Montana Archery Elk Research?

[Hammsolo]

380 is good if you want to apply for 20 years with the hopes of killing a 320" bull. Easily the most overrated tag in the state, if not the US..

My brother-in-law drew it and ate tag soup trying to find a bruiser last year. He only saw low 300 bulls on public. The big boys were hanging on private.

 

[Hammsolo]

Honestly - LE areas in MT - especially targeting archery - aren't generally worth it. I have seen big bulls in general areas and limited areas and the pressure seems to be not a lot different. Put in for LE rifle in a good area, or hunt Wyoming.

Not saying that as a salty MT resident.

I’m applying in NM. Wyoming’s prices are nuts.

 

[cgasner1]

Deer heavy in Montana?

Spots burned now

 

[Hammsolo]

Deer heavy in Montana?

Lots of them, but nothing big yet. Mulies and Whitetails. Hopefully with good management I can increase the age class. I’m at the end of the road with private to my West, East, and South. The North is public for a long, long way.

I spent a chunk of this hunting season trying to rid the area of poachers…

 

[520 Road Sow]

Just what we need... another fkn Washington plate in MT.

 

[brocksw]

Bring bacon cheeseburgers to whatever unit you decide to go to. Thank me later.

 

[IEATELK]

Lots of places to hunt on a general.. pick a unit and just go. No one here will help u pick a “good 6 point spot”… but id be willing to chat with ya. Maybe some good karma will come… send a private message and we could text or chat. I like roses and busch light. And only hunt where theres grizz… but i do also LOVE THE BREAKS!!!!

 

[Deleted member 16864]

Lots of places to hunt on a general.. pick a unit and just go. No one here will help u pick a “good 6 point spot”… but id be willing to chat with ya. Maybe some good karma will come… send a private message and we could text or chat. I like roses and busch light. And only hunt where theres grizz… but i do also LOVE THE BREAKS!!!!

I can’t say for sure, but I don’t believe he’s looking for a husband.

 

[Hammsolo]

Just what we need... another fkn Washington plate in MT.

Oh don’t you worry, I have my Montana Native sticker slapped on my truck and camp trailer so no one vandalizes ‘em too bad.

All kidding aside, I was born and raised in Anaconda. I did move to WA to make more money, so feel free to destroy me for that. I own land up Mill Creek and pay taxes. I will also be moving back to care for my Mom when needed.

 

[rogerthat]

Bow+pintlars= mature bull

Give it a go. Big bastages in there

 

[geewhiz]

I’m dreaming of mature bulls.

No offense, but so is everyone.

There are big bulls on public land in general units in montana. I've lucked into killing one, and a handful that are in the very respectable category. I know nobody likes the phrase on this site but my advice is to tighten up those boot laces, get creative with your scouting, and spend some time putting on some miles, not just in season. Spend enough time and you'll find one eventually. Its a tough game to play though, and its seams like you're competing with more at more people each year. I'm trying to make this an encouraging post.

 

[cgasner1]

If I was in your situation I feel your best odds at a mature bull in your life is to apply for a premium unit. Mt has about 3-4 for a general guy in my opinion. I’d continue hunting around your property as much as you can on a non resident general. I would not burn your points on an archery tag as a non resident. I’d keep applying and when you get residency if it’s a few years down the road you may be in the running for a ver high quality rifle tag. Hopefully by then you have the time to learn the unit you draw because that will be a huge part in a mature elk. With any luck you punch one out in the pintlers while waiting for that tag.

 

[wapiti406]

Lolz. Just out of curiosity. Have you ever hunted the unit?

The unit is more or less in my back yard.. I have hunted for cows. I have had friends that have drawn and hunted with them. I spend a fair amount of time in there during March and April. There are some studs in there, but they are very few and far between. I just don't see how people can put this tag on such a high pedestal. I don't think 380 is even the best unit in region 3. But, there is 10,668 people that think differently than I do, maybe I am wrong about the district, and it truly is the Hill Ranch of Montana.

 

[300stw]

some local butte guys i know had the 380 tag this year, long time elk hunters, they ended up with couple 320 bulls after hunting most of the season, they said big elk were few and far between on public

they tell a story of seeing a 400in bull being loaded whole, in a truck, on private ground, heard it included a 10,000.00 tresspass fee, but it could be rumours

 

[Point Creep]

I’m dreaming of mature bulls. In all those elk I never killed a mature bull. The biggest was a young 5 x 6.

If you're talking about elk in MT, your 1st consideration regardless of general or limited quota should be what ranch you're hugging the border of.

