DIY Elk Hunt

[farmandhunt]

Hey all,
Looking for a little advice/direction for anyone who has any input. I'm a midwesterner in my mid 20s looking to finalize an elk hunt for this fall. I went on my first archery elk hunt to Colorado last year and hunted unit 42/421 mid september with a friend. Elk were non vocal, so had a tough time locating them until the end of the week. Both were in range of a few, but neither of us were presented a shot and both came home empty handed. Not completely against going back to try that area again, as we did get into really good sign and some elk later in the week; just was very thick terrain and made it hard to have many shot opportunities. Looking at applying for a Montana general combo tag this year with 2 points, and leaving colorado as a plan B. I would prefer to harvest one with a bow in the rut, but like the option to be able to return with rifle as well on the same tag. As of now, this would be a solo hunt. I do have some friends who may be interested in tagging along,but not hunting. I am pretty well set up gear wise for a backcountry hunt and am in very good physical shape, so that part does not intimate me so much. As of now, thinking more north/central Montana, but very open on that yet. Have never hunted Montana, so more so looking for direction on what I should expect and if it would be unwise to go solo. I have talked to a few outfitters and have not completely ruled that out yet or something more like a drop camp where they could set me up in an area where there are known elk. I am generally more of the type of hunter who would rather go home empty handed than kill a young/immature animal, so I am somewhat hesitant to pay an outfitter unless I have good odds of having a shot opportunity on a mature bull and would like to stay under 6k. Open to any advice/criticism or if anyone is looking to partner up with another guy, wouldn't be against that as well.
Thanks in advance!

 

[BuckSmasher]

Hey all,
Looking for a little advice/direction for anyone who has any input. I'm a midwesterner in my mid 20s looking to finalize an elk hunt for this fall. I went on my first archery elk hunt to Colorado last year and hunted unit 42/421 mid september with a friend. Elk were non vocal, so had a tough time locating them until the end of the week. Both were in range of a few, but neither of us were presented a shot and both came home empty handed. Not completely against going back to try that area again, as we did get into really good sign and some elk later in the week; just was very thick terrain and made it hard to have many shot opportunities. Looking at applying for a Montana general combo tag this year with 2 points, and leaving colorado as a plan B. I would prefer to harvest one with a bow in the rut, but like the option to be able to return with rifle as well on the same tag. As of now, this would be a solo hunt. I do have some friends who may be interested in tagging along,but not hunting. I am pretty well set up gear wise for a backcountry hunt and am in very good physical shape, so that part does not intimate me so much. As of now, thinking more north/central Montana, but very open on that yet. Have never hunted Montana, so more so looking for direction on what I should expect and if it would be unwise to go solo. I have talked to a few outfitters and have not completely ruled that out yet or something more like a drop camp where they could set me up in an area where there are known elk. I am generally more of the type of hunter who would rather go home empty handed than kill a young/immature animal, so I am somewhat hesitant to pay an outfitter unless I have good odds of having a shot opportunity on a mature bull and would like to stay under 6k. Open to any advice/criticism or if anyone is looking to partner up with another guy, wouldn't be against that as well.
Thanks in advance!

A lot or most of elk country in Montana is grizzly country, so consider that if you are solo. Packing out an elk solo is gonna be a trial. Better hope your buddies come! I have never did a drop camp, but they don't seem much cheaper than going fully guided.

If you were into elk in CO I would seriously consider going back there if you can and want to know a spot you can hunt year after year. Realistically, being within bow range of a few is an awesome year. Most years unless you have the majority of Sept to dedicate or just have your area dialed that will be the best you can do. Archery is tough.

 

[cole96]

If Colorado go where you were. As you learn the area opportunities will be more frequent and subsequently success

 

[HairyScandinavian]

If you came close and got into them last year on your first ever hunt you'll be much further along this year and I'd think going to the same general area (with alternate plans as well) would be the best bet.

 

[Kw168504]

Hey all,
Looking for a little advice/direction for anyone who has any input. I'm a midwesterner in my mid 20s looking to finalize an elk hunt for this fall. I went on my first archery elk hunt to Colorado last year and hunted unit 42/421 mid september with a friend. Elk were non vocal, so had a tough time locating them until the end of the week. Both were in range of a few, but neither of us were presented a shot and both came home empty handed. Not completely against going back to try that area again, as we did get into really good sign and some elk later in the week; just was very thick terrain and made it hard to have many shot opportunities. Looking at applying for a Montana general combo tag this year with 2 points, and leaving colorado as a plan B. I would prefer to harvest one with a bow in the rut, but like the option to be able to return with rifle as well on the same tag. As of now, this would be a solo hunt. I do have some friends who may be interested in tagging along,but not hunting. I am pretty well set up gear wise for a backcountry hunt and am in very good physical shape, so that part does not intimate me so much. As of now, thinking more north/central Montana, but very open on that yet. Have never hunted Montana, so more so looking for direction on what I should expect and if it would be unwise to go solo. I have talked to a few outfitters and have not completely ruled that out yet or something more like a drop camp where they could set me up in an area where there are known elk. I am generally more of the type of hunter who would rather go home empty handed than kill a young/immature animal, so I am somewhat hesitant to pay an outfitter unless I have good odds of having a shot opportunity on a mature bull and would like to stay under 6k. Open to any advice/criticism or if anyone is looking to partner up with another guy, wouldn't be against that as well.
Thanks in advance!

