Need Some Montana Help, Please.

[Alan]

Hello,
My hunting buddy and I drew a general elk license this year in Montana. Actually, we drew a general tag last year as well, but we had to cancel our hunt because my buddy's wife died of cancer just prior to the hunt. Anyway here is my question: we are archery hunters and would like to put in for the special archery draw. We have never hunted Montana and don't know where to start. About all I know is that you have a great Sharps rifle manufacturer in your state and I have been there twice and own 2 of their rifles. What advice I would really like to have is what units you would recommend for the special draw that have a fairly good chance of drawing and with good public access? Oh by the way the Rifle Company is:
Shiloh Sharps Manufacturing. Thanks a lot; I really appreciate your help.

Alan Scott
Portage, WI

 

[Big Fin]

You looking for mountainous country, where you are guaranteed to be able to hunt, or less extreme terrain, where you only have a 20% chance of drawing that tag, but if drawn, would have a great hunt?

Are you in good shape and able to get off the trails a good distance and able to pack out an elk when you get it on the ground?

Or, are you looking for a place with better motorized access?

You plan on camping or motel?

You have an aversion or concern about hunting where there are grizzly bears? Most people have some concern, whether they admit it, or not.

More details of what type of hunt you hope for would be helpful in answering questions. Montana has a ton of options, just that some of them are dependent upon drawing a limited entry archeyr tag.

Good luck.

 

[mdunc8]

Ditto to what Big Fin had to say. I'll just add that I think you'll have a good time where ever you go even if it's a general area. Last year was my first full hunting season out here and we hit it pretty hard during archery. We saw a LOT of nice bulls (and scared away all but one of them) and only ran into one other hunter all season. I was a little optimistic that it would continue through rifle, but that definitely didn't happen. I don't think you can wrong anywhere for archery, but that's coming from a Virginia boy who had never seen a bull within bow range and had no expectations on shooting a monster. I also wasn't out here before the elk population tanked so I have no idea of what it used to be like. All I know is that it beats sitting in a treestand chasing whitetails for three straight months.

 

[Alan]

Thanks for the reply Big Fin. I guess I did leave out quite a bit of information. The two of us have been elk hunting together since 1997 mostly in New Mexico, but we have also hunted Utah, Colorado and Idaho. I am 60 will be 61 by hunting season and he is 10 years younger than I am. Normally we camp in a truck camper. We don't have grizzly bears in Wisconsin and I don't look forward into running up on one in the woods. That does not mean I would pass up a great hunt to avoid bears. However, all things equal I would choose a unit without the buggers. I am in pretty good shape but I can say not as good as I once was so moderate terrain would be better. I would rather take my chances on a real good hunt even if the draw odds were 20% than a so so hunt that is easy to draw. We have in the past had a 4 wheeler along because once we park the truck with the camper on it, we like to leave it. We then use the wheeler to get to where we want to hunt and hoof it from there. I don't think I left out much but sure would like some advice.

Alan Scott
Portage, WI

 

[Ultrahunter]

20% is actually pretty good odds for a really good hunt.