Montana 2015 Tips

[Shrek]

Im sure it was the HUNT chip from onXmaps.

http://www.huntinggpsmaps.com/

That would be the one.

 

[Shrek]

No lie about the Washington State hunters. Every third truck in the Little Belts was from Washington State it seemed.

 

[squeekieslayer]

No lie about the Washington State hunters. Every third truck in the Little Belts was from Washington State it seemed.

one of the other 3rds was PA???? Who knew so many people were driving from PA to hunt the Little Belts. Funny thing with the little belts is that at least half of the MT plates are NR from the Base. NR love the Little Belts, great access, no/few wolves, no G Bears.... few elk hahaha

Joe

 

[Jon Boy]

one of the other 3rds was PA???? Who knew so many people were driving from PA to hunt the Little Belts. Funny thing with the little belts is that at least half of the MT plates are NR from the Base. NR love the Little Belts, great access, no/few wolves, no G Bears.... few elk hahaha

Joe

Absolutely no elk in the little belts. More man/bear/pigs than anything else..

 

[GFY]

The Montana tags have not sold out since the price increase, ever.

Wolves have impacted elk hunting in Montana.

The Montana legislature (Debby Bartlett inparticular) and the "Elk Managment Plan" has been far worse for elk numbers in MT than wolves ever will be, it is too bad they showed up around the same time

 

[Clarktar]

I agree with Jon

 

[GFY]

And yes....no elk in the little belts.

 

[Jason Snyder]

The Montana legislature (Debby Bartlett inparticular) and the "Elk Managment Plan" has been far worse for elk numbers in MT than wolves ever will be, it is too bad they showed up around the same time

Truer words have never been spoken. Wolves didn't cut the number elk in 410 from 4k to 2k. Debby Barrett did that.

And, no, there are no elk in the Little Belts. Go hunt the Big Belts instead.

 

[mtluckydan]

With respect to the wolf issues with the Yellowstone elk herd and the impact they have had on numbers please read this link - not my opinion, but from the National Park Service - http://www.nps.gov/yell/parknews/11005.htm

I agree - there are no elk in the Belts or the Little Belts.

 

[Shrek]

There's no lack of elk or elk hunters in the little belts. It seemed that every good place to pull off and every trailhead had trucks parked.

 

[Bulldawg]

I'll have a GPS chip I always get one before I step foot in a state so I've already got a Colorado Wyoming and South Dakota. I am going to try and find some high country spots for a mid September archery hunt. There are a few places I would like to check out so far but I am going to be ordering a map or two.

I found this place that sell national forests maps

http://www.nationalforestmapstore.com/default.asp

Which one of these do you think would have the Lee Metcalf in it? Beaverhead-Deerlodge South? thats the one that looks the most likely.

If I can find some national forest without much road access and some high peaks I'll search there first but I'll definitely be looking into the wilderness as well.

Any other ideas? My dates are probably going to be the 12-20.

 

[squeekieslayer]

I LOVE how everyone ignores the studies and numbers and is a wolf/elk biologist. Have wolves changed elk patterns and decreased some numbers? Absolutely. But if you polled half of the ONLINE experts you would think their numbers are down 90%. Educate yourselves. No one person in the Legislature can ruin or do anything... it takes votes. Get involved, become friends with your state legislators, and make your voice heard. I feel they have effected hunting, but would not say that the numbers are down like the populous would like to believe.

The little belts (by the numbers) have one of the largest herds in the state. They are in deep and hang out in the dark timber. I saw elk every trip I made into the LB this year... just nothing big. It also has the largest number of NR and military hunters I have ever seen.


Joe

 

[Shrek]

There is big elk in there but hard to find in all that timber. Looked at some pictures of elk from there and talked to the guys who got them. Lots of miles on horse and foot to find the big ones. Tough hunting to find the quality bulls from what I gathered.

 

[GFY]

If you don't think Debbie Bartletts, EPM (elk Managment plan) that she put into motion is one of the worst things for elk in MT your must have your head in the sand. Her EPM is the reason the fish and game is still whacking cows in most place in the state. I agree the elk certainly are not gone but thy are no where near the numbers most hunters in MT would like see.

I also agree with get involved but now that she ha controll of the senate it will get worse not better.

 

[Shrek]

So this Debbie Bartlett is of the opinion that the only good elk is a dead elk ? Rancher background ? I'm wondering why she wants elk knocked down.

 

[squeekieslayer]

If you don't think Debbie Bartletts, EPM (elk Managment plan) that she put into motion is one of the worst things for elk in MT your must have your head in the sand. Her EPM is the reason the fish and game is still whacking cows in most place in the state. I agree the elk certainly are not gone but thy are no where near the numbers most hunters in MT would like see.

I also agree with get involved but now that she ha controll of the senate it will get worse not better.

The state congress is made up of MANY long time, multi generation farmers and ranchers... they do not like elk. It is the same reason that we didn't get the corner jumping bill passed at the last session in 2013. OVERWHELMING public support, but the congress only listens to their constituents until it starts to affect there ability to guide and make money off of the game on their land. I think old T Turner down in Bozangeles has a pretty big group of fellas helping to sway some of that vote. I do know that that bill is being reintroduced this session. We need to get to Helena and make them listen.

Joe

 

[squeekieslayer]

They opened the highwoods to cows this year because the Ranchers did nothing but bitch.... it was an absolute circus. I have never seen so much tresspassing and poaching in my life... its no wonder we keep seeing stories of shit that happened down by townsend. The elk know they are safe on the private land and the hunters are operating at a very high level of frustration in the system. No i do NOT condone what happened down there, but i understand why it happened.


now that we have totally derailed this thread hahaha


Joe

 

[gethuntin]

From what seen in the LB the elk are there but are vry well educated. They all seem to have diplomas and they took me to school.

QUOTE=squeekieslayer;290627]I LOVE how everyone ignores the studies and numbers and is a wolf/elk biologist. Have wolves changed elk patterns and decreased some numbers? Absolutely. But if you polled half of the ONLINE experts you would think their numbers are down 90%. Educate yourselves. No one person in the Legislature can ruin or do anything... it takes votes. Get involved, become friends with your state legislators, and make your voice heard. I feel they have effected hunting, but would not say that the numbers are down like the populous would like to believe.

The little belts (by the numbers) have one of the largest herds in the state. They are in deep and hang out in the dark timber. I saw elk every trip I made into the LB this year... just nothing big. It also has the largest number of NR and military hunters I have ever seen.


Joe[/QUOTE]

 

[slick]

.....but thy are no where near the numbers most hunters in MT would like see.
.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but I think a lot of hunters have unreal expectations year after year. I know every hunter, myself included would like to see a plethora of game everywhere but realistically that's not possible. I work for a state agency and the amount of absurd calls I getis ridiculous. Someone hunts an area for a few years and God forbid there are a few less deer/elk out there. There are so many factors that go into managing a herd you can't keep everyone happy. I feel bad for the biologists at times because there's no way they can keep hunters and landowners and the rest of the population happy.

Maybe the area cannot sustain the amount of elk it has the last 5 years and there will be a down swing. There's too many factors. While I will agree the EMP is not ideal, it doesn't mean the elk are disappearing, nor does it mean that in certain areas they can't hunt females.

 

[squeekieslayer]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but I think a lot of hunters have unreal expectations year after year. I know every hunter, myself included would like to see a plethora of game everywhere but realistically that's not possible. I work for a state agency and the amount of absurd calls I getis ridiculous. Someone hunts an area for a few years and God forbid there are a few less deer/elk out there. There are so many factors that go into managing a herd you can't keep everyone happy. I feel bad for the biologists at times because there's no way they can keep hunters and landowners and the rest of the population happy.

Maybe the area cannot sustain the amount of elk it has the last 5 years and there will be a down swing. There's too many factors. While I will agree the EMP is not ideal, it doesn't mean the elk are disappearing, nor does it mean that in certain areas they can't hunt females.

Well said