Non resident hunting advice

[cgasner1]

No offense, but if your Bozeman resident BIL is skipping out of Montana on Thanksgiving week, the last week of gun season, that indicates alot.
Hire a guide.

Dude could be a killer and know he won’t need all 12 weeks

 

[Hem]

Dude could be a killer and know he won’t need all 12 weeks

True.
But I doubt it.

 

[BuzzH]

No offense, but if your Bozeman resident BIL is skipping out of Montana on Thanksgiving week, the last week of gun season, that indicates alot.
Hire a guide.

And he should have a talk with his sister...

 

[Hem]

And he should have a talk with his sister...

Or...plan a summer vacation and go for a hike in elk country.
Reality check...without snow.
Though apparantly we might not have much of that any further.

 

[Kydeerslayer64]

No offense, but if your Bozeman resident BIL is skipping out of Montana on Thanksgiving week, the last week of gun season, that indicates alot.
Hire a guide.

Well, that’s what he’s telling me at least …I have definitely decided to purchase additional points and enter in the drawing…what happens afterwards is still to be determined, but regardless will only have a few days to hunt…

 

[Kydeerslayer64]

True.
But I doubt it.

Thanks Hem

 

[Kydeerslayer64]

Dude could be a killer and know he won’t need all 12 weeks

Stranger things have happened…I shot and missed my targeted 150+ deer in September and smoked him with my smoke pole in December…all you need is to be in the right place at the right time, plus a lot of luck and bam.It all can come together in seconds. I’ll take what I can get this trip and gain some experience and knowledge for the next longer trip god willing of course.

 

[Straight Arrow]

I’ll take what I can get this trip and gain some experience and knowledge for the next longer trip god willing of course.

That is a good attitude which may allow better enjoyment of your trip. 'Couple of points:

1. Like busy opening day, Thanksgiving is the "last hurrah" as it is the holiday at end of season, so the woods will be full of desperate hunters.
2. As someone who has lived in Montana my whole life, beginning elk hunting made me think that elk were mythical creatures conjured up to sell hunting gear. It took much boot leather, scouting, experience, and knowledge before becoming successful at harvesting elk consistently.

Just decide to enjoy Montana and get out to hike and see nice country. Good luck to you.

 

[Kydeerslayer64]

That is a good attitude which may allow better enjoyment of your trip. 'Couple of points:

1. Like busy opening day, Thanksgiving is the "last hurrah" as it is the holiday at end of season, so the woods will be full of desperate hunters.
2. As someone who has lived in Montana my whole life, beginning elk hunting made me think that elk were mythical creatures conjured up to sell hunting gear. It took much boot leather, scouting, experience, and knowledge before becoming successful at harvesting elk consistently.

Just decide to enjoy Montana and get out to hike and see nice country. Good luck to you.

Thanks, that’s awesome advice!

 

[2rocky]

That’s what I’m trying to figure out. I don’t have the luxury of scouting areas prior or adjusting my hunting dates on the fly because of different weather patterns. I have to commit to a date early and most likely Thanksgiving week.
A lot also depends if I’m drawn for a permit area as well which is unlikely but not impossible. I have ruled out a guided Elk Bull hunt this year and still figuring out the rest. I haven’t ruled out a total pass either yet and just calling the money spent on points a Montana donation. Honestly 65/35 on hunting right now

I think you Dave Ramsey up and start squirrelling away cash for an elk hunt October 2027. Find an outfitter with horses or private land vehicle based hunt. In truth you might do well with a booking service that can give you some direction and ideas. But get something on the books so you are committed or you will keep buying points and never use them.

And I would be perfectly okay just sitting and glassing for days and not seeing anything as it’s as much about being in the hunt and just gaining some experience and knowledge for the next time.

You don't need an elk tag to do this....Go to Rocky Mountain National Park in the End of September or Jackson Hole Wyoming in January and you can see all the elk your heart desires.

Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) offers premier elk viewing, particularly during the September-October rut (mating season), when bugling bulls and their herds frequent meadows like Moraine Park, Horseshoe Park, and the Kawuneeche Valley. Dawn and dusk are the most active times. Always maintain a distance of at least 75 feet (two school bus lengths) from the elk.

The National Elk Refuge in Jackson, WY, offers premier elk viewing from mid-December through early April, with thousands of elk wintering on the grounds. The best way to see them is via horse-drawn sleigh rides (offered mid-Dec to early April) departing from the Jackson Hole visitor center, or by driving the 3.5-mile permitted section of Refuge Road.

 

[Kydeerslayer64]

I think you Dave Ramsey up and start squirrelling away cash for an elk hunt October 2027. Find an outfitter with horses or private land vehicle based hunt. In truth you might do well with a booking service that can give you some direction and ideas. But get something on the books so you are committed or you will keep buying points and never use them.


