Montana unit for Elk

[dbeatty65]

Any insight elk bull to cow ratio? Wolves? I know it's a HUGE mule deer unit, but have a buddy who lives up there and looking at back packing in for elk.

 

[MTbowhunter36]

Geographically it's a big unit. Yes, you can expect wolves so buy a tag.

There's a good bit of hunting pressure as it's a draw unit for residents, but it has to be your first choice and it's a guaranteed draw for residents.

I hunted it this year during rifle and saw more orange than elk. I shot my bull on the second day of rifle and saw a lot of road hunters so expect a lot of pressure. I've taken bulls out of this unit in '17 and '19 and they were both raghorns. While you can find big bulls, it's predominantly raghorns that you'll see as it's managed for opportunities.

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[Airborne1]

I have hunted this unit 3 times. Every time I have seen multiple bulls. Some rag horns and two 300+ Missed two bulls. Seen some mountain lions, their den and also wolf tracks, never seen or heard one though. But overall I like the unit. There is a lot of elk in there, you just need to find them. My very first time I opted to learn from a guide and we were in elk 4 out of 5 days, one was my miss judged distance causing a miss. The rest of the hunts were DIY. I would be going back there again this year but I was in a different unit for 2019 and am going to go back to that unit for 2020. Try something new. I personally wouldn't hesitate to go back. Oh and some of the muley I have seen are great! I meet a woman and her father there two years ago that drew a muley tag and she shot a brute. They also passed on multiple bulls during archery.

 

[dbeatty65]

THANKS for the information! We'll be starting during archery season and move to rifle if needed. My buddy lives in Darby with a family ranch since the 60's, but is more of a wanna be so everything has to be done by me.

 

[Indian Summer]

Geographically it's a big unit. Yes, you can expect wolves so buy a tag.

There's a good bit of hunting pressure as it's a draw unit for residents, but it has to be your first choice and it's a guaranteed draw for residents.

I hunted it this year during rifle and saw more orange than elk. I shot my bull on the second day of rifle and saw a lot of road hunters so expect a lot of pressure. I've taken bulls out of this unit in '17 and '19 and they were both raghorns. While you can find big bulls, it's predominantly raghorns that you'll see as it's managed for opportunities.

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Road hunters have nothing to do with actual hunting pressure.

You won’t shoot a wolf so don’t waste your money.

It’s not managed for opportunities anymore than most other units. I know of a 360 killed there and one bigger. You will take home a small bull if that’s what you shoot.

The north and south ends of the unit are very different. I prefer one over the other. I personally like that unit the last week of the season but I have a ton of experience with what the elk are doing then.

The permits are for both residents and non residents. The idea is that once it gets to be late in the year people, mostly residents who have the permit to hunt their other areas further north they can’t all start heading down there. They have to pick one unit in the Bitterroot and stay there. The permits are unlimited so as long as you apply on time you’ll get one.

Remember that permits cannot be applied for after the original application date. I’ve seen guys buy the general license as a leftover hoping to hunt there but that doesn’t work.

 

[MtGomer]

You won’t shoot a wolf so don’t waste your money.

Why is that?

 

[black dawg]

Everybody I know that hunted that area this year either saw wolves, wolf sign, or heard howling. Absolutely have a wolf tag. Also saw pics of griz tracks from different areas of the unit. Heard from another guy I don't know real well that he saw a griz, but no pics of tracks.....so who knows?

Depending on timing of migration you may not see any elk.

 

[Indian Summer]

If you were over in 250 I’d say buy a wolf tag. Or in a few select areas in 270. But even if you see tracks or hear wolves that by no means suggests that you’ll get a shot at one. One big reason is they are very nocturnal. The other is that they are damn smart. I have LOTS of experience with the wolves in that entire region. I’ve killed them and I’ve had clients kill them as well as guides working for me. I’ve never bothered trying to hunt them in 270. I punched 13 elk tags in a row around there and I have never laid eyes on a wolf in 270.

 

[dbeatty65]

If we don't fill archery tags and move to rifle I would buy a wolf tag for obvious reasons. I do know how SMART they are!

 

[Indian Summer]

Your only hope of killing one is if you kill an elk in a spot that can be seen from a vantage point that you can slip into from above. Get there at very first light without getting busted and you might get lucky.

Black Dawg did the people you know have wolf tags?

 

[Indian Summer]

Bitterroot wolves. There as many all white or all black as there are grey.

 

[Indian Summer]

270 bull. Not all raghorns. Lots of old burns like that.

