

been on a handful of elk hunts. never had the chance to shoot one since I was so far down the list. one year I did a hunt in August in the Breaks with temps well over 100 degrees.

 

[MLaird]

I apparently missed the call last year for a cow. I was number 4 on the list in the hunt district I applied. One week in January I was #4, then the next week I checked I was like #27. Do they not even bother leaving messages if no one answers, just go on to the next number? I was bummed, I could have used the meat.

 

[RobG]

Quality varies widely and not possible to know in advance. Usually short notice (a few days to a few hours). I've had the 20 below, 60mph wind post-holing death hunt to "Hey Rob, rancher John has 200 elk on his haystack. Can you be out by noon?" (I said no to that one.)

 

[Schaaf]

No need for it when we have biologists giving kill permits for bulls to landowners in January.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I did one, got a call saying I was probably going to hunt in the next week or so, coordinator called me day before the hunt, went out two days. Got a cow the second day, first day they were on a pivot that wasn’t part of the hunt. Pretty wild walking up on a herd of 400+
After the shot there was no way I could tell which one I hit, thank got it went with the one shot.
Definitely more of a harvest than hunt, but it was an interesting experience.
Not something I need to do again.

 

[Cav1]

In our area a neighbor and I used to sign up, but neither one of us ever got called.

 

[WNC2500]

I did one, got a call saying I was probably going to hunt in the next week or so, coordinator called me day before the hunt, went out two days. Got a cow the second day, first day they were on a pivot that wasn’t part of the hunt. Pretty wild walking up on a herd of 400+
After the shot there was no way I could tell which one I hit, thank got it went with the one shot.
Definitely more of a harvest than hunt, but it was an interesting experience.
Not something I need to do again.
View attachment 147039

Wow! That is a wild picture for sure.