Montana May Extend 08 Elk Season
- Thread starter noharleyyet
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shoots-straight
Well-known member
Maybe, just maybe, the reason the kill is down is because maybe, they aren't there.
smalls
Well-known member
I was told by a warden yesterday that it would be extended, but like last year will be addressed on a unit by unit basis.
ss- I don't think it is as much they aren't there as it is the conditions. I've seen elk and deer this year but the conditions are favoring them tremendously. In an area I would normally see 30 deer with good conditions, I saw only 8 and they were running. It's not impossible to get something but it's noisy walking, no snow to push them down, it's tougher to see them, they are brushing up during the day and doing a lot of activity at night. That said, I had the opportunity to get an elk and I got 2 deer.
The Hedgehog
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Sad to think that a 10 week open-season elk hunt requires winter-range conditions for successful harvest. Southwestern Montana elk hunters are pussies.
I hope the extension is just for cows.
I hope the extension is just for cows.
Hntnhrd
Member
MAybe if more hunters got out of their trucks and walked at least a couple hundred yards then the kill rate would go up. Then again it is nice to not have any competition in my favorite spots!!!!! I saw more road hunters last weekend than ever before!!!.
Horn Seeker
New member
The thing that kills me is unless you are running out the door when its snowing...you will basically get into crunchy snow nowadays... I dont remember Novembers being so warm in the mountains...
It is very sad that 10 weeks of season doesnt do it for me... I'll be screwed if I ever have to move back to Washington and get about 10 days to hunt!!!
It is very sad that 10 weeks of season doesnt do it for me... I'll be screwed if I ever have to move back to Washington and get about 10 days to hunt!!!
Dinkshooter
Well-known member
Don't be silly. That is not how it is done anymore. You just wait 15 years for your premium elk tag and shoot your hog 150 yards off the road. Any scrubby bull before or after that is just not worth the effort required. You pack a sub 300 bull more than a mile to the road you could be the laughing stock of the hunting world.
smalls
Well-known member
I just suck at elk hunting, that's why I didn't tag out this year.
The Hedgehog
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Season isn't over. I hunted until the last Sunday in the general season last fall before shooting an elk.
I still think it's crap that the FWP has to extend the season around here because they think there's an abnormally low harvest. A local check station is open from 8 - 5 on weekends I think.. How is the FWP getting harvest stats? I've taken I don't know how many elk out of that area and only one has come through the check station when it was open and that was when it was open 7 days a week.
I was in the hills the first 3 days of the season and saw ONE hunter the whole time.. on the way back to the truck, on the trail, within a mile of the trailhead. That was a wilderness area.. I saw 5 6X6 bulls, but was only really looking one evening and on the opening few minutes. On packing the bull out.. I crossed a number of bull tracks in the highcountry.
Sunday I hunted a roaded forest area, saw over 30 vehicles and almost as many guys in orange. Saw one doe muley. I think the bulls that decided to live up high deserve the protection they get from the roadhunters. Extending the season with the numbers of elk we have is a crock..
I still think it's crap that the FWP has to extend the season around here because they think there's an abnormally low harvest. A local check station is open from 8 - 5 on weekends I think.. How is the FWP getting harvest stats? I've taken I don't know how many elk out of that area and only one has come through the check station when it was open and that was when it was open 7 days a week.
I was in the hills the first 3 days of the season and saw ONE hunter the whole time.. on the way back to the truck, on the trail, within a mile of the trailhead. That was a wilderness area.. I saw 5 6X6 bulls, but was only really looking one evening and on the opening few minutes. On packing the bull out.. I crossed a number of bull tracks in the highcountry.
Sunday I hunted a roaded forest area, saw over 30 vehicles and almost as many guys in orange. Saw one doe muley. I think the bulls that decided to live up high deserve the protection they get from the roadhunters. Extending the season with the numbers of elk we have is a crock..
I am glad where I hunt elk here in Wyoming isn't doing that at the moment. I think it has been done in the past, but not in recent memory.
It was funny, this year I saw more elk than I have in a long time. There was some snow on the ground, but not nearly as much as I like for a General season hunt. What was even funnier is that I met a lot of guys who said they didn't see anything. The only went about 300 yards up the trail. I had to hike my Dad's spike out about 2 miles. Guys couldn't believe that we got something, they kept saying they hadn't seen anything. Kind of ridiculous if you ask me. With Elk you have to be willing to outwork them to get legitimate chances. Get to places to glass BEFORE the sun is cresting the mountains, STAY all day. If you aren't willing to do that, well I don't feel bad if you don't kill one.
It was funny, this year I saw more elk than I have in a long time. There was some snow on the ground, but not nearly as much as I like for a General season hunt. What was even funnier is that I met a lot of guys who said they didn't see anything. The only went about 300 yards up the trail. I had to hike my Dad's spike out about 2 miles. Guys couldn't believe that we got something, they kept saying they hadn't seen anything. Kind of ridiculous if you ask me. With Elk you have to be willing to outwork them to get legitimate chances. Get to places to glass BEFORE the sun is cresting the mountains, STAY all day. If you aren't willing to do that, well I don't feel bad if you don't kill one.
drahthaar
Active member
Lawnboy
Well-known member
They should only have it extended for cows. This will seperate those who truely are harvesting for meat and those looking for a big bull handout.
