CMR elk

[Missoulaz28]

So last year I was lucky enough to get my first bull. I was more than happy with the little five point that I found on the first day of my hunt.

This year will be different I hope.

I was lucky enough to draw a limited entry elk tag on the north side of the CMR Wildlife Refuge. Since I had never been in the area I decided to head over and check it out a few days ago. After putting a thousand miles on my brothers truck (thanks randy) I have a little better idea of what I need to be looking at, I think.



Not what I am used to looking at when I have elk in mind.

There is an elk in there somewhere.

Told ya.

That's starting to look a little bit more like what I was expecting/hoping to find.

This is the area that I had found on google earth that I though would be a better area. There are plenty of dark timber pockets for them to bed in. As of now my plan will be to hike in and glass this in the mornings and hopefully make a stalk after finding animals.



Had a decent place to sleep for the night.

The plan is to get back over at least once more before the season and get a little deeper in to the area I plan to hunt.
I am looking at hunting the first week of November, it's going to be a long wait until then.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Good luck, Barry! That is going to be an awesome hunt!

How do you like the Hammock? I got a Grand Trunk hammock last year, but haven't had a chance to do much other than take a nap in it yet.

 

[Missoulaz28]

First night I've done in it. Need to adjust how I set it up, needs to be tighter I think. But I slept great, but I was so tired I would have slept anywhere.

 

[Schaaf]

Awesome, a couple of those pictures sure look familiar

Good luck this year!

 

[----]

Kill one bigger than a mule deer this year!

I'm looking forward to helping you pack a big old bull out of there this fall.

 

[Missoulaz28]

Kill one bigger than a mule deer this year!

Ouch. You really enjoy that picture don't you?

 

[Gerald Martin]

Kill one bigger than a mule deer this year!

I'm looking forward to helping you pack a big old bull out of there this fall.

Liar.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Randy, did I mention that I'm willing to help you look for your moose this fall? I figure after you get all the trail cam pictures of the elk and have them patterned, I'll go with you on the pretense of helping you if you get a moose. My real intention would be to shoot a bull elk and have you help me pack it out....

Good luck on your hunt Barry! I hope you have a great time.

 

[Kaitum]

Randy, did I mention that I'm willing to help you look for your moose this fall? I figure after you get all the trail cam pictures of the elk and have them patterned, I'll go with you on the pretense of helping you if you get a moose. My real intention would be to shoot a bull elk and have you help me pack it out.... .

Get in line Gerald, I played that card weeks ago

 

[Southern Elk]

That's some good looking elk country. I need to hunt a place like that instead of the steep mountains we've been hunting. Good luck this fall!

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Get in line Gerald, I played that card weeks ago

It's gonna be a party!

 

[Gerald Martin]

It's gonna be a party!

With three of us helping him, there's pretty good odds he's going to be packing elk meat at some time rather than moose hunting. Hey we're helping! What are friends for? Right?

 

[Pagosa]

That is beautiful country, should be a super fun hunt. Good luck on the scouting and the hunt.

 

[LCH]

I just bought a Grand Trunk hammock the other night. That's a good idea hanging it up with ratchet straps for easy adjustment, even if a little heavy.

 

[SteveE]

Congrats on a great tag! I look forward to following this one.

I hunt solo a lot and carry a ratchet strap to help hold/move the animal while I butcher.

It is the only way I can get elk quarters hoisted off the ground and tied off by myself.

Not a bad tool to have in your pack imo.

 

[sneakypete]

Congrats on a great tag! Great to see how green it is out there, our hunting location is right between Great Falls and Lewistown. Green is great, let the horn growth grow. Why won't you be there for the opener?

 

[gregt9146]

Sweet looking pictures, and good luck with your hunt. What unit are you hunting on the North side?

 

[Missoulaz28]

I was about six feet from the truck there, so the weight of the ratchets wasn't an issue. No way I'd bring them in my pack.

 

[Missoulaz28]

I haven't set any dates in stone yet. I would have to take a few of extra days off to hunt the opener (or any weekend) and when they are unpaid that hurts. I also generally don't like all of the extra people out the first weekend.

If anyone with experience in the area can say doing the opener is better for sure, or has any suggestions on dates that should be good I'm all for listening.

 

[Highwood]

I had the either sex rifle elk hunt (622, 621 and 620 in 2013. I hunted opening week then again during the third week of Nov. That opening week was nuts, especially the first 3-4 days. You have all those cow hunters running around everywhere they could get to with their wheeled rigs. And there are the deer hunters around too, all that public land draws a ton of hunters.
My late hunt was so much more enjoyable, you have the place mostly to yourself. You will be able do a real quality hunt.
Your going to have a blast!