Montana Elk

[Jon Boy]

Got off a 14 day fire roll on wednesday afternoon. Packed in my spike camp that night. Arrowed a cow at last light. Recovered her thursday morning and packed her out. Hiked back in Thursday evening and was full draw on two different bulls. Friday morning arrowed a 6x7 at first light. During my pack out my partner arrowed a 6x6. Got all of my bull out today. Helping my buddy finish up with his tomorrow. Theyre screaming in my country.

 

[DmrbigEshotT]

Got off a 14 day fire roll on wednesday afternoon. Packed in my spike camp that night. Arrowed a cow at last light. Recovered her thursday morning and packed her out. Hiked back in Thursday evening and was full draw on two different bulls. Friday morning arrowed a 6x7 at first light. During my pack out my partner arrowed a 6x6. Got all of my bull out today. Helping my buddy finish up with his tomorrow. Theyre screaming in my country.

You're an animal! Post some pics when you get back.

 

[Clarktar]

Way to go jon!! I just got back from a quick two day trip and still they are tight lipped in my area... I think I can squeeze in two or 3 more days then I am likely don't until Oct.

 

[Takeem406]

I dont believe the fire burned any private land, but I could be wrong. Its my understanding that the area is still closed to the public. This is according to Lincoln Rangers office and not expected to reopen for at least few weeks.

Yeah I went up Copper Creek this weekend and all roads into Sucker Creek were closed off. I can tell ya there's no elk around Indian Meadows lol. I don't usually say where I hunt but after a 10 mile hike all the way around that area, I don't want anyone else to waste their time there lol.

 

[Redside]

The elk were very active this weekend for where I was hunting. Bugled all night and into the morning Sat until about 10:30 actively. One bugled occasionally until 12:30 or so then they started up for the last hour or so of daylight. Sat night they went all night and into the morning again on Sunday. We ended up calling in a bull as well. Shot him at 30 yards with a 100gr Ulmer Edge and it did the trick. He ran 50 yards down hill and piled up on that tree. Good thing he did too otherwise he would have rolled off a 30ft cliff! Hope this picture works

 

[MT_Wyatt]

They were going NUTS the past 2 days, bugling mid day, middle of the night, early morning no matter. I shot a bull at 830 on my opening morning.

I haven't shot a bull with my bow and got a chance at 30 yds yesterday. I had packed in quite a ways with my old man, so I went for it and arrowed the bull. Going back in once we drop the meat off here in a few.

Not for the magazine covers, but closing the deal with my dad 30 yds behind me calling was a priceless memory, decided not to risk that for more headgear. Totally worth it.

 

[Jaguigui]

Pretty quiet in the little belts for me today and yesterday. A lot of hunting pressure and shy elk.

 

[krossh]

Pretty quiet in the little belts for me today and yesterday. A lot of hunting pressure and shy elk.

Do you find the elk in the little belts to be quiet most of the time? I hunt there often and it's rare to hear them talking. In fact, last season I was really surprised to hear cow talk when I did. I immediately thought it was a group of other guys messing with us.

 

[squeekieslayer]

Pretty quiet in the little belts for me today and yesterday. A lot of hunting pressure and shy elk.

What? Pressure in the Little Belts? Weird hahaha. Between out of staters and guys wearing "military issued camo" there is SO much pressure. Not to sound like know it all or cocky, but the problem is that a lot of these guys have NO idea what they are doing, hike in squeezing hoochie mommas and bugling and chuckling and grunting like crazy... and the elk just get a great education. Tough hunting in the LB.

I will say that last Thursday I took my horse in to see how he would do alone (long story) with no expectations of really hunting. Ended up sitting on a big destroyed hillside covered in wallows that I have been to many times. Elk started bugling around 730 and I ended up in the middle of 3 larger sounding bugles and lots of cow calling. I could have shot 2 different spikes.

As I got back to my horse well after dark I found 3 guys setting up camp within 25 yards of where he was tied up. Nice group of guys that had come over from Washington. They hiked all afternoon, but when the saw my horse and heard the elk, they decided to sit tight and not ruin anything for me. I have to say that this was one of the nicest things I have had another hunter do for me. Means a lot to know there are good guys out there. They had killed a spike and a cow thus far, and god willing, got into those bulls I put to bed the next couple of days.

They kept asking me "how do you know about this spot?" I was a little amused, 1) that they thought there were "secret" spots in the LB, and 2) that they were surprised a guy that lives less than an hour away knew where to find elk in a drainage i have hunted for 5 years haha

Joe

 

[krossh]

That's hilarious! There are certainly no secret spots in the little belts.. just places that are tougher to hike in to... I'm banking on a place I "found" last year. I'm sick of walking into the lost fork! I did 13 miles one way last year in a day and thought if I got something down, I'd eat it on the way out.

 

[squeekieslayer]

That's hilarious! There are certainly no secret spots in the little belts.. just places that are tougher to hike in to... I'm banking on a place I "found" last year. I'm sick of walking into the lost fork! I did 13 miles one way last year in a day and thought if I got something down, I'd eat it on the way out.