There are basically zero units in which the public land is managed for any level of quality hunting, or "mature bulls".

 

[Don Fischer]

I've only ever killed 6 elk, all cows. I hunt to fill the freezer. Was thinking about this bull problem you guys are talking about and got me to thinking. I wonder just how many really trophy bulls are out there and how long does it take to grow one. Could it be your hunting them all out and what's not hunted out is shoved way back into pretty inaccessible country? Americans have turned hunting into mostly sport hunting but last day or two they take any legal animal. What if the tags for trophy animals were sold at a real premium, say $500, but all you could take was a 6 pt or better? No more fork or small legal bulls on the last couple days. I'm thinking its trophy hunting itself limiting the number of real trophy bulls! Mother nature will only supply so many of these animals a year and to read abut hunting elk it seems everyone wants a real trophy, well up until the last day or so. Had a good number of elk around where I hunted a big part of my life but true trophy's I have seldom seen!

A number of years ago Oregon opened a trophy deer area, well 4pt or better. I'd talked to some guys that hunted it the first years and they were amazed the number of 4pt bucks they saw in the early couple years. But haven't heard a thing about it in over 20 yrs now! My guess is it takes time to grow those animals and everybody going hunting is looking for one of them before settling on a simple legal animal. The down side to a trophy area with fees to match is it will eliminate a ton of pressure with simply putting a fee on the tag in line with the animal your wanting! So, who would pay $500 for a trophy tag good in any area but only a say five day season? I can guarantee you there are going to be people that would pay it, of course I am not one.

Make's me think, if you were a cattle rancher would you shoot your prize bull because he's so much better than the rest or would you hold onto him for breeding? Butcher the animal and put it in the oven and they all look the same!

 

[cgasner1]

I've only ever killed 6 elk, all cows. I hunt to fill the freezer. Was thinking about this bull problem you guys are talking about and got me to thinking. I wonder just how many really trophy bulls are out there and how long does it take to grow one. Could it be your hunting them all out and what's not hunted out is shoved way back into pretty inaccessible country? Americans have turned hunting into mostly sport hunting but last day or two they take any legal animal. What if the tags for trophy animals were sold at a real premium, say $500, but all you could take was a 6 pt or better? No more fork or small legal bulls on the last couple days. I'm thinking its trophy hunting itself limiting the number of real trophy bulls! Mother nature will only supply so many of these animals a year and to read abut hunting elk it seems everyone wants a real trophy, well up until the last day or so. Had a good number of elk around where I hunted a big part of my life but true trophy's I have seldom seen!

A number of years ago Oregon opened a trophy deer area, well 4pt or better. I'd talked to some guys that hunted it the first years and they were amazed the number of 4pt bucks they saw in the early couple years. But haven't heard a thing about it in over 20 yrs now! My guess is it takes time to grow those animals and everybody going hunting is looking for one of them before settling on a simple legal animal. The down side to a trophy area with fees to match is it will eliminate a ton of pressure with simply putting a fee on the tag in line with the animal your wanting! So, who would pay $500 for a trophy tag good in any area but only a say five day season? I can guarantee you there are going to be people that would pay it, of course I am not one.

Make's me think, if you were a cattle rancher would you shoot your prize bull because he's so much better than the rest or would you hold onto him for breeding? Butcher the animal and put it in the oven and they all look the same!

Define trophy. I’m surprised that hasn’t been asked yet of the mature bull. My bull this year was over 10 but he also didn’t break 280” kind of a kick in the… tougher meat and smaller rack. To me the age of the animal makes it more or a mature animal. Especially as I’ve gotten older and have realized genetics in animals is the same as people I won’t ever run a football in the nfl. Just like my bull this year probably never broke 320 in his life.

 

[kwyeewyk]

$500

Missing a zero, or two?

 

[300stw]

If you're talking about elk in MT, your 1st consideration regardless of general or limited quota should be what ranch you're hugging the border of.

There are basically zero units in which the public land is managed for any level of quality hunting, or "mature bulls".

is there an onx layer for that,,,,,,,,

 

[Hammsolo]

If I was in your situation I feel your best odds at a mature bull in your life is to apply for a premium unit. Mt has about 3-4 for a general guy in my opinion. I’d continue hunting around your property as much as you can on a non resident general. I would not burn your points on an archery tag as a non resident. I’d keep applying and when you get residency if it’s a few years down the road you may be in the running for a ver high quality rifle tag. Hopefully by then you have the time to learn the unit you draw because that will be a huge part in a mature elk. With any luck you punch one out in the pintlers while waiting for that tag.

Makes a ton of sense.