MT Combo Tag: Focus on One Species?

Two buddies and I got MT big game combo tags (apologies if the terminology isn't correct, but it's the elk/mule deer/white tail tag) for our first Western hunt this October because we figured it would increase our odds of success. But is this a poison apple? Should we just pick one -- elk being all of our top choice -- and commit to that, or are there tactics to hunt overlapping ranges and maybe stumble into a nice muley? We've all killed plenty of white tail, so that's really a non-starter for us. Watching Randy's vids, he seems to always see plenty of game species, but aside from grouse and one or two other example I can think of off the top of my head, I don't really see him going after elk and coming out with anything else.

Thanks for the advice. I'm loving this forum and picking your brains on stuff like this!

I've not hunted a combo tag in Montana, but having done multi-species hunts in other states I would suggest focusing on each animal separately.

Have a few areas picked out for each species. If you happen to see a nice muley while you're elk hunting, great, consider it a bonus. If not, and you fill your elk tag, use your remaining time to focus on the areas you've researched for deer. I think that this is a better approach than compromising on where you hunt elk in order to increase your odds of seeing a deer, which may result in no opportunity for either critter.

Going solo, sometimes my hunt areas are 3-4 hours apart. I can relocate to hunt my other tag once the first one is filled. It gets trickier with hunting partners, as the odds are that not everyone will fill their elk tags and leave enough time to relocate for deer. In that case, it's better if your areas are within an hour or so, and you camp somewhere that you can walk right out or ride a quad and begin hunting.
Example: This year, I have a cow elk tag, my partner will likely have a pronghorn buck tag (I might too if I get lucky). We'll be camping in my elk unit. The plan is to hunt pronghorn for a few days prior to the elk opener, then switch to elk. If he hasn't filled his buck tag by then, he can either drop me off at a trailhead and continue on to his pronghorn area about an hour away, picking me back up in the evening, or I can simply walk out of camp and begin hunting.

What time of year do you plan on going?

I went on the combo tag last year for my first out of state hunt for elk and mule deer. Luckily for me I have a good friend who lives in SW Montana and has hunted the area for 7 years so we had a pretty good starting point. With that said, we hiked 70 miles in 9 days both spike camping and using his house every few days. I chose to head out there the second week of November and stay till the end to hit the mule deer rut and look for bulls seeking shelter in their sanctuary spots. I got really lucky and hard work paid off and I shot my first bull elk on the 3rd day and we both shot solid mule deer bucks the last 3 days, obviously since we were getting right into the rut it was somewhat easier to find older class bucks than say October but with my buck it was pure luck as I was still hunting through heavy timber following a doe and a young forked horn and out of no where a mature 4 point appeared at close range and I took him. I also love the idea of hunting later in the season in cold weather that way theres no worry about keeping the meat cool. I had to leave half the buck and bull 6+ miles in over night and return the next day. The bull was a rag horn with a group of cows, but we had opportunities on really nice bulls that were also still running with cows. I would focus on finding elk first and if you happen to come across a good buck get after it. Also for just an extra $75 you can buy a white tail doe tag for more meat in the freezer.

The first time I ever went elk hunting, in the West Elk Wilderness in Colorado, I found a great spot in an old burn a few thousand feet below the trail. I started making my plans and finding a glassing spot. Then reality hit me. I was intending to drop an elk in the middle of a thousand acres of blowdown timber, several thousand feet below and a mile and a half away from my car (not truck). I realized I really wasn't prepared to process, pack out, or haul a 600-pound elk. Because I had a combo tag, I was able to shift focus, drop down to the sagebrush hills, and switch to deer. Not successfully, mind you, but I was much better prepared. I generally find myself switching from elk to muleys to whitetails and back again several times during a hunting season. Sometimes during a day. I'm contemplating adding bear and turkey tags to the mix this year. Sure, I would probably take more and bigger bulls with a laser-like focus on elk to the exclusion of all else, but that's not how I roll.

Don't equate video with actual hunting; it's not the same thing. Good editing will remove extraneous critters and things that detract from the unity of the show, unless the episode needs "filler". What you are seeing on video is five days edited down to 22 minutes. Because Randy's shows feature more background and scope than most, you will see some grouse and the occasional deer or coyote on elk hunts, but it's still not really representative of actual hunting, in both directions. You won't see most of the other critters they actually encounter, and conversely, you won't see the days they don't see so much as a chickadee. It just doesn't make good television.

You'll hear over and over how elk live at least 1-2 miles from roads. Deer live in those areas that elk avoid. Not necessarily high densities or monster bucks, but they are there. Core mule deer habitat and core elk habitat are generally different areas, but I've stumbled across both when hunting for the other. I'd recommend concentrating primarily on elk, if that's your top choice, but don't feel bad about putting a stalk on a muley if the elk aren't cooperating. And if someone tags an elk, he's got the option of looking for a deer too.

Pick one, and focus on that... Don't lower your standards just to fill a tag... What I've seen many times, is the guys figure out real fast that elk hunting is about 10x harder than they thought and shoot the first forky buck they see after about day 3. Doesn't matter if its resident or non... the poor little bucks get hammered for "the freezer." Best part is most of the meat ends up in a dumpster.

