Missoula/ Alberton area

[Tradchef]

Even though I live out here I’ve never hunted up by Missoula and Alberton. I have a job opportunity up that way and was curious to see how the hunting was up that way. I’ve only spent time fly fishing up there.

scott

 

[Selway]

Great for predators, pretty miserable for ungulates.

 

[Tradchef]

Just not a lot up there or what? I’ve heard hit and miss so far. Lots of hunting pressure?

 

[Selway]

You can literally go weeks without seeing elk on public land while hunting in Mineral County. There are areas where winter survey flights are showing single digit elk populations. Yes, single digit. It is not a stretch to think that you will go from seeing what you see in a day around Bozeman to an entire year in Mineral County.

Don't take my word for it, look at the FWP harvest stats for the area, or try to dig up winter flight numbers.

If you're in to lion, bear and wolf hunting, you'll have a blast.

There's very little hunting pressure. Pretty easy to get a giant area to yourself during rifle season.

 

[Tradchef]

thats what I’ve read. How’s the whitetailing around Missoula? I remember that used to be good but I guess heading towards deer lodge and anaconda might be a better bet now a days?

 

[Selway]

There are some whitetail on NF still, but it's a shell of what it once was.

 

[Tradchef]

Was it just predator issues that did this?

 

[Wrench]

I always seem to see elk on the river when we float it from cyr downstream.

 

[MtGomer]

I grew up in the nine mile valley. Roads my parents would barely drive 30 on in the daytime because you would literally see hundreds of deer, I wouldn’t hesitate to drive as fast as I could at night now. There are deer but a fraction of what it used to be.
Too many predators and too many doe tags for too long. Elk numbers are low. As mentioned above, check the flight data. Obviously that is somehow not low enough to do away with a 10 or 11 week season though. I love FWPs management.

 

[Titan_Bow]

We’ve been bear hunting up on the NW corner for a couple years now. I remember reading an article about hunting big bucks near Troy, probably back in the 90s. We see whitetails around town and I have had a few run ins with elk while out hunting bears. I did almost get run over by a moose while biking way back in on a logging road, and we had a close encounter with a wolf this year. We do always see way more bear and wolf sign than any other sign.


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[S.Clancy]

I've actually hunted in that area a fair bit, elk numbers are pretty low, however you can still kill an elk every year if you know the areas they frequent. There are lots of whitetail, pretty much from the bottom to the tops, some mulies with Fish creek being a special draw zone with some big ones. Real good Turkey numbers, although the last couple of winters has knocked them back a bit. Plenty of bears and wolves too. Hopefully the big fires in the area from 17-18 will create some good habitat. It's not all doom and gloom but also don't expect to see 50 elk every place you go.

 

[Ross]

The numbers in all the northwest corner are down from decades ago I’m currently hunting idaho on the line last day today for mulles and then off to Montana Libby Troy trout creek starting Friday. 6 days hunting Idaho have seen 25 mulies 8 bucks one 140ish a dandy 6 pt bull and a 45 inch bull moose holding out for a BIG grey ghost tag one gets eaten buddy shot a decent deer this weekend 6 days 19k in elevation gain good memories my buddy still sore but he out today in mt for deer....if you ok eating tags good place to hunt but awesome countrythis country still holds some monsters of all species you just need some luck along with very hard work to create the opp

 

[Tradchef]

I've actually hunted in that area a fair bit, elk numbers are pretty low, however you can still kill an elk every year if you know the areas they frequent. There are lots of whitetail, pretty much from the bottom to the tops, some mulies with Fish creek being a special draw zone with some big ones. Real good Turkey numbers, although the last couple of winters has knocked them back a bit. Plenty of bears and wolves too. Hopefully the big fires in the area from 17-18 will create some good habitat. It's not all doom and gloom but also don't expect to see 50 elk every place you go.

I hear ya. I wouldn’t expect that regardless. It’s elk hunting after all. you have to be creative all over I feel like. Down here....it’s lots of private with huge herds but no one lets you on although complains about crop and feed loss.....still, you can get them every year on the right places. Seems like up there....plenty of room to roam just lower densities.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

Similar to what's been said above. Low elk numbers, but there are still a few around. A few larger herds on private. Takes some time and boot leather to learn the few decent pockets of public that they like. Decent whitetail hunting. Pretty good hunting for black bear.