MT Unit 411 or 530?

[Tkaldahl2000]

I can't decide if I want to hunt elk in the Little Snowies or the Big Snowies. I will be archery hunting and am planning on burning my 2 personal days on the 22nd and 23rd. I was in unit 411 last April and saw some sign, but how crowded does it get? I also went in to 530 while there was still snow on the ground (March I think) and noticed a bit of checkerboarding with Bar N property.

I noticed a couple of springs on the map in 411, but they are a long way from where I can park, and relatively close to some private roads. I'm not worried about the hike in, but I don't want to meet a bunch of guys on quads when I get there.

If you had to pick, which would it be? My main reason for focusing on that area is that it is relatively close to home.

 

[zachthebowhunter]

I'd say if they are private roads you wont be running into many guys an bikes. I don't have experience with those districts but the springs a ways in sound like a good thing to me.

 

[Tkaldahl2000]

After looking at the harvest figures, it looks like 411 is the winner. Not real successful in either unit, but a lot more animals come out of 411. Does anyone know if there is a lot of traffic through there during archery season?

 

[Lewie]

Plenty of traffic in 411 during the archery season. Majority of the elk are on Wilks land, but you can find them in the public ground as well. The little snowies have good access and I believe get quite a bit of traffic due to that, but the elk cross in and out of the forest service pretty frequently. Get away from the main road that goes through and you should have some luck. On the Big Snowies side you have much more limited access points so the hunting pressure gets pushed into those access points by default. Other issue with the Big Snowies is the lack of water within the forest service which makes it very difficult to spike out. You'd think you could hike the forest service boundaries to get into some good stuff behind the private, sounds great, but don't be fooled...plenty of guys ride atv's through the private up to and sometimes right into the FS ground. Nothing worse than hiking you ass off in the dark just to have hunters come through the private on their bikes. Not sure I helped at all? If it were me, I'd do the little snowies. Find some springs close to the private and start there.