Sitka Gear Turkey Tool Belt

Montana Backcountry Units 150 151 280 316 first timer

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LowCountryBuckeye

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Thanks for taking the time to read this and help a new elk hunter.

My buddy and I are looking to take our first elk hunt next fall (2019). We plan on back packing in to one of the four Montana backcountry units for a rifle hunt during the rut. Am I getting in over my head or is jumping in with both feet the best way to get started. Obviously I want to get a nice bull. But, I will not be disappointed with 8-9 days in the wilderness.

My main concerns are:
1)Off trail navigation
2)Will the elevation affect my calorie needs
3)I will be upgrading my boots, but do I really need to upgrade my camo to top of the line first lite or sitka gear?

About me:
I am 32 years old. I am in relatively good shape with no health issues to speak of. I work out 4-6 days a week strength training and cardio. I have always lived east of the Mississippi (Ohio and South Carolina). I do have experience back packing in the Appalachian Mountains but nothing above 3,000 ft.
 
Sounds like a great adventure, but be realistic about the likelihood of killing a trophy. There are elk and you may very well get one, but it's a lot of work and a lot of luck.
1) This is seriously rugged country and getting lost has very serious potential consequences. I would think seriously about a GPS and have standard topo map and compass to back it up when the batteries die.
2) Elevation doesn't have much to do with calorie intake. Work does. It's a LOT of work to hunt this country. Plan accordingly. 3000 calories a day and you will still be hungry and lose weight.
3) Break in your boots. You need layers of quality clothes that will insulate when wet, but there are a lot less expensive options than name-brand, top-shelf clothing. Leave cotton at home.
 
Jumping right into the deep water. You plan to have an outfitter drop camp, are you horse packing camp, or backpacking in? Backpacking will be one heck of a bitch though I suppose it is reasonably doable IF you make arrangements prior to packing in for someone with pack animals "on call" to pack out any elk you harvest. With that, be sure you have an InReach or other RELIABLE GPS communication device to message or Sat call for them with the auto/accurate created coordinates and make sure your communication device is able to receive articulated messages as well. Less that, backpacking an elk or two, if so lucky or unlucky to pack out, would be one amazing ordeal! No makeshift wheeled carts are permitted in the Wilderness and the back and forth to pack out that much meat is simply - one heck of an extraordinary event and dangerous...

If a drop camp with Outfitters / other prepped to check in mid way through your trip and to pack camp out at the end would work.

Will be interesting to read your adventure though the reason (or one reason) it is open for rifle during the rut is due to it's remote nature. Be sure to post pics, etc. :)
 
Eliminate 316 from your choices as a starter. Been there done that. There are much better places to find elk. If you did stumble across the needle in the haystack packing a bull back up across the divide is certainly more than I would want to do.

Personally, I think mtmuley has the best advice. Get your feet wet on a hunt in an "easier" area and then see if you still want to do a "backcountry" hunt. Honestly, there is more "backcountry" on USFS lands than you might think.
 
We are looking at bringing a GPS and paper map with compass. That brings up another question. Where do you get your maps? Do you laminate them to protect from weather?

I’m not sure I stated this question clearly enough. I know my calorie needs for trail hiking 12-15 mile days in elevations around 3k ft. Will off trail hiking at higher elevations cause my food needs to increase. I would hate for my hunt to be cut short because I have to leave the mountain for a resupply.

Boot break in will be a must. I am looking at stiffer soles than I have ever needed before.
 
Right now the plan is to backpack in and out. I have an EXO 5500 and my buddy picked up a KUIU. We have decided to investigate hiring someone with pack animals to bring us in, drop us off, and pick us up. But not sure on the costs or how to go about finding/arranging that.
 
Not the hunter the posters are. Some of the experienced guys on the forum. You are getting good advice!
 
Southern Elk said:
I would not do that hunt without horses.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't hunt it with horses either...another sad display of mismanagement by the MTFWP.

I have the numbers from the 140/150 flight that happened on May 20th...in 9 hours of flight time at $425/hour, they observed 202 elk. Out of those 7 total bulls, 2 of which were yearlings and 5 "adult" bulls. They estimate 8 calves per 100 cows and a bull to cow ratio of 6 bulls per 100 cows.

On the plus side, you and the rest of the general tag holders, can hunt those elk starting in early September with a bow, then early rifle starting in mid September, then continue to pound on them through November. Lots of "opportunity" to take your bow/rifle for long hikes in search of the handful of bulls that occupy the area.

