MT - Archery Elk

FlatlanderAZ

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Hey guys, as you might have guessed I am a flatlander from AZ heading north to archery hunt elk in MT this year. I received great advice from a mentor years ago about bringing more than you take-away, so in that spirit I posted an overview on big game hunting in AZ in that section available right here. I lived for a short time in ID and even shorter in UT and am happy to help by sharing any of my past experiences with anyone interested.

This is my first year hunting in MT, but I have spent a lot of time there as I have family in Helena, Great Falls and Clancy. Although that crew does more than their share of elk hunting none of them are archers and most of my time in the state has been during summer. Those guys are a great crew for information about the units in general, but I am curious about some archery season specific info. I am planning to hunt country between Butte and Helena during the 3rd week of September. My questions are mostly about other hunter activity during that time. Should we expect a lot of pressure, especially during the week?

Another question, in the Helena and Deerlodge National Forest are a large percentage of the roads restricted to 53" width? I am debating between bringing the ATV or the side by side, and that is the linch pin.

Thanks again for all you guys have posted up here, I am excited to see Montana during another time of the year.
 
Thanks for the tips about the MVUM's, I've been pouring over those the past few days.

Something else that I have found very helpful on the FWP site is the hunt planner statistics for each unit. There is some really good data there. Its shocking to see how much more pressure the Elkhorns get compared to the other units in the region.

I do wish they broke things down by archery as I am having a hard time getting a gauge for what to expect during September.
 
Based on my experience you’ll certainly find more pressure during the weekends than further week. Go somewhere that hasn’t been on YouTube in the last few years. Other than that, line out a number of options and be flexible. Good luck.
 
I spent this week scouting and learning new country. The elk appear to be expectedly high at the moment, but I was able to locate some every night and morning.

I was surprised at the number of two track roads. Seemed like there was one on every ridge and in every gulch.

Anyone have any thoughts on how much this impacts archery season?
 
I live and hunt in the area you're talking about, you'll find it hard to really get away from people. As soon as the pressure hits the elk, they go to their sanctuary areas like private lands, or high and deep. The last three years have seen more hunters than normal for one reason or another and because of that, the elk move earlier than normal to their hiding spots. As for the roads, expect to see and hear atv's, sxs, and about any other vehicle out and about during the day, and the elk will will respond accordingly.
 
id say pick a spot and just pound the hills. i just spent the last 8 days in the snowies with no luck. we had some great encounters but couldn't seal the deal. I had a 6x6 at 43 yards but had two lodge poles and a overly aggressive hunting partner bust it for me. Instead of waiting him out and letting him clear out of the lodge poles, he decided to be super aggressive with calls and racking trees. The bull looked his way for a min at most and busted out of the timber. easily one of the most frustrating hunts i have been on. After that encounter my brother and i decided we were gong to finish the season off with just the two of us. either way we still have a few weeks left! Best of luck to the rest of you getting after it during archery season.
 
Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

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