Some High Country Pics....

Horn Seeker

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From up high too. I got the opportunity to take a cessna flight the other day. It just so happens it turned out to be an area of interest....hunting interest, so I said heck yeah!!

I know it has small bands of elk, but its the muleys I'm sorta curious about...does it look like it might hold a good buck?? Just for info, most these pics would be a 4 hour plus hike in and its extremely brushy country, where there isn't rock, there's tall brush or timber. It does appear a few of the parks have low veg, I hope so. Plan on making the hike in August to see whats up.


HS

Topendlakes.jpg


SFSWVIEW.jpg


Topchute.jpg


goodlookinmuleystuff.jpg
 
Bambi,

If you'd like to take up para-chuting, I know a certain guy whom could take us up! :)

BTW- Nice pics...
 
good looking country. Looks like sheep country.

Probably not a lot of deer in there, but usually those place hold some quality from my limited experience.
 
That looks like the country up here. Good luck! Unless there's a logging road nearby how would you get a deer back through that thick stuff? Is a float-plane possible? Great pictures!

Bambi, I would be careful on what OSOK considers "Hand-gliding"...
 
Nope, no sheep. Seems like they'd do good there, but winter range is a little limited. That makes it tough on the deer and elk too, but I think they move farther than sheep will to winter range.

I think I'll get up there for a night or two in August and see if I can see anything interesting, besides trees and lakes and rocks!
 
That is a LARGE trail that has actually seen some machinery to work on the dam that lake has. Its wilderness too, which shows just how much power irrigation rights have!

Hey Buzz, what is it that makes it such chitty deer country? Lack of winter range I'd guess?

Question two, since you seem to have your finger on ecological matters, why isn't that country absolutely LOADED with goats?? Seems like it should hold more goats.

Yep, wet side Bitterroot. Tough, thick, steep, rocky nasty country. Intrigues me, but after every trip I take in there I swear I'll never go back!!
 
Looks very similiar to a lot of the country I hunt. I'd be willing to bet that there are some big muleys kicking around that country. Just because it's nasty, don't mean they don't live there. Very suitable habitat. :)
 
I thought you'd say that Steve. It looks very similar in a lot of way to the stuff you post. I'll give it a looksi. I dont have a tag for it this year, but I think I'll do a short archery elk hunt up there and keep my eyes peeled for bucks.
 
Hey Ernie...

I've been running that same kind of country here...

I have found that there are bands of elk here in it, but they are kinda sparse.

From all accounts though, I have some leads into country like this that are supposed to hold some pretty dandy elk.

Deer_buck_2_of_2.jpg


This is the kind of country I got this guy in.

I have seen bigger ones come out of the area I got him in, but one thing is for sure, they come out far darker than the ones out on the plains.

If you can find any small parks (the grass doesn't seem to have to be really prevelent sinse it seems they are more after the forbs) Thats where I've been finding them.

Looks like some really beautiful country, and rough to walk in, but I think the vistas and view points are well worth the effort... :)
 
Yeah, I too think the "experience" of being there is well worth it, but then again, I'd like to find a spot that has it all, nice vistas and Lots of big critters!!

Nice buck!

Are you talking deep in the Pints Russ?

HS
 
H. S.,

That looks familiar! Thanks for the great pics. Last year I went over a similar non trailed basin into Idaho a little to the south of there with similar ideas. Amount of game was discouraging. Quality of the sceenery made it worthwhile however. One of Dunc's books mention an occassional big mulie coming out of that country, but the huntings tough and the deer are few and far between. Too much snow and lack of grass to hold sheep in that country. There's a marginal native herd that spends time in both Idaho and MT around Nez Perce Pass to the south however.

Would be fun to find a buck honeyhole in country like this. Wouldn't be much competion! The fact that you have to apply for an unlimited MT tag in advance makes it even better. Good luck finding a nice buck.

W. H.,

Some of the surrounding country has burned recently and it is making for good elk and deer hunting now.
 
No Ernie...

It isn't far from Anaconda, just before you get into the Pintlers, there is a lot of that "New mountain" type terrain all over here in the back country...

The Big Hole doesn't have as much of that type of terrain. :)
 

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