Jlrineer
Member
Hello Everyone!
I am headed to southwest Montana this year for the rifle general elk season. Between the "Gerber guys" Fresh Tracks episode and the 2nd most recent Elk Talk podcast I am well aware of the difficulty of the hunt. Big Fin has helped me set the groups expectations as realistic as possible. Based off of go hunt numbers and Mt FWP harvest data we've settled on units 300,302,328, and possibly 329. Due to work schedules and vacation times we're not able to leave Pennsylvania until November 8th, we'll be arriving in Dillon at a house we're renting sometime late on the 9th or early morning of the 10th. I am just wondering what kind of weather can we be expecting, is there usually a good bit of snow on the ground at that time? We're trailering some ATVs out with us in anticipation of not being able to traverse some of the roads. Would you recommend having chains for the four wheelers as well as the trucks?
I also looked up some block management areas on the FWP website and noticed some type 2 areas offer veterans preference on veterans day. I was just wondering if anyone ever had any luck with this. Two of us in the group are OIF vets and we were thinking of calling ahead to some of the BM land owners beforehand to go try our luck on those pieces of ground if there's still availability. I wasn't sure if they would be worth while heading to since the season will be well under way and the chances of elk already feeling the pressure on those lands might not make it worth it.
Any other info would be greatly appreciated, this is our first time hunting Montana so even the most basic advice will still be helpful.
Thanks in advance!
I am headed to southwest Montana this year for the rifle general elk season. Between the "Gerber guys" Fresh Tracks episode and the 2nd most recent Elk Talk podcast I am well aware of the difficulty of the hunt. Big Fin has helped me set the groups expectations as realistic as possible. Based off of go hunt numbers and Mt FWP harvest data we've settled on units 300,302,328, and possibly 329. Due to work schedules and vacation times we're not able to leave Pennsylvania until November 8th, we'll be arriving in Dillon at a house we're renting sometime late on the 9th or early morning of the 10th. I am just wondering what kind of weather can we be expecting, is there usually a good bit of snow on the ground at that time? We're trailering some ATVs out with us in anticipation of not being able to traverse some of the roads. Would you recommend having chains for the four wheelers as well as the trucks?
I also looked up some block management areas on the FWP website and noticed some type 2 areas offer veterans preference on veterans day. I was just wondering if anyone ever had any luck with this. Two of us in the group are OIF vets and we were thinking of calling ahead to some of the BM land owners beforehand to go try our luck on those pieces of ground if there's still availability. I wasn't sure if they would be worth while heading to since the season will be well under way and the chances of elk already feeling the pressure on those lands might not make it worth it.
Any other info would be greatly appreciated, this is our first time hunting Montana so even the most basic advice will still be helpful.
Thanks in advance!