Montana General Elk Tag

[Tight Guy]

This isn't another of those " tell me where the new World Record Elk is tied to a tree at " questions. Just looking for suggestions from people who have done this trip before. All my life I have wanted to go to Montana to do a Combo general Deer and Elk hunt. And since I have more time on my hands now days have decided that this fall will be the right time. That being said I have never hunted Montana before and am looking for any and all help that you guys can give regarding  where I might start. I plan on going and doing the Archery elk hunt in late Sept for about a week to 10 days. And if not successful come back for the rifle season. I hunt by camping out and hunting by just walking out of camp or driving to a nearby area and hunting on foot. I can also add that I can still get around in the mountains, But can't do areas that aren't steep and deep anymore.

Where unit do you suggest for the bow hunt??  Just looking for a spot where I can camp and if I do my part get into some elk to play the calling game with. Not a trophy hunter anymore and any bull will do. Just want to go Elk Hunting.

For the rifle season does anybody have a suggestion for a unit where both bulls and cows are legal?? Again not looking for a monster just want to hunt and maybe bring a cow home for the freezer if the bulls don't cooperate.

Again not looking for anyone's honey hole just a place you have hunted that might fit the hunt  im looking for.

 

Thanks in advance for the info

[Gary I]

Cant say i blame you for wanting to hunt Montana. I was an Az native for 53 years and moved to Montana 3 1/2 years ago. The hunting here is definitely different, but i love it.  I am in the northwest corner of the state in Trout Creek. 20 miles from the Idaho border. All of the bull tags for this unit (unit 121)are general tags. A draw for you and over the counter for me. The elk numbers and bull size is suffrering due to a variety of reasons, mostly wolves. The deer hunting however is great. I have managed to kill bulls the last 2 years on opening morning of rifle season. Not big bulls, 5x5s both of them, but bulls. The best deer hunting is late in the season because the rut is so powerful then. Muledeer up high and whitetail down lower. Being a lifelong whitetail guy i hunt them. If a guy wants to work hard there are enough bulls to make a good hunt. Just dont expect to kill a big bull. If you want a great bull, apply for the hunts in the eastern part of the state. If you just want to hunt elk and deer in really buautiful country, apply for a general tag. Not too hard to draw, alittle spendy, but worth it. But be prepared, if you visit here you will want to stay. You wont be disappointed.

 

[MT_Sourdough]

Western Montana has elk everywhere.  Montana'a biggest numbers for elk are in the southwest part of the state.  Bigger herd size usually means more hunters.      Sometimes if you are looking for less competition from other hunters you can try areas with smaller herd size.  Most would hunt the areas around Yellowstone.   Areas around Ennis to Gardner.  

 Myself, I would hunt the upper Big Hole area from  areas around Divide to Wisdom.  A guy can have a good chance of drawing an antelope tag in that area too.  I prefer the area as it is usually easier to get away from other hunters, plus there is the Big Hole River, Wise River and lots of mountain lakes.  The country bars in the area can get rowdy around hunting season. 😉

[yotebuster]

All good advice, but one thing I would say is there aren’t any easy general bull elk taken in MT on public ground.  If you plan to day hike you will be in for a long day just to get into elk.  We hunted an area up the gunnison years ago.  It was a 3.5 mile hike just to get where you start hunting.   Didn’t even dream of seeing an elk track before that spot.  Then hunt all day and get back to trailhead at midnight.  We were too stupid and didn’t have the gear to bivy up in there back them nor did we have horses.  Killed an elk or two but it wasn’t good hunting by any means.  The first time I ever elk hunted in AZ I couldn’t believe you could see elk from a road.  I hadn’t dreamt that was possible.  At the end of the day MT is a land of a lot of opportunity, the right limited draw tag or the right private access and you can have giant bulls in your lap every year, but the wrong chunk of ground and you’re gonna be out for a hike every day.  My step brother lives in Helena and is 2 for 9 on elk and hunts every weekend of the bow and rifle season.  It’s not easy.  The wolves complicate things.  They aren’t the culprit though, go across the border into Wyoming and they have limited draw tags that take 12-14 points in the same country with the same wolves and they are killing giant bulls in there.  The MT general tag moto is what kills all the elk.  The wolves just cleaned up the scraps.  

