Hunting Montana

fuller family · 01-31-2016, 06:48 PM

Ive never hunted out of state or traveled to Montana. Ive always wanted to hunt elk and deer there. Anyone one know of any public land that has good success where i can bring my 5th wheel trailer and family? $4000 + for a guided hunts is much more than i afford. Plus a trip with the family is something the kids will remember forever. Im looking for a good place to dry camp and hunt from there.
Any info would be great.

hankaye · 02-01-2016, 06:58 AM

fuller family, Howdy;

In case you don't have it already, here's a link to Mt.'s Game, Fish & Parks
http://fwp.mt.gov/
Perhaps if you find out if you can get a tag then it would be easier to find
a campground near where the tag allows you to hunt. Don't forget to get
some 7.5 minute USGS topo maps of the area and freshen up your map &
compass skills. GPS is great but most compasses don't require batteries
and make an excellent Plan B for those "just-in-case" times.

hankaye

**JRTJH** · 02-01-2016, 08:36 AM

Additionally, don't forget that what is an "easy hike" at sea level, walking up the hill behind the house, can be an "impossible task" at 9000 ft altitude with the same kind of hill with 30 pounds of warm clothing and a 10 pound rifle. Not to mention that many parts of Montana are "straight up/straight down", so getting from point A to point B on the map may be "across a 1500' gorge. Getting there may be "possible" but dragging out 1000 pounds of elk, quartered and skinned, is an entirely different kind of task !!!!!

I'd plan a summer vacation to the area, get with some local people, find out where to hunt, go survey the area, see what you think, then go back and talk to the locals and see what they think. Nothing is more frustrating than planning a big trip, getting it all set up, getting there the day before season opens, setting up camp, getting up at 3AM, walking for 2 hours to that "perfect spot" in the dark, and as the sun comes up, all you see in every direction is "hunter orange"................. Unless you're going to "pay a guide" to do the "legwork", you will probably need to spend much more than a day or two getting to know the area.

**sourdough** · 02-01-2016, 09:39 AM

John is spot on. The thought of a great hunting trip with the family can have an abrupt end when faced with reality depending on expectations.

I would suggest that first and foremost the real reason for the trip be for a wonderful outing, not the harvest of an elk....which is HIGHLY doubtful on a trip like this.

A successful big game hunt requires a lot of time to determine the hunting unit, the terrain, scouting etc. To go to a place you've never been before, in terrain you've never experienced etc. and expect to have a successful hunt is not realistic...although, I did take a guy muzzleloading one time that had never been and had a front sight just taped on.....he was joke fodder at dinner the night before opening day. At daylight on opening day he saw a beautiful buck, commenced to sight him, and down him - wobbly front sight and all.....to my astonishment. First hunt, first buck.....so it can happen....just don't plan on it.

From my years of big game hunting I can safely say that my most cherished memories have nothing to do with the downing of the animal, although I can remember most of the stalks and kills. My memories are of the fires, meals, sharing of tales and being together with friends and family.

All to say that the expectations set up front will determined the level of happiness enjoyed by OP in the end.

fuller family · 02-01-2016, 01:57 PM

Thanks for all the info, I think a summer trip would a good idea to answer a lot of my own questions.

gearhead · 02-02-2016, 06:06 AM

I would also consider other states unless you are dead set on Montana. Look at how much public land can be hunted and the systems for getting a license. When I was hunting Colorado it was across the counter elk & deer for $158 I think. A bear tag may have been another $35.
You should get online at whatever states wildlife dept. and see what you have to do to get a tag. It can get complicated. If the state is broken into hunting units there may be different seasons and procedures for getting tags for the different units.
Don't set your expectations too high.
The memories are more important than the game harvest. We still joke about "Junior" getting lost 80 yards from camp, "Scratch" missing a deer in the wide open with his .444, and me being reluctant to eat the beef roast that rolled down the entire length of the horse trailer floor.

vampress_me · 02-02-2016, 03:53 PM

To add just a little info. This year MT elk/deer combo general licenses are going to be $1001. Elk only is $851. Friends of mine won't hunt in MT anymore and head only to CO because the cost of the license is so much less, with just as good of success in the field, and I can say their elk tastes just as good.

