First hunting trip to MT. I have a general elk combo license and plan on hunting SW MT with bow only. Season starts on the 7th. He is the problem. My wife will be out of town on a trip from 16th to the 21st. (And I need to be home with one of my kids as she is too young to be home alone)
Would you hunt early and cut your trip short buy coming home on the 15th? Or would you leave the 21st and hunt until the 5th of Oct. (I can hunt for ~ 2 weeks)
My tentative plan is to head out in Aug for a scouting trip. The area I am looking at is anywhere from 6K to 9K in elevation. My concern is if it is hot early (High likelyhood), rutting activity will be minimal (At least during the day). If I go later, am I missing the peak of the rut as I head into Oct? Water will be key no matter when I go.
I don't really want the added fuel (and time) costs of hunting a week, return home, and return back for another week. Around a 1400 mile round trip. (The cost at home could be high also!)
This area has a mix of public and private, so elk have some place to go if pressured. (And not where I can hunt)
This will be a backpack type hunt. (If it matters)
What would you do? When would you hit the hills?
Would you hunt early and cut your trip short buy coming home on the 15th? Or would you leave the 21st and hunt until the 5th of Oct. (I can hunt for ~ 2 weeks)
My tentative plan is to head out in Aug for a scouting trip. The area I am looking at is anywhere from 6K to 9K in elevation. My concern is if it is hot early (High likelyhood), rutting activity will be minimal (At least during the day). If I go later, am I missing the peak of the rut as I head into Oct? Water will be key no matter when I go.
I don't really want the added fuel (and time) costs of hunting a week, return home, and return back for another week. Around a 1400 mile round trip. (The cost at home could be high also!)
This area has a mix of public and private, so elk have some place to go if pressured. (And not where I can hunt)
This will be a backpack type hunt. (If it matters)
What would you do? When would you hit the hills?