BRI
Well-known member
For the most part, I don't support the extra season either. I would support a unit by unit case if they didn't factor the number of elk that spend the vast majority of their time on large ranches that are off limits to public hunting. These elk should not be entirely counted towards management goals.
Lawnboy
Well-known member
I watched a helicopter fly up and down ridges on the Bridger Mtns. one year. When he reached the valley floor he would swoop way out in the valley over the fields. I asked the Fish and Game about the helicopter. They said they were doing counts for deer. I asked about the "field flying" and he said if it's in the unit then it all gets counted. I think it's bull to count animals that rarely leave if at all the private land. I still can't see how they think they need to issue doe tags for this area. They are almost like seeing the passenger pigeon. I would be afraid to shoot one for fear it might be the last on public land. Anyway sorry for the rant. I do feel better though|oo
The Hedgehog
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http://fwp.mt.gov/news/article_7493.aspx
How are they going to keep track of the bull harvest in some of these units?? What a crock! It will be a murderfest in some areas in particular. A blindfolded retard could shoot a 6 point in December in some of these places.. so much for some of the good bulls making it to next year.
How are they going to keep track of the bull harvest in some of these units?? What a crock! It will be a murderfest in some areas in particular. A blindfolded retard could shoot a 6 point in December in some of these places.. so much for some of the good bulls making it to next year.
shoots-straight
Well-known member
Greenhorn,
I was told today that the fish and game are requiring a phone check system.
The reason for the extended season is political not biological.
Our New Biologist,(from Bozemen Sorry) stood up for us and we're not getting in on the murder-fest. I tell you, your local sportsman groups should be embarrassed, I don't hear them bitching at all. Same thing in Dillon area. Although I'll bet they've been infiltrated by Livestock Industry interests.
Matt, no really their not there. It's not just a weather thing, (but thank God for it this year). In the West Fork of the Bitterroot spring count was 800 down from a high count of 1600 in 2004. The East Fork of the Bitterroot was at 3200, down from a high of 4100 in 2004. In 2004 though, 1000 head didn't reside during the full season on the CB Ranch. So we have actually 1900 head less to hunt if and when the migration takes place. Oh so I don't hear the fact that counts vary and you don't believe them, remember this year spring snow was heavy so elk were confined.
I was told today that the fish and game are requiring a phone check system.
The reason for the extended season is political not biological.
Our New Biologist,(from Bozemen Sorry) stood up for us and we're not getting in on the murder-fest. I tell you, your local sportsman groups should be embarrassed, I don't hear them bitching at all. Same thing in Dillon area. Although I'll bet they've been infiltrated by Livestock Industry interests.
Matt, no really their not there. It's not just a weather thing, (but thank God for it this year). In the West Fork of the Bitterroot spring count was 800 down from a high count of 1600 in 2004. The East Fork of the Bitterroot was at 3200, down from a high of 4100 in 2004. In 2004 though, 1000 head didn't reside during the full season on the CB Ranch. So we have actually 1900 head less to hunt if and when the migration takes place. Oh so I don't hear the fact that counts vary and you don't believe them, remember this year spring snow was heavy so elk were confined.
Horn Seeker
New member
Well... I've got to agree with Greenhorn... I was talking to a friend last night and we were scheming about hitting some spots in the Madison for a big bull...Not too sure I can bring myself to do it.. Then again...
We'll see...
We'll see...
ss- Doesn't it take weather to get elk into the east fork and west fork? Even at that I think there are some local herds in the east fork at least...I saw elk 3 of 5 days I hunted in the East fork this year. The thing that bugged me the most about hunting in the east fork though were the huge encampments, wall tents, trailers, horses, and people. As burnt off as that area is, it would be a slaughter if there was a heavy snow. I was hunting mule deer and it wasn't so bad for me but I've never seen that amount of pressure in a long time hunting (and it seemed most people love the inside of their pickups). Out of curiousity, do you think the "slaughter" that occurred a couple years ago has anything to do with the amount of elk in the east fork? I talked to a guy that has hunted that area for a long time, his view is over harvesting because of the last biologist that worked the area. He would count elk on winter range (probably every elk that existed in the unit) and would then multiply it by the amount of area figuring he just didn't see all the other elk...He then set quotas based on that. He also incorporated all the elk on the CB ranch which are basically not able to be hunted. As a side note...One guy I talked to said the decrease in elk was due to the wolves in that area...it almost made me laugh as I looked at all the encampments before the cow season opened.
Bambistew
Well-known member
I got to agree its complete bullshit. It should be cows only. Killing bulls and hunters holding out for a big bull will do nothing to control the population problem they seem to have.
The hunting pressure will be unreal I have a feeling, especially if there is any weather. Pray for nice warm weather and no snow. If the migration starts and conditions are right.... it will be a blood bath.
The hunting pressure will be unreal I have a feeling, especially if there is any weather. Pray for nice warm weather and no snow. If the migration starts and conditions are right.... it will be a blood bath.