And they like it because it isn't so much up/ down steep mountains.

Also, the hunting season in MT is mid-Sept to end of Nov. Depending on when you are going, you could have a wide range of temps. In all the years I have hunted out there with my dad, we have been out in 40 degree weather and rain to a solid week of -20s and snow, and then it warmed up to -teens for the rest of the hunt. Keep in mind how your family is going to like being there in the camper if it's -20 below and snowing/blowing. That cold trip was the first time I saw a hunter on horseback almost frozen, he needed help to get off his horse. And I was glad we were there to help. But I don't want to see that happen to anyone again.

Overall, a summer trip is a good idea to scope everything out before you commit to hunting anywhere. No matter where you go, it's not a minor expense of both time and money.

gearhead · 02-02-2016, 05:33 PM

^^^Dang that's expensive. I haven't been to Colorado hunting in 30 years.
These days it's a lot easier to keep up with weather conditions. Many years ago, maybe late '70's or early 80's, we almost got snowed in. It started snowing and didn't stop. Couldn't get anything on the truck radio. Had to get up during the night and shovel snow off the tent. Our 4x4 trucks were stuck..high centered on snow. Snow was too deep to hunt. Finally someone drove up our logging road in a Jeep with tall skinny tires and made a trail for us to get out.
That storm was the one in this story written by an emergency room MD. This happened about 15 miles from were we were, north of Pagosa Springs.
Anyone going deep into the mountains needs to be very aware of the possible consequences.
It's a good read:
http://www.outdoorlife.com/articles/...ies?page=0%2C0

fuller family · 02-02-2016, 07:16 PM

Thanks for the info for Colorado. i will look into. My friend has elk on his property but I'm trying stay away from that one. So he claims. Id rather go camp with the family and make it more of a hunt. Do you have any recommendations on good camping spots with hunt in the same area? Any info would be helpful. If you have a spot and don't share i get that to. I have some good deer spots out here that i can't share, to many people out this way.

gearhead · 02-02-2016, 07:28 PM

Around Pagosa? Go north...around Williams Creek Reservoir. There are "campgrounds" by the lake....no hookups. Or, there is Sportsmans Campground on the way up to Williams Creek Res. area. You could camp there, or rent a cabin, with the family and drive to hunting areas around the reservoir, or west of Wimenuche Creek towards Vallecito Reservoir.
Realistically, you probably have a max 10% chance of harvesting an elk.
Better call Sportsmans soon
http://sportsmanscampground.com/.

fuller family · 02-02-2016, 07:37 PM

I also know how it feels to get snowed in. Not as extreme as your trip. A couple years ago we packed in about 5 miles on foot into D6 zone about 9500ft and it began to snow on opening weekend. After the first 6 inches we started to wonder what the heck is going on this doesn't happen mid September. Then 10 in or so we packed up and headed out. 10 inches isn't much but you need to draw the line and head out. Before you know it can be to deep to pack out. Not worth the risk. We heard a couple gun shots on the way out. Not sure why people would hang out and chance a snow storm like that. Ive lived in the high country and know what these storms can do.

fuller family · 02-02-2016, 07:38 PM

Thank you for the camping info.

fuller family · 02-02-2016, 07:42 PM

Fishing any good? Its my daughters favorite thing to do

**JRTJH** · 02-02-2016, 08:51 PM

Another possibility is Steamboat Springs. About 25 miles north, almost on the Wyoming border, is Steamboat Lake Recreation Area. They have electric/water hookups and Routt National Forest is adjacent to the campground. There is a small town of Columbine just north of the campground and from there, a number of great areas to hunt. One that I found productive was Rose Creek Trail. It's about 5 miles northeast of the campground, a "fairly easy" hike along the ridge of a ravine with a good number of places for elk/deer to feed/bed down. Water runs along the base of the ravine, so it's a "reasonable area". Keep in mind that the average bull elk is around 700 pounds, so quartered, you're looking at a "good sized whitetail deer" in every quarter, then you have the head/antlers for the last trip. So, walking in and walking out may well be two entirely different experiences... LOL

There is "dry camping" throughout Routt NF, but in the winter the roads are not plowed and there's no electricity to maintain the batteries in your RV. You may do very well dry camping if the weather cooperates, but you may also find that you can't get out until the snow melts in the spring..... Staying in a populated area with road maintenance is a wise decision in northwest Colorado in November/December !!!!!