 

[black dawg]

Your only hope of killing one is if you kill an elk in a spot that can be seen from a vantage point that you can slip into from above. Get there at very first light without getting busted and you might get lucky.

Black Dawg did the people you know have wolf tags?

Yes, these people had wolf tags, but like you say they are very hard to get a shot at.....especially if it is a surprise encounter. It just sucks to have a shot opportunity at one or two and not have a tag or two.....

 

[Selway]

I know of quite a few wolves that have been killed in 270 incidentally by elk hunters. They are a very tough animal to kill, but the tags are so cheap there's no reason not to buy one.

It's a good unit if you get snow late, but not a very good archery unit, and can be pretty slow in rifle season without a significant storm to push elk in. The unit is primarily winter range, and while there are resident elk, the majority of the elk that winter there summer and rut in the Big Hole Valley.

It's not any better than the average unit in region 3, but it is the best unit in the Bitterroot, which is why it gets so much pressure and why we had to go to permit only. Personally if I were coming from out of state I'd head to region 3 where it's not as weather dependent.

 

[MtGomer]

For $50, I would get a wolf tag.
I’ve only been in 270 twice and I saw wolves one of them. It was August and not season though.
hunting wolves is tough and I’ve never had much luck with it, but I have shot several while pursuing other game.
Seeing a wolf is hard. Until it isn’t, and there’s one standing in front of you and you kill it. (Assuming you have a tag)

 

[MTbowhunter36]

Road hunters have nothing to do with actual hunting pressure.

You won’t shoot a wolf so don’t waste your money.

It’s not managed for opportunities anymore than most other units. I know of a 360 killed there and one bigger. You will take home a small bull if that’s what you shoot.






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Yes, I'm aware that road hunters have nothing to do with pressure. I said I saw more orange (hunters) than elk. I've hunted the south and north ends of the unit and have experienced a lot of hunting pressure during archery and rifle. More so than other units that are in the Bitterroot.

I've called in wolves two separate times during archery this year alone, so I believe it's worth having a tag in your pocket and not a waste of money! I've heard them howling, seen scat, found their kills and I've shot one. My friend's dad has had two separate encounters with them - both times within 40 yards during rifle - but couldn't react quick enough to get a shot off, he's in his 70s and his weapon was shouldered. Friends that hunt the unit tell me about wolf sightings too.

Moreover, as I said it's predominantly raghorns in the unit - not all. Like you, I know there are some big bulls in there as I've seen them and know of one that's 390+. I'm a trophy hunter with a meat hunter's trigger finger. I won't pass up a legal bull.

 

[CAElkhunter]

Hunted 270 in 3rd rifle this year. Saw a lot of cows and spikes. Very few legal bulls and a lot of hunting pressure from other hunters. A little better during the week but crazy on weekend. There is a big private ranch safe zone where there were literally 700 + elk bedded down all day. Did not see any sign of wolves even though outfitter told me to buy a tag.

I think this zone is very weather dependent for rifle hunting. If it is mild you are screwed.
Saw a lot of crazy big Mule deer bucks though just staring at you .

 

[Indian Summer]

That’s the CB Ranch owned by Craig Barrett the ceo of Intel Corporation. Pressure city all around that area. You were in the wrong neck of the woods for sure. Who was your outfitter? Two Bear? Having a wolf tag in his area was actually good advice.

 

[CAElkhunter]

We didn't spend any time looking at the safe zone. We hunted the high hills all around that zone.
Hunted with James Whitescarver. Great guy. Worked his ass off. Just a rough week with a full moon. Had Elk encounters everyday just cows and spikes. Only legal bull opportunity was at 710 yds with 3 legal bulls walking away from us in a herd bunched up. Didn't have a clear shooting window for that range and I don't really try those shots. I would recommend him though as he worked hard everyday. We hiked around 50 miles that week...….That is why they call it hunting not shooting.

 

[dbeatty65]

I have hunted this unit 3 times. Every time I have seen multiple bulls. Some rag horns and two 300+ Missed two bulls. Seen some mountain lions, their den and also wolf tracks, never seen or heard one though. But overall I like the unit. There is a lot of elk in there, you just need to find them. My very first time I opted to learn from a guide and we were in elk 4 out of 5 days, one was my miss judged distance causing a miss. The rest of the hunts were DIY. I would be going back there again this year but I was in a different unit for 2019 and am going to go back to that unit for 2020. Try something new. I personally wouldn't hesitate to go back. Oh and some of the muley I have seen are great! I meet a woman and her father there two years ago that drew a muley tag and she shot a brute. They also passed on multiple bulls during archery.

What part of MI? I'm from MI myself the Jackson-Ann Arbor area.