? for MT antelope enthusiasts

[rmyoung1]

I read that the Gravelly Range holds one of the highest-elevation pronghorn antelope herds on the continent. Hunting antelope in that country sounds like some fun to me, but I've never been in the Gravellys before. I'm sure there is someone here who has been up there and seen speed goats or hunted them in the Gravellys. Any words of wisdom? Are antelope prevalent at the higher elevations (8,000 ft +) or are they only occasionally spotted that high? Are there a lot of speed goats on the Wall Creek WMA?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Nameless Range]

I have hunted 360(East Gravellys and Madison Valley) for antelope for most of my life. There are good antelope numbers, but the hunting is difficult. In the Madison Valley, after the first day of the season the antelope figure out where the public land is real quick.

I have seen antelope on the east face of Black Butte, the highpoint of the Gravelly Range. If you ever drive the Gravelly Range Road you will see antelope all over. I would be hesitant to count on it though, because an early fall storm could bring the antelope down, and in a hurry. Which is what happened the week before antelope rifle this last year.

After the season starts, the speedgoats you see on the Wall Creek Game Range will be passerbys, and they won't be there for long. The road on the WCGR makes an oval around its entire breadth, and from that road you can see 90% of its ground. It gets hit hard. I was a part of the herd of orange on it opening day this year. It's Probably definitely better during the week, when the droves from Bozeangeles aren't so heavy.

 

[ida homer]

We hunted unit 93 in Wyoming last year for antelope. We shot 3 bucks up around 7500 feet. A few groups we saw might have been close to the 8k mark. It was pretty neat chasing lopes while glassing up lots of moose on the hillsides just above.

 

[Festus]

I have seen antelope near the Black Butte as well on a couple different occasions. I actually looked at my GPS once and confirmed them at 9200 ft as they passed by me in a snow squaw headed down the mountain in a hurry.

 

[Nameless Range]

Had to dig through my old phone for this one.

Taken on Monument Ridge from the Gravelly Range Road last August-9500 ft above sea level. Not a whole lotta detail

 

[Brandenbowhunter]

Have seen them while elk hunt WGR at just under 9,000ft...hunted all of that a ton thru from my first years until college...just getting back over there and hunting again. Lots of goats, but hunting pressure and weather can make it tough.

 

[Brandenbowhunter]

My brother and I once saw one, we were sitting at 8,800ft and he was above timber line, we looked at the topo. He was pushing 9,200ft..that is the highest I ever saw one. That was early September while elk hunting.

 

[rmyoung1]

Thanks, guys. I really appreciate all the input and the pictures. Based on what you've said, I think I'm probably going to switch gears. I'd love to hunt antelope up there, but my group is going to have some young boys with us and my top priority is to make this a fun experience for them. I don't really want to end up battling it out with crowds on the WMA, and it sounds like that may happen if early weather sends those antelope down toward the valley floor. Thanks so much for the help. I appreciate it!

 

[starvingoutdoorsman]

Tons of them in the Madison Valley. I have seen a handful of them between the Gravelly and Snowcrest Ranges and know some people who love to hunt them with a bow in that area.