Fortunately down there you can get to the bottom and get one of the 300 ATVers to help you out. Lost fork is the largest unroaded area in the LB. I run into an outfitter down there quite a bit that kills some big bulls. I would go there more but it is a LONG drive from my house in GF.

Ive gotten to where I really like the Utica side of the mountain... has NOTHING to do with game populations or hunters... has everything to do with the AMAZING burgers at the Oxen Yoke bar hahaha

Joe

 

[krossh]

Fortunately down there you can get to the bottom and get one of the 300 ATVers to help you out. Lost fork is the largest unroaded area in the LB. I run into an outfitter down there quite a bit that kills some big bulls. I would go there more but it is a LONG drive from my house in GF.

Ive gotten to where I really like the Utica side of the mountain... has NOTHING to do with game populations or hunters... has everything to do with the AMAZING burgers at the Oxen Yoke bar hahaha

Joe

Ha! The oxen yoke is always apart of our trip. I stick mostly on the Utica side as well. Lots of pressure, but it's still a good area. There's always outfitters in the lost fork. Holiday camp seems like it's always busy. One of these years, I'm going to get way back in there and spend the entire trip there. I've hunted all of Etten (along with everyone else). We head out Friday afternoon for 10 days and if I don't get an elk, I'm quitting. I've put so much damn time and effort into it the last four years. Granted, we've had some success with rifles. Is it Friday yet?

 

[airlocksniffer]

Starting Saturday night a ton of bugling all night long. One particular bull bugled throughout the day as well. We were a way the truck so didn't see too many other hunters. My buddy came to full draw on a 6 point but had bushes in the way. I didn't draw on or shoot anything but had plenty of great encounters.

 

[Jon Boy]

That's hilarious! There are certainly no secret spots in the little belts.. just places that are tougher to hike in to... I'm banking on a place I "found" last year. I'm sick of walking into the lost fork! I did 13 miles one way last year in a day and thought if I got something down, I'd eat it on the way out.

Were you camped off the 251 road last year? There were a few camps with 7 plates set up up there I saw while working. And maybe hunting haha
There arent any secrets there but me and Brock didnt see any hunters in 6 days while in the woods.

 

[gethuntin]

Were you camped off the 251 road last year? There were a few camps with 7 plates set up up there I saw while working. And maybe hunting haha
There arent any secrets there but me and Brock didnt see any hunters in 6 days while in the woods.

This thread pretty much confirms what I have been thinking the last couple years. If I go back to MT I need to find a different spot. A lot of pressure in the LB surprised you went that long wo seeing anyone. They all must have been in the area I was in. 2 years ago it wasn't bad bc the weather was pretty crappy snow and cold but last year there was 3x the people.

 

[Jon Boy]

Yah I worked for the forest service up there last year. Lots of hunters near the roads and trail. Didn't see any off the trail. And very few after 3 miles. I really like hunting the little belts. Lots of roads and motorized trails that keeps people out of the few non motorized places

 

[Beastmode]

Talking plenty good where I was earlier this week. Called him in for a 20 yard shot.

 

[Clarktar]

Yah I worked for the forest service up there last year. Lots of hunters near the roads and trail. Didn't see any off the trail. And very few after 3 miles. I really like hunting the little belts. Lots of roads and motorized trails that keeps people out of the few non motorized places

My impression as well. Only hunted it for the past two seasons, but I rarely see hunters in the areas I hike a few miles into.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

We were south of Big Sky from Friday-Tuesday. Starting Saturday night a ton of bugling all night long. One particular bull bugled throughout the day as well. We were about 6 miles from the truck so didn't see too many other hunters. My buddy came to full draw on a 6 point but had bushes in the way. I didn't draw on or shoot anything but had plenty of great encounters. As I posted in a different thread, this is heavy wolf country and that didn't stop the elk from bugling a ton.

That's really encouraging to hear, I've heard nothing but low elk numbers that direction. I used to hunt that hard during college, loads of guys on horseback south of Big Sky. And grizz tracks

 

[MTbowhunter36]

This thread pretty much confirms what I have been thinking the last couple years. If I go back to MT I need to find a different spot. A lot of pressure in the LB surprised you went that long wo seeing anyone. They all must have been in the area I was in. 2 years ago it wasn't bad bc the weather was pretty crappy snow and cold but last year there was 3x the people.

Yeah, there are a lot more people. I talked with a couple of guys last year from Iowa and Wisconsin and they said that they read about the LBs in Bugle magazine. They said that Bugle had talked up the LBs as there weren't any wolves or grizzlies to contend with and good opportunity with a decent amount of elk. There were guys in every drainage last year. This year I took my nephew up there and it's just as crazy.

I spoke with a couple of guys that were from Texas who let me in on their "secret" where the bulls were since they were leaving that day. It was rather comical, but enjoyed talking with them. None of them harvested an elk as none of the elk were "big enough"!

It seems as though some feel that they need to have quads to get around there. I got to one wallow and a quad had gone through it and got stuck. They were even kind enough to leave some of their trash there as well. Spoke to the game warden about that and he said that some guys are going places with their quads that are off limits, but it's hard to catch them unless someone sees them and turns them in.