You don't need an elk tag to do this....Go to Rocky Mountain National Park in the End of September or Jackson Hole Wyoming in January and you can see all the elk your heart desires.

Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) offers premier elk viewing, particularly during the September-October rut (mating season), when bugling bulls and their herds frequent meadows like Moraine Park, Horseshoe Park, and the Kawuneeche Valley. Dawn and dusk are the most active times. Always maintain a distance of at least 75 feet (two school bus lengths) from the elk.

The National Elk Refuge in Jackson, WY, offers premier elk viewing from mid-December through early April, with thousands of elk wintering on the grounds. The best way to see them is via horse-drawn sleigh rides (offered mid-Dec to early April) departing from the Jackson Hole visitor center, or by driving the 3.5-mile permitted section of Refuge Road.

Thanks for replying…
KY has a bigger herd than most people realize, in fact there are still people in KY that don’t know we even have them here…
There are also viewing areas to see them here. I saw several big bulls on my KY hunt but they were either too far or cowed up…
Thanks again

 

[PoleX]

Surely someone on this site knows a good outfitter near Bozeman they can suggest. @PoleX or @Frequently Banned Troll ?

Here is a chart I threw together with the highlighted options being the one's I'd recommend based on what i'm picking up from the OP. I'd be happy to PM a couple options for guides I'd recommend on options 4 and 6.

If my physical fitness/knowledge wasn't where it needed to be, but I really wanted to kill a bull and have an actual elk hunting experience i'd go with option 4 (assuming proximity ot Bozeman is important). My only counter to that is, if you're going to stay at a lodge for 5 days why not open the options up to Colorado or anywhere in Montana within reasonable driving distance.

If I was interested in just harvesting an elk, and learning all the basics about western hunting; shot distances, variable weather, stocking in, how to deal with an elk after I killed it, i'd go with options 6. Some of the guides with leases to prime private will even allow for B tag hunting where you pay a pretty minor fee to be driven to an area to shoot a cow from the truck. You could sleep in a bed every night, catch up with family then go harvest an elk for a pretty reasonable price. I'd be PMing Shrap if it was me lol. I still think there is a lot to be learned (assuming the OP is a pretty green elk hunter) with option 6. Just my .02.

 

[Kydeerslayer64]

View attachment 404567
Here is a chart I threw together with the highlighted options being the one's I'd recommend based on what i'm picking up from the OP. I'd be happy to PM a couple options for guides I'd recommend on options 4 and 6.

If my physical fitness/knowledge wasn't where it needed to be, but I really wanted to kill a bull and have an actual elk hunting experience i'd go with option 4 (assuming proximity ot Bozeman is important). My only counter to that is, if you're going to stay at a lodge for 5 days why not open the options up to Colorado or anywhere in Montana within reasonable driving distance.

If I was interested in just harvesting an elk, and learning all the basics about western hunting; shot distances, variable weather, stocking in, how to deal with an elk after I killed it, i'd go with options 6. Some of the guides with leases to prime private will even allow for B tag hunting where you pay a pretty minor fee to be driven to an area to shoot a cow from the truck. You could sleep in a bed every night, catch up with family then go harvest an elk for a pretty reasonable price. I'd be PMing Shrap if it was me lol. I still think there is still a lot to be learned (assuming the OP is a pretty green elk hunter) with option 6. Just my .02.

Thanks, all of you guys are awesome for taking time out of your day and replying!

 

[Gulf of America]

A section or two is nothing for elk - like @antlerradar alluded, if it was the section the elk wanted to be on, it would be outfitted or a hunt club would be leasing. If you're dead set on the Land Trust route, with the physical limitations you mention, I would spend time on aerials finding one between irrigated fields and timbered mountains and post up hoping that elk pass through. When people talk about letting their optics do the work, they're talking about glassing elk 2+ miles away, which means if you glass elk from your Land Trust spot, they're on someone else's land.

Aside from knowledge of elk patterns and whereabouts, going with an outfitter provides a benefit in driving you into the vicinity of elk to start hunting - if you're DIY-ing in more moderate terrain, you can usually expect a pretty substantial hike across flats just to get to where you're starting to hunt, and that might burn you out too much to keep pushing if you get into elk.

 

[Kydeerslayer64]

A section or two is nothing for elk - like @antlerradar alluded, if it was the section the elk wanted to be on, it would be outfitted or a hunt club would be leasing. If you're dead set on the Land Trust route, with the physical limitations you mention, I would spend time on aerials finding one between irrigated fields and timbered mountains and post up hoping that elk pass through. When people talk about letting their optics do the work, they're talking about glassing elk 2+ miles away, which means if you glass elk from your Land Trust spot, they're on someone else's land.