[nateNAU]

This is a hunt that I to have tenitivly on the books. I grew up spending my summers between Hamilton and Darby so I will probably hunt that unit when I do, I think it's unit 420?. Really excited to see how it differs from arizona hunting. I have heard that they can be very quiet, especially in units with wolves. Sourdough suggested the big hole. I don't know jack about elk over there but that is some of the prettiest country you will ever see. Also if the hunting is bad the big hole offers some great fishing. 

[dmandoes]

i suggest u check ur unit #

[MT_Sourdough]

It is true, General Elk Licences are the reason why public land hunting is tough.  It's a "locals rule" state and the locals may love a big bull to show off,  most prefer a freezer full of meat going into the winter.  Many in Montana still rely on it.  

And yotebuster is right about the Big Hole.   One of the primary reasons to choose the Big Hole Valley is for all the other attractions that go with the territory.  You can buy a wolf tag.  You can hunt grouse.  Fish,  I mean the area is a sportsman's paradise, but there are better places if you have your heart set on a trophy Bull.   In late rifle season elk herds come over from Idaho to winter around Fleecer and some other wintering areas on the Montana side, but to get a big bull out of those herds is all about timing.

Ennis area is usually a good place to fill your tag with a cow.

[trphyhntr]

What’s the best areas for a 375 + bull

[MT_Sourdough]

go private access and say your prayers and you may find a 375 plus bull.  Many in Montana don't even know what that means.  375?  

[yotebuster]

8 hours ago, trphyhntr said:

What’s the best areas for a 375 + bull

There are some slammer bulls in MT but they are all on private for the most part.  The public ground on the east side of the state can hold one but tags are tough over there.  I’ve hunted about a half dozen different areas in MT, a few limited entry ones and have never seen a legit 350+ bull, but a buddy of mine killed a 386 along the lake this year so anything is possible.   MT is a lot more feast and famine than any other state I’ve hunted elk in.   One of the areas we hunted along Ft. Peck had 300 head standing in one center pivot.   They never left it.  Public access about 500 yards in every direction of that hay field but they had everything they need there and won’t leave.   Really frustrating way of hunting.   

[Outdoor Writer]

2 hours ago, yotebuster said:

There are some slammer bulls in MT but they are all on private for the most part.  

The only place in MT I've ever seen big bulls is the Moise Bison Range -- no hunting, of course and it's fenced. 

[MT_Sourdough]

That big winter herd that hangs on the big ranch at Ennis holds 1000-2000 head of elk.  You can glass them and see some 400 score bulls, but the only way to go at them is to pay the outfitter big bucks.   The point is, the big bulls are in Montana, but they are scarce and very often, on private land.  In my neighborhood, in the mountains north of Butte, there are some massive bulls taken over time, but most are taken by the ranchers.  

It's hard to beat Arizona or New Mexico for trophy bulls, but no part of either state is the equal to Western Montana for the beauty and all-around experience.  That's just my opinion though.

There are more bulls now that they imposed the browtine law in the state so the bulls get a chance to get educated before they get wiped out.   In general,  Montana is dominated by local meat hunters

[trphyhntr]

11 hours ago, MT_Sourdough said:

go private access and say your prayers and you may find a 375 plus bull.  Many in Montana don't even know what that means.  375?  

I heard Montana had the most b and c entries over the passed 10 years so many in Montana do know what that means. 

[nateNAU]

On 1/19/2020 at 11:53 AM, dmandoes said:

i suggest u check ur unit #

I was just going by memory. 240. I was close.

[yotebuster]

28 minutes ago, nateNAU said:

I was just going by memory. 240. I was close.

Yeah the 400 series units are more East and are pretty much all limited entry.  If you’re in the 100’s 200’s or 300’s for the most part they’re all general.  That’s also where all the big mountains are, the most pointy toothed critters, and the fewest elk.