Montana Rifle Elk - Gonna be a good one

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Good luck Randy. Make sure the plane buzzing gets some airtime on the Outdoor Channel.
 
I would definitely report that plane. A lot of "less then legal" acts are committed by private land owners in Montana as some think they can manage the public land for their own means. We've had ranchers close down forest service roads where we hunt and push elk out of the public areas that border their property on horse back. Calls to the game warden definitely get these things fixed, but unless someone reports it, it goes completely unnoticed and they just keep on making things difficult for everyone. Either way it was probably harmless, just seems wierd. Good luck out there and nail a MONSTER!!
 
Dadgummit Fin, I check Yeti off the list thinking I'm done and you raise me a helicopter! Crap!

Good luck, I'm bettin' you guys will rob the candystore.
 
Well, things just shaping up too good to be true.

We woke early and headed up the ridge way before dark. The elk were screaming down. Below our camp, out on private. The wind was perfect.

As we sat listening to the elk chorus, I told Bart I could hear voices above us. Sure enough out walk two hunter and they stand in the saddle a couple hundred yards below us.

They are talking and flashing their lights. We are about 500 yards from camp at this time.

Since they seem intent on setting up right in our shooting lane, I decide I better walk down and see what they plan to do.

When I get there, they tell me they were the guys in the orange and white airplane who buzzed our camp last night. And yeah, they did see that big herd of elk right next to our camp.

They had landed out on the BLM and walked in to set up here, as they were looking to shoot this one particular bull.

I tried my best to be cordial, thinking they had just stumbled into this spot. When I found out they had buzzed us and knew exactly where our camp was, I was not too pleased.

They walked with me to where Bart and Troy were standing. Much discussion was had and it is the first time I have seen Bart get mad.

Many times, those guys said they were "Gonna stay right here!". Then went to tell us what a stupid place we put our camp, and that they had been bowhunting, know all these bulls by name, and have an arrow in the shoulder of the Big 6 that was here last night.

After that, things were about to go a bad direction. I told them they could have this spot and we would continue further up the ridge and away from camp.

To these two guys, I might have seemed easy going and put it off as no big deal. I hardly want a confrontation with another self guided hunter. I would caution that the next time they decide to plant themselves right in the middle of the setup of guys you buzzed with a plane, the reception might be less friendly.

In their quest to shoot the biggest bull around, they have proven to be some of the least respectful hunters I have ever encountered. If they read this and email me, I can send them the entire audio track of the discussion.

It is public land, so we all have the same right to be here. Just takes a different kind of hunter to buzz a camp, know exactly where it is, then come and set up right in the middle of that location, within a couple hundred yards of the camp and those hunters. Hope you get your bull, M***.


After we moved off, we saw plenty of elk, just no good opportunities to capture it on film.

Sitting here now trying to plot the afternoon strategy.
 
Randy,

Depending on how you define "buzzing", your video might be of interest to the FAA...

91.119 Minimum safe altitudes; general
Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the
following altitudes;
(a) ·Anywhere. ·An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue
hazard to persons or property on the surface.
(b) ·Over congested areas. ·Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any
open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a
horizontal radius of 2.000 feet of the aircraft.
(c) ·Over other than congested areas.
An altitude of 500 feet above the surface except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In that case, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

(d) ·Helicopters. ·Helicopters may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed In paragraph
(b) or (c) of this section if the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the
surface. In addition, each person operating a helicopter shall comply with routes or altitudes
specifically prescribed for helicopters by the Administrator.


There is a good chance you would fit the Agency's definition of a "person", and, perhaps, your tent/camp might even fit the definition of "structure".

Kind of depends on what your video shows. But, their ethics as hunters seemed to be borderline, their behaviour as pilots seems to be careless, perhaps.
 
Welcome to the club, although with as much hunting as you guys do, you've probably been a member for quite a while. Just remember that encounters like that make it that much sweeter in the end.
 
I would have to agree, way to be the bigger man in situation. Just disrespectful imho, keep it up guys you'll get your tags filled.
vander
 
I guess you can't go anywhere these days without running into jackasses...even if you helicopter in.

They will get theirs in good time...and I don't mean an elk...
 
I wonder if buzzing a heard would be considered wildlife harassment.
"Then went to tell us what a stupid place we put our camp, and that they had been bowhunting, know all these bulls by name, and have an arrow in the shoulder of the Big 6 that was here last night"
Some great hunters they are. Hopefully you get the big bull there are after before they do.
 
Well, Bart awoke me from my nap. He claimed elk were off to my left. Yeah, sure, whatever.

When Troy started to get the camera rolling I decided this was either real good cooperation by Bart and Troy, or there were elk to my left.

I rose up and a cow was walking through the pines about 100 yards to my left. Then another cow. And another. Then a nice 5 point bull. I was tempted to shootN but combined with the vision of last night's herd of big bulls and Troy saying it was bad footage with the limns in the way, I held off.

It was fun to watch them mill around so close, yet completely unaware of our presence.

Expecting the elk to be up and moving again in another two hours. Sure hope so.

More tonight.
 
I suspect the two guys with the Tude are two contractors from Stevensville who have a plane. They aggressively act like they own that area.
 
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