Hyalite Peak, Bozeman, MT

MT_Elkaholic

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Anyone in the Bozeman, MT area know if the basins around Hyalite Peak would be decent for mule deer/elk in September? The Google Earth imagery looks amazing but considering the time it takes to hike in I don't want to spend time scouting it if it's no good. Much appreciated!
 
The "work to potential reward ratio" would put that peak and surrounding basins very low on my list for elk and I can see it from my front porch. It would be so far down the scale for mule deer, I probably would not even count that as part of my list. If you are talking the lower basins near the Reservior, you will get to be on a first name basis with every MSU and Bozeman High student who skipped class and wanted a cool place to go and hike/shoot/drink that day.

But, it is some amazing country to look around in. Good luck.
 
Interesting how things change. I attended MSU in the early 90's and got my first taste of mountain hunting around Hyalite reservior. Every time I went up I saw elk and muledeer and many times moose. Back then I think the locals overlooked it. My last year there, '94, I did start running into more hikers, bikers and horseback riders and less game. I can only imagine how busy it is nowdays.
 
While I lived in Bozeman, the only four-legged critters I ever saw in that area were domestic dogs and 1 pissed off mama moose that would not let me get down to the inlet to fish.
 
Anyone in the Bozeman, MT area know if the basins around Hyalite Peak would be decent for mule deer/elk in September? The Google Earth imagery looks amazing but considering the time it takes to hike in I don't want to spend time scouting it if it's no good. Much appreciated!

If you live here I would put Hyalite and Blackmore peaks (and perhaps the Emerald/Heather lake trail) on your must do list - but for day hikes, not for hunting.
 
Hyalite holds some good elk numbers, I pushed out about 10 last November, no more than 1/2 a mile from the reservoir. 2 good buddies got there raghorns opening morning of rifle last year up there. As for deer never seen too many big ones, a coworker found a nice 5x deadhead last week that wasn't more than 2-3 months old
 
There are good looking women up there too.
 

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and you mind find me too


and a shot from Blackmore for good measure.
 

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Really haven't seen much for deer up there. There are a few elk, but not in very high densities. Especially for the amount of people that you see running around up there.
 
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