Montana elk hunt

[vman1959]

I am 58 and 4 years into elk hunting, have yet to get a bull. I have been looking over Montana and am looking for honest advice as to where I would have the best shot at drawing a tag. Only stipulation is no areas with grizzly.

Thanks.

 

[Pagosa]

I would seriously look into Wyoming or a limited 1st season rifle in Colorado. Pick a unit with good amount of public land, that has an average amounts of roads, and some roadless areas. I'm not trying to steer you away from Montana, but I've hunted Colorado quite a lot and Colorado offers a lot of elk in rather small areas. The main problem for non-residents in Montana, which is good and bad, that large areas never see much hunting pressure as compared to Colorado,which gets hunted heavy and either forces the elk to private, or around the public. Montana has large mountain ranges that see concentrated hunting pressure on most every weekend, and smaller herds scattered through heavily timbered areas.
I hunted Montana as a non-resident from 2001 until 2007 (four seasons total) for elk and was never successful. It has taken several years to be able to find elk and have success most years since moving here in 2014. If you have 10 days to 2 weeks to hunt I would Montana and enjoy your hunt. If you want to just kill a bull elk, I'd personally look into Wyoming or Colorado, which offer triple success rates as compared to Montana. The hunting in Montana seems to be directed to resident hunters.

 

[Trailrunnerdj]

Just got back from Montana on Saturday. First time hunting one of those "high pressured" Montana areas that everyone says is crawling with hunters in the Little Belts. I was party leader and spent a ton of time researching on here as well as other places and calls to FWP and the rangers in the Lewis and Clark and thought we had a decent plan. We hunted hard and as a group of 4 hunting separately we saw 3 other hunters in the woods and they were all within 1 mile of the road. We went 2-4 on elk with two big cows pretty good by based on the posted stats for the area. I walked up o a group of bedded elk on the first day and could not pass up a 60 yd shot on a huge cow. My cousin scored on another cow on Wednesday of the first week. After shooting the cow I saw 3 other bulls the rest of the week while trying to find a buck mule deer! So if you an truly cover 10 miles a day I suggest hunting the high density/high pressured area of MT. The bulls I saw were 5x5 and 2 6x6 unbelievable.

 

[Trailrunnerdj]

No grizz in little belts with the exception of a lone one or so caught on trail cam I have been told .

 

[rammac]

Just got back from Montana on Saturday. First time hunting one of those "high pressured" Montana areas that everyone says is crawling with hunters in the Little Belts. I was party leader and spent a ton of time researching on here as well as other places and calls to FWP and the rangers in the Lewis and Clark and thought we had a decent plan. We hunted hard and as a group of 4 hunting separately we saw 3 other hunters in the woods and they were all within 1 mile of the road. We went 2-4 on elk with two big cows pretty good by based on the posted stats for the area. I walked up o a group of bedded elk on the first day and could not pass up a 60 yd shot on a huge cow. My cousin scored on another cow on Wednesday of the first week. After shooting the cow I saw 3 other bulls the rest of the week while trying to find a buck mule deer! So if you an truly cover 10 miles a day I suggest hunting the high density/high pressured area of MT. The bulls I saw were 5x5 and 2 6x6 unbelievable.

I'm waiting to see if you get lectured like I did when I said that same thing about the crowding problems in Montana.

 

[Trailrunnerdj]

I'm waiting to see if you get lectured like I did when I said that same thing about the crowding problems in Montana.

Bring it on! Hunting in PA and knowing what hunting pressure is I could not tell the season started. The only thing I agree with is that even in the heavy hunted area the hunters are older "I'm 50" and can't or are not able to get to where the elk are. As everyone has said our kills and sightings were 1-2 miles from the roads but either uphill 1500 or downhill 1000 from the road. Great trip and beautiful country can't wait to get back!

 

[vman1959]

Thanks I really do appreciate the input. No I can't get around like I use to either but if I take my time and use my head I can get just about anywhere just way later. Lol. I will say this many of the threads in other forum's are way different than here you mention your a non resident and your treated like a desease told to stay home etc. With the exception of Wyoming really didn't see much of it there but Montana and Colo are terrible.

 

[Pagosa]

If your serious about hunting Montana, I'd recommend buying the book Elk hunting Montana, by Jack Balland. It's a good read, and good intel on multiple areas of Montana. I personally elk hunt Region 3-4 in Montana, which is a 3-4 hour drive, but I see way more elk than in Region 1. I think success is about 10%-15% on bulls, but a number of hunters are successful each year. Good luck and enjoy your future hunt.

 

[vman1959]

I did have a tag I drew in Colorado but unfortunately I had to send it in for a refund when my wife was diagnosed with cancer. Right now it's up in the air where and if I'll go. She's half way through her 4 1/2 months of chemotherapy. So I will more than likely have to either go OTC or a leftover tag. But like she to me it's better to plan ahead if I can go than not plan at all.
Thanks again.

 

[SteveE]

I did have a tag I drew in Colorado but unfortunately I had to send it in for a refund when my wife was diagnosed with cancer. Right now it's up in the air where and if I'll go. She's half way through her 4 1/2 months of chemotherapy. So I will more than likely have to either go OTC or a leftover tag. But like she to me it's better to plan ahead if I can go than not plan at all.
Thanks again.

Praying for you and your wife! Stay positive and believe in the light at the end of the tunnel.

My wife finished treatment recently so I understand the year you are having. Take care of your wife this winter and when things improve send me a PM and I can give you some solid units for the spring drawings. Get you set up with a decent hunt in a good area for next year. Can’t promise you a bull but I will put you in area where you have a real chance.

Cancer sucks. I will do what I can to help you out - stay in touch.

 

[vman1959]

Praying for you and your wife! Stay positive and believe in the light at the end of the tunnel.

My wife finished treatment recently so I understand the year you are having. Take care of your wife this winter and when things improve send me a PM and I can give you some solid units for the spring drawings. Get you set up with a decent hunt in a good area for next year. Can’t promise you a bull but I will put you in area where you have a real chance.

Cancer sucks. I will do what I can to help you out - stay in touch.

Yes it really does, knowing what she has and watching her go through it. Sometimes I wonder what is worse the desease or the cure! Still got a long road. Thanks for the kind thoughts.

 

[Rocky176]

I just read that a Guide and Hunter were attacked in Boulder Basin (outside of Cody) Wyoming by a grizzly while they were cutting up an elk. Attacked both people and made off with a hind quarter.

 

[vman1959]

I just read that a Guide and Hunter were attacked in Boulder Basin (outside of Cody) Wyoming by a grizzly while they were cutting up an elk. Attacked both people and made off with a hind quarter.

Saw the same thing. Sucks luckily no serious injuries.