2025 MT Crazies Elk/Deer

[EdPre]

Hi all! New member here from PA. Love the site so far. Son and I are planning a 2025 Rifle elk/deer hunt. Focusing on the Crazies. It's been a dozen years or so since I've been there, and his first time, but I've hunted the Shields River area before. Both times were successful unsuccessful hunts, saw elk, saw deer, got into some, but never punched a tag there. Both archery. Add one additional late season rifle hunt that was relocated because of 3' - 4' of snow and 0 degree temps, but that doesn't really count. Years past, my plan was always to get 2+ miles "in" from any likely access, and up. Cover ground and glass. For 2025 rifle, I'd add in spiking out, weather pending, to save the legs - but I know that's far easier in Sept than late Oct. Past trips were met with what seemed like a camp every 20 yards along the low roads, but as soon as we passed the 1 mile mark in and up, I never ran into another hunter - unless it was down and toward the roads through the spotting scope. I'd love some general area thoughts, opinions, intel, experiences.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Article 4]

I am very familiar with that area and have killed bulls there. There are critters in there, as well as wolves and G Bears.

Yes, your thoughts on how to hunt it are pretty correct, depending on where you are in that country. Unless you have access to private ground, many of the accessible Montana hunts are full of people post covid and some of them have no idea how to hunt elk. The noise and lack of savvy get the animals pretty spooky pretty quick. They hide pretty quick once that first shot is made.

Spiking will increase your odds. Get you loose of most of the people thinking that hunting with a rifle means you get to stomp through the woods like a clown cause you can shoot 500 yards LOL

 

[Flatgo]

a lot has changed in the Crazies in the last 10 years good luck...

 

[mtblackdog]

Its 10 times busier than 10 years ago. True story

 

[tkhuntsman]

Yeah and 1 mile in really won't separate you anymore in the crazies. With the big back country craze and all the influencer publicity it will take considerable effort. I know a couple of different groups that went in this year on horseback and both were over 6 miles in to their main camp, and both had to spike out several more miles to get into good numbers of elk. They did say they saw a lot more people hikers and hunters alike back in there.

 

[Tdonat]

Its 10 times busier than 10 years ago. True story

10 times might be a little bit of an understatement, this was during archery season. What you can’t see is the 15 other vehicles + stock trailers parked just behind me on the road.

 

[High Climber]

That doesn’t look like a good time to me. Good luck out there fellas I’m sure there is a few in there that don’t have their tongues hanging out

 

[MT_Wyatt]

View attachment 806148
10 times might be a little bit of an understatement, this was during archery season. What you can’t see is the 15 other vehicles + stock trailers parked just behind me on the road.

Seriously. Rifle was even worse. That “trailhead” is almost laughable now compared to times before the road improvements.

This year from up high it looked like city lights with all of the headlamps moving in. So much pressure it is hard to imagine.

I’d think hard about another area. Spiking a mile, let alone 2-3 isn’t going to help.

 

[S.Clancy]

View attachment 806148
10 times might be a little bit of an understatement, this was during archery season. What you can’t see is the 15 other vehicles + stock trailers parked just behind me on the road.

Seriously. Rifle was even worse. That “trailhead” is almost laughable now compared to times before the road improvements.

This year from up high it looked like city lights with all of the headlamps moving in. So much pressure it is hard to imagine.

I’d think hard about another area. Spiking a mile, let alone 2-3 isn’t going to help.

Haha, I know that trailhead well. It was always busy when we hunted it, but that is pretty wild.

 

[Ucsdryder]

View attachment 806148
10 times might be a little bit of an understatement, this was during archery season. What you can’t see is the 15 other vehicles + stock trailers parked just behind me on the road.

That is insane. If there are 3-4 cars at a trailhead I get annoyed.

 

[Tdonat]

Haha, I know that trailhead well. It was always busy when we hunted it, but that is pretty wild.

It’s a shame really, used to be a decent area. Mostly NR plates on the rigs, how that many guys from out of state land in that one area somehow blows my mind.

 

[Tdonat]

That is insane. If there are 3-4 cars at a trailhead I get annoyed.

Unfortunately the crazies are turning into what I imagine otc elk hunting in Colorado is like

 

[S.Clancy]

Unfortunately the crazies are turning into what I imagine otc elk hunting in Colorado is like

There's more people OTC CO. I was deer hunting this yr in an OTC unit.....my God. But it's getting close

 

[el_jefe_pescado]

Yeah OP with a year to plan I’d look for greener pastures.

You said it yourself it’s was busy during your last visit. The testimonials above should be all you need to know moving forward—it’s a chit show.

But hey…at least we have nice new forest service roads.


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