Honestly if it's three of you going you may be lucky enough to fill one elk tag between the three. You didn't mention how long you have to hunt I don't think? That would possibly change how I thought I'd approach this hunt. I totally understand you guys wanting to smoke some elk but if I'm gonna be realistic here if it were my first western hunt I'd chase mulies first to get some experience out west. Elk are tough animals and it's a totally different game than whitetail imo. Bambistew is giving some good advise be careful or you will set yourself up for failure. Trust me it's not as easy as Randy makes it look on tv. Hahahaha

I would focus on mule deer and maybe cow elk. Both are great eating, and much easier to find. Like 10:1 better.

As a young hunter, I always seemed to find a nice muley buck to take if a little hunting effort exerted. However, when starting to seriously hunt elk I initially thought they must be a mystical creature conjured up to sell elk hunting gear. Point is that it takes awhile to figure out the elk hunting. But then you just might get lucky, as often that is a big part of success.

Thanks for the advice! To answer a couple questions from above, we'll be there for the first five days of the MT rifle season that opens on Oct. 20.

I just got my MT guide book and haven't been able to read it very closely yet, so this might be off, but I thought this particular combo tag isn't an "and" multi-species tag, but rather a "one-and-done" tag that is flexible among the three. So if I shoot a muley, I'm done for the trip and become a spotter/packer (which I'd be totally cool with), but my hunt is over. Have I misunderstood this? It's the Nonresident Big Game Combination License.

Either way, the three of us better all be on the same page when planning and e-scouting.

Bambistew said:

Pick one, and focus on that... Don't lower your standards just to fill a tag... What I've seen many times, is the guys figure out real fast that elk hunting is about 10x harder than they thought and shoot the first forky buck they see after about day 3. Doesn't matter if its resident or non... the poor little bucks get hammered for "the freezer." Best part is most of the meat ends up in a dumpster.

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The freezer isn't an issue. I can get enough deer tags back here in PA that meat isn't the concern. We're most excited for the experience; getting out after something we've never hunted before in terrain we've barely ever touched before. That being said, we'd also not hold out for B&C bulls of Western dreams. Honestly, I'll be happy if we just don't screw it up too badly this time around!

Stagg412 said:

but I thought this particular combo tag isn't an "and" multi-species tag, but rather a "one-and-done" tag .

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The big game combo is an elk and a deer, said deer can be a white-tail or a mule deer. When you get your tags in the mail you will get your license and then the carcass tags that you will attached to the animal after the kill. You will have a deer tag and an elk tag.

wllm1313 said:

The big game combo is an elk and a deer, said deer can be a white-tail or a mule deer. When you get your tags in the mail you will get your license and then the carcass tags that you will attached to the animal after the kill. You will have a deer tag and an elk tag.

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Well this just got a hell of a lot more interesting. Thanks for clarifying my newbie misunderstanding.

Keep in mind that depending where you hunt some areas may be permit only (by drawing) for mule deer and general for elk. You can shoot whitetails in almost any unit. Very few if any whitetail areas are by permit. I'd focus hard on looking for elk and take deer as they present themselves. As others have suggested not all areas are good for both species, but given this is your first hunt you probably won't know until you put boots on the ground whether you are going to be in a better deer or a better elk spot.

I agree with Gerald, I am FAR from an expert, but based on my previous experiences being a non resident 'alien' I have to be mindful of the time I have.
So I split my time in two, first part Elk, second part deer, but if a deer turns up during the first week I won't pass up the opportunity.
For me it's no good shooting a bull Elk a day or two before I fly home, they are a big beast to haul out if back in the wilderness.
Cheers
Richard

Gerald Martin said:

Keep in mind that depending where you hunt some areas may be permit only (by drawing) for mule deer and general for elk. You can shoot whitetails in almost any unit. Very few if any whitetail areas are by permit. I'd focus hard on looking for elk and take deer as they present themselves. As others have suggested not all areas are good for both species, but given this is your first hunt you probably won't know until you put boots on the ground whether you are going to be in a better deer or a better elk spot.

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Your best bet is to write down the questions you have and then call the game warden in the area you are going to hunt. He will give you the answers.

I would focus on elk and kill mule deer opportunistically. This is more realistic than hunting deer and killing elk opportunistically. Also depends on how long you will be hunting. A week, i would focus on elk. If longer, then you could start thinking about devoting a week to each.

Bambistew said:

Pick one, and focus on that... Don't lower your standards just to fill a tag... What I've seen many times, is the guys figure out real fast that elk hunting is about 10x harder than they thought and shoot the first forky buck they see after about day 3. Doesn't matter if its resident or non... the poor little bucks get hammered for "the freezer."

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I saw this first hand on my combo tag last year. We saw does every day we elk hunted but kept the deer tag with us as a opportunity tag. Never really got any opportunity to fill it in our elk area. We dedicated a few days to deer which caused us to move areas. We chose a better one that was on the route home.

This plan worked but felt very rushed. Both us would of rather focused on just one.