Sometimes it takes a week to find the elk so I would say your adventure last year was a success. Sounds like you just ran out of time.

I’ve solo hunted in Wyoming but I don’t think I would hunt northwest Wyoming or western Montana solo unless I was very familiar with the area.

 

[elkguide]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Geewhiz]

North central montana is all limited entry.

 

[Flat Range]

If you came close and got into them last year on your first ever hunt you'll be much further along this year and I'd think going to the same general area (with alternate plans as well) would be the best bet.

This 100%. My first Wyoming Mule Deer trip = zero success but learned a lot. 2nd trip the next year = success. Same area.

 

[jgilber5]

@farmandhunt I was in the same boat as you. Was coming from the midwest, had early success in an OTC unit and now have several years of experience there. Knowing a unit inside and out that you can go to every year is a massive advantage if you just want to kill an elk every year. I'll save the big bulls for when I can finally draw in my resident state now, and will continue to learn the elk in that first unit. Now I know I can show up and kill a raghorn any time in the season, and I wouldn't trade that for half-knowing a few other low/no point units.

 

[farmandhunt]

@farmandhunt I was in the same boat as you. Was coming from the midwest, had early success in an OTC unit and now have several years of experience there. Knowing a unit inside and out that you can go to every year is a massive advantage if you just want to kill an elk every year. I'll save the big bulls for when I can finally draw in my resident state now, and will continue to learn the elk in that first unit. Now I know I can show up and kill a raghorn any time in the season, and I wouldn't trade that for half-knowing a few other low/no point units.

This is where I am kind of caught up, because I feel like I do have a pretty good chance of killing something if I go back to the same area I was in Colorado, but it will probably be a raghorn. We saw one smaller 6x6 on private land last year, but all bulls we saw on public were young. The reason I am leaning towards Montana is that I feel like there’s a higher chance of finding a mature bull, but also realize I would be going in blind so may take several days to start to figure out and area and have the possibility of not finding an elk at all. I do have 8 points in Wyoming currently, so I am planning on going to a good unit in a few years there. Whether I go with an outfitter or not yet then I am not sure, but I have always enjoyed being able to do it myself and have killed several nice whitetails over the past years solo. Obviously not expecting to go in and kill a 320+ inch bull on public, but is it realistic to have an opportunity to kill a mature bull in a general or low point entry unit? Or am I better off just going in a killing the first legal animal I have an opportunity and using that knowledge to be more successful in better units later down the road?

 

[HairyScandinavian]

If killing a raghorn doesn't excite you only you can determine that. The fun part of hunting is chasing the challenge, for some guys that challenge is any elk/animal and for some it's putting requirements on things such as antler sizes, only public otc, only archery or bugling bulls, etc. Got to decide for yourself what matters to you.

 

[Hnthrdr]

If you are hunting horns and not just trying to kill an elk with a bow you can go a long while before you tip a trophy class bull over, in just about any state, especially with a bow… should chat with some of the guys who have been bow hunting for decades and may not even have a bull that breaks 300 inches…

 

[Vadimbrutskiy]

I’m in a fairly similar situation as you. Also from the Midwest, Except I’ve hunted Montana a few times now. 2/3 as far as success. But I’m going into this season with 0 points and I’m looking at Colorado as a secondary option. Dm me, and maybe we could exchange information over the phone

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Chasing inches with elk isn't an easy task with a single bull standing by himself unless you are well-versed. A 6x6 bull has 12 scorable points and if you misjudge each by an inch then that is 12" gone if not more. Then if you think he is 40" wide but he is 32" that brings it 20" or more. So your 300" bull is 280" very quickly.


Nothing wrong with hunting new states but the saying goes- "Don't leave elk to find elk"

 

[BuckSmasher]

This is where I am kind of caught up, because I feel like I do have a pretty good chance of killing something if I go back to the same area I was in Colorado, but it will probably be a raghorn. We saw one smaller 6x6 on private land last year, but all bulls we saw on public were young. The reason I am leaning towards Montana is that I feel like there’s a higher chance of finding a mature bull, but also realize I would be going in blind so may take several days to start to figure out and area and have the possibility of not finding an elk at all. I do have 8 points in Wyoming currently, so I am planning on going to a good unit in a few years there. Whether I go with an outfitter or not yet then I am not sure, but I have always enjoyed being able to do it myself and have killed several nice whitetails over the past years solo. Obviously not expecting to go in and kill a 320+ inch bull on public, but is it realistic to have an opportunity to kill a mature bull in a general or low point entry unit? Or am I better off just going in a killing the first legal animal I have an opportunity and using that knowledge to be more successful in better units later down the road?

320+ bull elk exist on MT OTC units. I've seen'em.

 

[CMcCormick1805]

320+ bull elk exist on MT OTC units. I've seen'em.

And they sure are hard to kill. If not on private they are real keyed in when you’re working them on public land.

 

[Jethro]

The biggest teaching aid of learning how to kill an elk, is killing elk. Get one under your belt.