If Wyoming had a unit in this kind of condition, they wouldn't allow a single tag to be issued and someone would be looking for a new job...in Montana, its business as usual.
 
MTGomer said:
Neither would I.
Click to expand...

Also an ethics question, would you resonably be able to get an elk out before it spoils.

Let’s say you shoot one 8 miles in, you bone it out 220lbs, the rack 20lbs, your camp + rifle+ gear 25lbs.
That’s 265lbs. I’ve done 100lbs for 2.5 miles one way and it was brutal, my hiking speed went from 3mph to .5 mph and there was no way I could have gone back for another load. Let’s say you can do 90lbs you would have to do 3 trips, so 40 miles, 24 miles with that weight would take you at least 24 hours the remaining 16 would take maybe 5, so say 30 hours of hiking. If you just kill yourself and are in significantly better shape than anyone I’ve hunted with you might be able to do a pack out that far in 3 days. With two people on one elk you can do it in 2 trips move faster but it still 24 miles with 70lb packs. If you and your buddy are just animals you could do it in one 20+ hour day... maybe

Can you keep the meat from spoiling in September for that amount of time and are you ready for that kind of punishment. It might be doable but you definitely to think it through, also look at how far in you would be, 8 might not even get you in legally depending on the area you select.

I wouldn’t even think about it without horses.
 
Last edited:
With Sat comms or a designated outfitter/other drop camp and p/u, they could backpack in and pay the dinero for another to horse pack out their harvest...
 
Sytes said:
With Sat comms or a designated outfitter/other drop camp and p/u, they could backpack in and pay the dinero for another to horse pack out their harvest...
Click to expand...

^ This is definitely your best/ cheapest option.
 
Non-residents assume deeper and deeper means more game. They also assume you need to go to a designated wilderness to find backcountry. Both are false. I don't hunt in Montana but it's the same deal in Idaho wilderness areas. Calf ratios there are under 20, same predation issue, but those MT numbers sound truly horrible.
 
BuzzH said:
I wouldn't hunt it with horses either...another sad display of mismanagement by the MTFWP.

I have the numbers from the 140/150 flight that happened on May 20th...in 9 hours of flight time at $425/hour, they observed 202 elk. Out of those 7 total bulls, 2 of which were yearlings and 5 "adult" bulls. They estimate 8 calves per 100 cows and a bull to cow ratio of 6 bulls per 100 cows.

On the plus side, you and the rest of the general tag holders, can hunt those elk starting in early September with a bow, then early rifle starting in mid September, then continue to pound on them through November. Lots of "opportunity" to take your bow/rifle for long hikes in search of the handful of bulls that occupy the area.

If Wyoming had a unit in this kind of condition, they wouldn't allow a single tag to be issued and someone would be looking for a new job...in Montana, its business as usual.
Click to expand...

Pardon my French, but are you $*)Q!#@$ kidding with this? No way FWP is that retarded....I hope.
 
If you plan on going into 150, I would contact an outfitter to at least pack your gear in. If you knock a bull down, or even a deer for that matter, I don’t know you could get it out by your selves. Pm me if you would like more info, it’s an excellent adventure in beautiful country
 
There is solid advice already given, and all I can do is echo the advice. The logistics of hunting those units is high, even with a drop camp / pack out option. I've had some beautiful hikes in those units with a rifle dreaming of a bugling bull.

If you are dead set on a rifle hunt - I would pick a different unit in General Rifle season (late October). If you are dead set on hunting in September, then take the bow and hunt a general unit.
 
BuzzH said:
I wouldn't hunt it with horses either...another sad display of mismanagement by the MTFWP.

I have the numbers from the 140/150 flight that happened on May 20th...in 9 hours of flight time at $425/hour, they observed 202 elk. Out of those 7 total bulls, 2 of which were yearlings and 5 "adult" bulls. They estimate 8 calves per 100 cows and a bull to cow ratio of 6 bulls per 100 cows.

On the plus side, you and the rest of the general tag holders, can hunt those elk starting in early September with a bow, then early rifle starting in mid September, then continue to pound on them through November. Lots of "opportunity" to take your bow/rifle for long hikes in search of the handful of bulls that occupy the area.

If Wyoming had a unit in this kind of condition, they wouldn't allow a single tag to be issued and someone would be looking for a new job...in Montana, its business as usual.
Click to expand...


Those ratios are definitely intimidating. I had no idea the numbers would be that skewed. Where did you find those? It could be helpful if we decide to look at another unit.
 
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