Missouri Breaks Scouting

Birddy

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I drew a 410 archery permit and I am trying to build my hunting and scouting plan. For a couple different reasons i will be hunting the last week of September. I had planned to come out in August and do a weekend scouting trip to check out camping locations, road accessibility, look for elk obviously, and general lay out of land and check for water sources. Well then i got to thinking and figured if i am not going to hunt until late September it doesn't really pay to scout in August. So now i am leaning towards maybe going out opening weekend to scout/hunt. I live about 6 hours away from the unit so a weekend hunt is not out of the questions. My thoughts being that if i am going to make the trip i might as well go when i can at least have the chance to shoot one if i find one. This would give me the chance to check out the camping situation, the roads, and also allow me to see where the major hunting pressure is at.

Thoughts on that?

I basically planned to scout for rougher off the beaten path areas and for water sources. If anyone is willing to share any other scouting tips for finding elk in breaks country i am all ears. I have never elk hunting so this is all new but i have spent a lot of time in the ND badlands so that type of country is not new to me. I assume the elk would be pretty nomadic in that more open country? I would think with all the grass land country it wouldn't work well to focus on the food aspect because its all around. So i planned to focus on water sources and bedding cover to find elk.

Lastly, will i have cell service in that area? Enough to text my wife once a day and let her know i am alive? I will probably be hunting solo and she is a worrier haha
 
The elk wont be in the same place two days in a row. The week before opener this year does look ideal to scout because of the holiday weekened. Hope the weather is good. There was cell service last year. Im curious about it this year though as AT&T dropped coverage in that NE part of the state not sure if 410 will be affected or not. Camping options are more or less endless just camp any where, no real designated areas to camp aside from the marina at Crooked Creek.
 
If it were me, I would find the highest spots in my areas, glass early morning, late afternoon. Mid day go and look for old rubs. Typically old rubs are indications of last years breeding areas, or at least where bulls hung out during breeding season. In my area of the breaks last year I could send a text and search internet on the high spots.
 
Ive had buddies with that tag... theyve been in elk most days. Lots miles. Around 1-2 miles off away from roads. There are some burns they looked into and found most elk out of the burn. Good bulls to be had. It is similar to our badlands country... be prepared for rain and getting stuck at camp do to the hellacious gumbo roads. 90 percent spot and stalk
 
be prepared, get 10 ply tires on your vehicle. bring a bunch of tire repair stuff i had 3 flats in 3 weeks there. water is crucial for u, u need to pack in all of it . filtering will not work there. gas will also need to be packed in as it a long ways away. if it rains u are stuck where u are 2 -3 days. invest in either a chip for ur gps or get Onx maps. i was there in 2017 and it rained 3x and i was stuck in camp for 2-3 days each time. if ur worried about rattlers wear snake gaiters u will see some. early season be ready for 90 degree temps. brings tires chains if u can. good tow straps. this area is not for wallflowers, this area will beat you down it is by far the hardest hunt i have been on out of 9 different hunts in montana and wyoming. if u got specific questions send me a p.m.
 

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Verizon provides pretty good coverage in eastern Montana. I was hunting west of there last season and had LTE in some places and could text most everywhere except the real deep bottoms.
 
I’m convinced the best way to hunt the breaks is by parking your truck and boat trailer at a ramp service by a gravel (not gumbo) road and hunting from a boat.
Not that I’ve done this, but I’be always been envious of the guys not worried sick about rain.

I have taken an ATV and parked my truck on a good road and ridden to gumbo country from there. I’ve also just headed on in with my nice truck. The latter is a bit of a worry. You’re either stuck when it rains or rutting up the road, trying not to go off the edge.
 
I’m convinced the best way to hunt the breaks is by parking your truck and boat trailer at a ramp service by a gravel (not gumbo) road and hunting from a boat.
Not that I’ve done this, but I’be always been envious of the guys not worried sick about rain.

I have taken an ATV and parked my truck on a good road and ridden to gumbo country from there. I’ve also just headed on in with my nice truck. The latter is a bit of a worry. You’re either stuck when it rains or rutting up the road, trying not to go off the edge.
I am considering a canoe my next time
 
I’ve hunted that area a few times and it WILL be slammed with people opening weekend. Probably the most pressure I’ve seen of anywhere I’ve hunted, including rifle seasons. It seems to slow down with people later so end of September may be a good bet. Plus it will be hopefully be cooler.

It’s hard to get much more than 2 miles from a road in 410 so don’t expect a backcountry type experience. Get at least a mile off a road and get up high and glass early morning. They will seemingly appear from nowhere. After that try and put on a stall. Beware with all the breaks in terrain there is no such thing as a steady wind in that country. Sit water holes mid day. We’ve had the most shot opportunity mid day at water holes. Granted those were hot dry years.

The bad... there are a lot of people, a lot of gumbo, and a lot of mosquitos. The good... there are a lot of elk and it’s open so you have a good chance of at least seeing elk every day.

To your original question, I would skip the preseason scouting and go opening weekend so you can hunt. A call to the game warden and/or biologist for the area will give you the best info. I’ve called both in the past and they are very helpful. Good luck!
 
Elk can be anywhere in that country. Roads don't mean much there. I have seen as many elk 500 yrds from the road as I have getting as far from roads as possible. Get high and glass you will spot elk miles away watch them till they bed and put a move on them. Hunting water is very productive. Don't ignore areas with no trees, you'll be amazed where you find elk hanging out. Weekends suck. During the week not so bad.10392233_1118852892169_6604273_n~2.jpg
 
Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

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