The book "Elk Hunting Montana" by Jack Ballard

Ohio Josh

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Hey guys, this book was published in 2007. Is most of the info still relevant due to wolves, wildfires etc? I am basing most of my decisions on it and the Montana Hunt Planner. Any feedback is appreciated.
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Josh
 
Pretty good book to get you started. I think some of that book has remained pretty relevant as well. Particularly what he says about the Castle mountains. I found it to be helpful. You are probably on the best forum out there to gain valuable up to date information about Elk. Lots to read.
 
Ballard basically wrote that book from his personal experience, a road map, and the elk management plan. FWIW.

I think all in all, it’s a pretty decent book though. Mostly still relevant today.
 
Never read the book, but heard about it once. It was the last day of elk season 2015, after dark, my first time being skunked on elk in MT since 1993. I'd made it to a USFS trail and was hiking out, with several miles still to go. I could see 2 headlamps coming and could tell it was a guy and girl, snowshoeing. I was going to jump out and scare the shit out of them, but then thought that might be a good way to get pepper sprayed or shot. Anyhow, met a couple nice folks who'd moved to MT from Maine. We walked out together and chit chatted. The guy asked me how I ended up hunting elk there and I just said trial and error. He said he had taken an elk there the year before. A very old, big antlered 5 point. I asked how he found that place and what made him decide to hunt there, as I rarely see any hunters in there. He referenced that book, and said it had all the right ingredients based on the recommendations. I'd like to read it, as it must have some decent info.
 
It’s my go to guide for elk in Montana. He is a good writer and good gentleman. I’ve own my copy since 2008 and have used it to locate several productive areas for elk in the rifle seasons.
 
owned a copy for several years. always read through it before I head out for our hunt.
 
Holy cow! $140 on Amazon, and unavailable on the author’s website. I’m planning on hunting MT for the first time this year, is it worth $140?

Thanks,
Ben
 
I've got a copy that could be passed around for guys to read if they want it. I'll just ask you pay for shipping and pass it to the next guy that wants it. Pm me if your interested.
 
I've rented it from the local library a couple times and read it completely through the first time I rented just after moving here to MT. I thought it had some useful information in it considering I knew very little about the different areas of MT. I would guess that the areas that have been hit hardest by wolves are a little different than described in the book. I don't think I'd pay $140 for it.
 
Like I said, Ballard used his own personal knowledge for some of the book. The rest he spoke to bios and went off the herd studies from the EMP. That’s just a guess, but I noticed a lot of his data matched up pretty well to the biological data from the EMP.
 
I have it, didn't know I was sitting on a gold mine. Let the bidding begin...

...or If you want to borrow it, just pay the shipping.
 

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