Montana Rifle Plan

[Tallfeller454]

Had to leave Archery season early this year due to a family emergency. Looking to go back out for rifle either Nov. 9-15 or 23-30. I know it will be cold and I’m fine with cold weather hunting. Will be in Central Montana and plan to hunt the tops around 7600 depending on weather I know they may be lower. I feel the older bulls will still be hanging out in a few of the drainages up there by themselves. Mainly just looking for advice on what to plan for and how to hunt them that time of year.


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[Young Blood]

One problem in Central Montana is that you are hunting "island" mountain ranges for the most part and the elk will quickly head down for the private down in the foothills once the shooting starts. Some bulls may stay up high and I think you're on the right path to hunt those high, hard to get to drainages. Find any sanctuary area you can and hunt it. The areas with a bunch of nasty blow down, steep, hard to get to, with feed very close by... focus on those areas.

 

[Tallfeller454]

That’s what I’m thinking. If the weather is too bad then I will drop down and hunt lower elevation. Youngblood have you ever hunted much BMA Land?


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[Wapiti1]

Your plan is snow dependent. The old bulls leave their sanctuaries when they can't get to their food, and will come down to the highest elevation food is available at. That said, in some central MT areas all of the elk may be on private. The old bulls don't stay high because they know where sanctuary really is.

BMA's can be very good hunting, but you need the booklet and maps. Go here and request it for free: http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/hunterAccess/blockman/

I grew up in Great Falls, shoot me a PM if you want to talk specifics.

Jeremy