Montana Elk

[SuperDUECE22]

Anybody have any insight on middle of September archery elk hunting in the little/big belts, castle or crazy mountains ? Not new to out west hunting as I’ve been going to Montana for 15+ years just looking at this area for elk this year , been predominantly mule deer hunting in the past

 

[rustneversleeps]

There are elk in those places...also lots of people

 

[ndbuck09]

Hike until you find fresh sign and that's where the elk will be. Build on your first year, build on your second year, build on your third, etc, and then you'll have built your bank of insight on the elk in these areas and you'll be smiling inside at your hard earned knowledge, knowing you did it.

 

[SuperDUECE22]

There are elk in those places...also lots of people

Thanks, heard the little belts are an absolute zoo for rifle opener but in my experiences archery seasons are usually a little less crowded, maybe just wishful thinking on my part

 

[MTbowhunter36]

Thanks, heard the little belts are an absolute zoo for rifle opener but in my experiences archery seasons are usually a little less crowded, maybe just wishful thinking on my part

Haven't hunted the LBs for a few years, but it seemed to get a lot of attention from NRs. Bugle magazine had an article that the LBs were a great destination for a NR as there were no griz, wolves and the topography was relatively mellow. After that article, there was a great influx of NRs. My experience was during archery.

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[hobbes]

Rifle season in any area of MT is more crowded than archery season in my experience. Can't help you with the Castles or LBs. The BBs are readily accessible from all angles. Seems to be roads in every drainage, so there aren't many out of the way places. Plenty of elk end up pushed onto private ranches, but that's just public land elk hunting. They get plenty of archery guys and a swarm of orange guys.

I drove through the BBs then between the Castles and LBs this morning. Saw a good looking black bear near the side of the road, but he was on private land also.

 

[MTSasquatch]

All three are growing in popularity with NR hunters, as others have noted. After all, it is the first HD in MT for NRs coming from the east to hunt either-sex elk with a general license. Forget what you heard, wolves and grizzly bears are in the Little Belts now as confirmed by the FS, FWP, and FWS. Wolves have been sighted in the Castles, and a pack used to live in the Crazies but I haven't followed that for some time, but I would be hard pressed to think some wolves weren't there. Castles and Crazies are not known to have grizzlies. All three have lots of elk and receive lots of hunting pressure. If this is your first year hunting either three, you have an uphill battle ahead of you. But, as other posters have noted, time and effort pay off, and where you find elk one year is generally where you will find them the following year. Leave your atv at home, and get your boots ready to cover many, many miles and you'll have a great time. Good luck this season! Growing up out here I too can confirm that the articles about the Little Belts absolutely changed the hunting dynamic for the mountain range. Sometimes I guess you can love something to death in a way, although Is till find elk. Anyways, good luck!

 

[DWBMontana]

This year the moisture has been phenomenal , so goes the grass growth, I am guessing elk will be more scattered in any of those areas with grass everywhere. Most years things are getting pretty dry all across Montana, I was up north of WSS a couple weeks back, the hay field we were going thru was 4 feet high in places, amazing, usually irrigated alfalfa and hay fields are magnets , but I do not know about this year, at least tell animals get pushed down to private grounds. I have one question, have you hunted out west before? Crazy Mountains can be just that when it comes to weather, few years back, hunter from Iowa disappeared , they found areas where he took off clothes, Hypothermia, finally found his body over a year later. They are gorgeous though....

 

[SuperDUECE22]

This year the moisture has been phenomenal , so goes the grass growth, I am guessing elk will be more scattered in any of those areas with grass everywhere. Most years things are getting pretty dry all across Montana, I was up north of WSS a couple weeks back, the hay field we were going thru was 4 feet high in places, amazing, usually irrigated alfalfa and hay fields are magnets , but I do not know about this year, at least tell animals get pushed down to private grounds. I have one question, have you hunted out west before? Crazy Mountains can be just that when it comes to weather, few years back, hunter from Iowa disappeared , they found areas where he took off clothes, Hypothermia, finally found his body over a year later. They are gorgeous though....View attachment 118773

Thanks, and yes I have been hunting “out west”—— Montana over 15 years and have also hunted Colorado

 

[DWBMontana]

Just asking, big difference hunting eastern Montana or Colorado then certain mountain ranges, in particular the Crazy Mountains.

 

[SuperDUECE22]

Just asking, big difference hunting eastern Montana or Colorado then certain mountain ranges, in particular the Crazy Mountains.

thank you I am well aware every mountain range is different and they all come with their own set of obstacles. I guess I shouldn’t have posted my Montana whitetail as my profile picture and give everyone the impression I’m a flatlander.

 

[DWBMontana]

It wasn't the pic, it was the fact you are needing info on September here in Montana, most folks who live here, have a pretty good idea of what to expect. Glad you have it covered.

 

[SuperDUECE22]

Thank you ... appreciate the info

 

[KOK]

lots of animals in lil belts. grizzles confirmed last year, though have been there forever. don't let the "little belts" fool you... rough country, my backyard. will take you a few years to figure out where to go, most NR have big plans and then realize after day one, that all they can do is truck hunt. good luck.

and one large wolf pack, usually near hughesville

 

[N2fishing]

Anybody have any insight on middle of September archery elk hunting in the little/big belts, castle or crazy mountains ? Not new to out west hunting as I’ve been going to Montana for 15+ years just looking at this area for elk this year , been predominantly mule deer hunting in the past

Just wonder what your impression was of this hunt, over crowded or not? I’ve got first MT Gen elk tag. Been hunting Colorado so hoping to avoid the crowd.