Aside from knowledge of elk patterns and whereabouts, going with an outfitter provides a benefit in driving you into the vicinity of elk to start hunting - if you're DIY-ing in more moderate terrain, you can usually expect a pretty substantial hike across flats just to get to where you're starting to hunt, and that might burn you out too much to keep pushing if you get into elk.

Awesome information, thank you sir!

 

[SAJ-99]

View attachment 404567
Here is a chart I threw together with the highlighted options being the one's I'd recommend based on what i'm picking up from the OP. I'd be happy to PM a couple options for guides I'd recommend on options 4 and 6.

If my physical fitness/knowledge wasn't where it needed to be, but I really wanted to kill a bull and have an actual elk hunting experience i'd go with option 4 (assuming proximity ot Bozeman is important). My only counter to that is, if you're going to stay at a lodge for 5 days why not open the options up to Colorado or anywhere in Montana within reasonable driving distance.

If I was interested in just harvesting an elk, and learning all the basics about western hunting; shot distances, variable weather, stocking in, how to deal with an elk after I killed it, i'd go with options 6. Some of the guides with leases to prime private will even allow for B tag hunting where you pay a pretty minor fee to be driven to an area to shoot a cow from the truck. You could sleep in a bed every night, catch up with family then go harvest an elk for a pretty reasonable price. I'd be PMing Shrap if it was me lol. I still think there is a lot to be learned (assuming the OP is a pretty green elk hunter) with option 6. Just my .02.

Edit-Sorry PoleX, thought the OP did that.
I have nothing to add on the table other keep in mind if he is set on the Thanksgiving dates you may be dealing with temps from -20 to +70 and snow depending on weather. If some big storm rolls through, the backcountry stuff might not even be an option and I certainly wouldn't advise a DIY backcountry in questionable conditions. If it is a OIL type thing, I would agree with those that say look at NM LO tag. Montana is wonderful place, but the hunting might not be exactly what he expects. He has 7 days to put in for the draw. Hopefully he spends the next few on the phone. I have a feeling he will find a lot of guides in general areas are full.

 

[Kydeerslayer64]

Edit-Sorry PoleX, thought the OP did that.
I have nothing to add on the table other keep in mind if he is set on the Thanksgiving dates you may be dealing with temps from -20 to +70 and snow depending on weather. If some big storm rolls through, the backcountry stuff might not even be an option and I certainly wouldn't advise a DIY backcountry in questionable conditions. If it is a OIL type thing, I would agree with those that say look at NM LO tag. Montana is wonderful place, but the hunting might not be exactly what he expects. He has 7 days to put in for the draw. Hopefully he spends the next few on the phone. I have a feeling he will find a lot of guides in general areas are full.

Thanks for taking the time to reply!
Thanksgiving is out, so it will be the first or second week of November

 

[Gerald Martin]

Thanks for taking the time to reply!
Thanksgiving is out, so it will be the first or second week of November

Take some time to watch Randy’s videos on post rut elk.

In very simplistic terms for elk hunting public land in region 3 figure that bulls are going to be mostly located in the 1/3 of the terrain from the top of the mountain down or furthest from the trailheads.

Very seldom is there enough snow to push bulls to lower elevations closer to roads. The elk will have already been hunted for one or two weeks prior to that and will be limiting daylight exposure on open hillsides to first 15-30 minutes of daylight and last 15-30 minutes if at all.

The majority of hunters fortunate enough to kill bulls this two week period are mostly those able to get to the same elevation/distance as the elk.

I’m not trying to discourage you from hunting just trying to give you enough information to help you set realistic expectations.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I'd have a real hard time paying for a land trust for elk hunting without having first hand or very trustworthy (not internet stranger) second hand knowledge of the area and how animals use it. Seems like a setup that is overwhelmingly more likely to be a bust for the $ paid than worth it. Flexibility is huge, especially if a guy is not physically capable of covering a lot of ground in rough country.

 

[Kydeerslayer64]

Take some time to watch Randy’s videos on post rut elk.

In very simplistic terms for elk hunting public land in region 3 figure that bulls are going to be mostly located in the 1/3 of the terrain from the top of the mountain down or furthest from the trailheads.

Very seldom is there enough snow to push bulls to lower elevations closer to roads. The elk will have already been hunted for one or two weeks prior to that and will be limiting daylight exposure on open hillsides to first 15-30 minutes of daylight and last 15-30 minutes if at all.

The majority of hunters fortunate enough to kill bulls this two week period are mostly those able to get to the same elevation/distance as the elk.

I’m not trying to discourage you from hunting just trying to give you enough information to help you set realistic expectations.

Thank you sir