Southern Montana Elk Hunting

[Swampdonky2010]

So I am moving to Cody and trying to come up with a starting place to hunt this fall. I have no clue about where to go in Montana since I missed the draw in Wyoming. I was thinking about Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness Area. Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated.

 

[kad1429]

I live in billings and was born and raised here you never see much for elk coming out of the beartooths anymore. I was bear hunting there all spring and seen alot of cows on private no bulls. Your better off going farther west if your going to hunt the south part of the state. For more info PM me and do you bow hunt or rifle hunt?

 

[brewer427]

I live in billings and was born and raised here you never see much for elk coming out of the beartooths anymore. I was bear hunting there all spring and seen alot of cows on private no bulls. Your better off going farther west if your going to hunt the south part of the state. For more info PM me and do you bow hunt or rifle hunt?

THIS^^^ My Grandparents own several buildings and land in Red Lodge and I have spent quite abit of time in the Beartooths, hunting, fishing and hiking. My Grandfather use to hunt Silver run Plateau a ton but elk just got fewer and fewer in that country. You might take a look up the Boulder River drainage, South of Big Timber, MT. I've heard some mixed reviews out of there lately, but I do know they opened up some land by building a road. I believe RMEF helped with that. Otherwise I'm with kad1429 look a little farther west.

 

[Tony Trietch]

I hunted in the Beartooths last year and saw aprox ten elk in 10 days. All in one herd that was about 100 yards over the Yellowstone line. I saw wolf tracks every day and saw several bear. Had one bluff charge to about 10 yards. I hired a horse packer to take me in and was in aprox 12 miles.
Until the wolves get thinned out north of YS, I would look elsewhere.

 

[ndbwhunter]

I hunted in the Beartooths last year and saw aprox ten elk in 10 days. All in one herd that was about 100 yards over the Yellowstone line. I saw wolf tracks every day and saw several bear. Had one bluff charge to about 10 yards. I hired a horse packer to take me in and was in aprox 12 miles.
Until the wolves get thinned out north of YS, I would look elsewhere.

If you don't mind me asking, what unit were you hunting? I'm heading out that way this fall and I'm really not sure what to expect. PM me if you like.

 

[Chris Sloan]

You have a early wilderness rifle season that opens mid archery season in unit 316. Could make for a cool combo hunt, although that unit doesnt have the best harvest data. Wouldnt reccomend the lee metcalf and Gravelly's....both get pretty crowded compared to other units in the area.

 

[Jon Boy]

Theres places that hold good numbers in the tooth. There hard to find and generally not in the back country at all. Mostly on that public/private border.
Having said that its more of a locals game as far as getting private land access or knowing when there coming off the private.