cloudbase
New member
SW MT hunter here. I've been spending some time hunting an area that I scouted on Google Earth, and was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was as good in person as I'd hoped while doing the research. It's an insanely steep approach (over 3000' elevation gain in less than 1.5mi) that seems to have deterred all but a few horseback hunters, and they tend to stick to the trail (lower down) and go beyond where I'm glassing and hunting. I've been rewarded by lots of cow and spike sightings - any of which I would happily shoot, but unfortunately, it's a brow-tine-bull-only district. Simple question: being that there is plenty of sign, cover, feed, water, etc - am I going to eventually find bulls by sticking with this area? Or are the legal bulls going to be in totally different zones this time of year, now that the rut is mostly over? When I've gotten in on the groups, it's unfortunately been just as they're heading to bed at 9-10am, so there have been elk in the trees I couldn't identify as cow/bull/spike. Is my likelihood high or low that a bull will eventually show himself? I do plan on camping in there next time to shave off a large amount of the elevation gain that sucks up my day so I can glass them better before their bedtime.
For context: I've never killed an elk in MT (just a cow in WY a couple years back, on intel from a friend, to get meat for my wedding reception), despite having great success with antelope, mule deer, whitetail and black bear. I'm absolutely in love with these critters, but they continue to elude me, largely because I don't have anyone to act as a mentor (my husband hates elk hunting, he'd trade in his elk tag for an extra antelope tag every year if he could) and all my hunting buddies are friends with far less experience who lean on my knowledge for their success (with things other than elk). So all my knowledge about elk has been from reading, watching Randy's show, and putting a LOT of miles and vert on the ol' Keens. And in any case, I don't like being led around by the wrist - as a lady, people are inclined to assume I'm just coattail riding anyways, so achieving things solo is a top priority for me. But at this point, with only so much time to chase elk, any input you wise folks have to offer is greatly appreciated, and hopefully others can also learn from this thread.
Cows in a pocket meadow, teasing me by being waaaaay within my effective rifle range:
For context: I've never killed an elk in MT (just a cow in WY a couple years back, on intel from a friend, to get meat for my wedding reception), despite having great success with antelope, mule deer, whitetail and black bear. I'm absolutely in love with these critters, but they continue to elude me, largely because I don't have anyone to act as a mentor (my husband hates elk hunting, he'd trade in his elk tag for an extra antelope tag every year if he could) and all my hunting buddies are friends with far less experience who lean on my knowledge for their success (with things other than elk). So all my knowledge about elk has been from reading, watching Randy's show, and putting a LOT of miles and vert on the ol' Keens. And in any case, I don't like being led around by the wrist - as a lady, people are inclined to assume I'm just coattail riding anyways, so achieving things solo is a top priority for me. But at this point, with only so much time to chase elk, any input you wise folks have to offer is greatly appreciated, and hopefully others can also learn from this thread.
Cows in a pocket meadow, teasing me by being waaaaay within my effective rifle range:
