Montana Elk Hunt Analysis Help

[Jfkbeast2]

Sometimes all that's required is changing elevations; try calling from spots where hunters are less likely to call from. I have had many bulls not respond to a hunter on a ridge or trail, but respond to me in the bush.

This is a good tip and candidly did not know this. A lot of times I probably called or walked the wrong elevation and didn’t think to change this. I did side hill some so this is good to know thank you.

I have killed bulls standing broadside on heavily traveled motorcycle and ATV trails, and the only reason I got the shot was because I was moving slowly and observing.

Tough for me to even envision this after the week I had — noted to always be ready!

 

[Jfkbeast2]

I hunt thick timber, often with blowdown. What works for us is moving until you find sign, see or hear elk.

How do you decide what to move through? Glassing approach described above? My problem was I didn’t know where to go — the whole basin was a lot of blowdown and thick forest.

 

[Next Ridge]

How do you decide what to move through? Glassing approach described above? My problem was I didn’t know where to go — the whole basin was a lot of blowdown and thick forest.

Best case we heard a bugle overnight in the area. After that it is reading the landscape and knowing where they would most likely be. The third option is just spending half a day moving through it semi-slowly to find sign.

In really thick timber and blowdown, often if we bump one they dont go far.

 

[WCB]

Its hard to say with you not finding elk....but 30miles in 5.5 days imo you needed to be covering more ground and more ground until you stumble into fresh sign or elk. Obviously driving to new spots gets you to new spots also. But if Im not into fresh sign or hearing seeing elk especially after early morning...my feet are moving. I think I did 20miles in 4.5 days rifle hunting last year in MT and I mainly walked a little over a mile from camp and sat all day watching two saddles and a nice basin but I saw elk every morning and evening and a couple times mid day so I felt in a good place just sitting being bored.