As for fishing, Steamboat Lake has some of the best "amateur trout fishing" I've ever experienced. It's a "summer activity" so don't even attempt fishing during Elk/Deer season !!!!!

Steve S · 02-02-2016, 09:16 PM

Hunting for Elk here in B.C is fun and interesting as we never know where they are do to temps and elevation.
I always hunt with an ATV and a sled as an Elk is - or + 1000 pounds.
Elk and Deer are my favorite meat and nothing goes to waste

I'm a firm believer that Elk is the only meat that doesn't need seasoning as it's such an awesome cut of meat

gearhead · 02-03-2016, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuller family

Fishing any good? Its my daughters favorite thing to do

I don't think I have fished there.
There is a campground on Vallecito Reservoir northwest of Pagosa. My daughter caught a big trout there when she was maybe 8 years old.
http://www.5branches.com/

gearhead · 02-03-2016, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve S

Hunting for Elk here in B.C is fun and interesting as we never know where they are do to temps and elevation.
I always hunt with an ATV and a sled as an Elk is - or + 1000 pounds.
Elk and Deer are my favorite meat and nothing goes to waste

I'm a firm believer that Elk is the only meat that doesn't need seasoning as it's such an awesome cut of meat

We mostly hunted north of Pagosa and couldn't use ATV's, I assume because we were so close to the Weminuche Wilderness area. I have hunted south of Pagosa and used ATV's there. When you put one on the ground, the work begins. I think elk hunting has contributed to my 2 back surgeries.
I agree, there is no meat that compares to elk.
Dang, y'all got me thinking about it too much! Let's see: clean and sight in the 300 H&H, check on cold weather hunting clothes, start walking, plan the 17 hour drive.........

hankaye · 02-03-2016, 07:10 AM

fuller family, Howdy;

Have you thought about the Southern Rockies???
There are plenty of Elk and deer in Az & NM. 'matter of fact, NM just put
there 2016 Hunting Proclamation out. http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/
Just a suggestion.

hankaye

fuller family · 02-03-2016, 08:01 PM

I thank all of you for your info. So far i really like the loos of Steamboat Lake Recreation Area. Good camping spot for the wife and Kids. The hunting around the area looks good. This what I'm looking for good camp spot with close by hunting.

Now time to do a lot of research and look at Colorado parks and wildlife and see if its possible. Season, tags, ect. If not i will keep looking. To bad its taken 20 years to start a hunt but thats life. Wife, kids, school time adds up. One of these days I'm going to get an elk hunt.

**JRTJH** · 02-03-2016, 08:41 PM

We have some property adjacent to Steamboat Lake Rec Area. It's unimproved and not accessible during the winter. We always camped at "Dead Mexican Park" in Routt NF. Dead Mexican Park is about a 5 acre clearing in the middle of a lot of aspen and fir trees. Rose Creek Trail is only a mile or so away from there and the hunting (back then) was excellent from DM Park north to the Wyoming border. I quartered and dragged elk out of that area 5 years in a row, but I was also "up there scouting, brookie fishing and camping almost every weekend during the summer. It's an excellent area, but if you arrive the night before season opens, you'll be disappointed !!!! It takes time to figure out the migration habits, bedding areas, feeding areas and where everyone else is, so you aren't there with them, but somewhere else, all alone. Remember, elk are spooky animals and can run uphill all day. A mule deer will run 2 or 3 hundred yards and stop to look, elk, when spooked, will run to the next county before they slow down..... They are as fast "uphill" as "downhill" so you have to spend some time getting to know what you're up against before you'll even see tracks LOL

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