New Guy Here Putting a Plan Together

[matthausarchery]

Hey there, 2nd post other than my first post with a little bit of who I am.

Ill be headed out to Montana this September for a second time. I am a newbie to elk and only have one season on them. I have an outfitter taking my father and I out into the bob marshals and cant wait, we will have our rifles but my longbow is going everywhere I go. If I don't punch my tag I have an additional two weeks I can stay out. At that point I will not have an outfitter and plan to head to SW Montana with my general Elk and Muley tags.
Im not affixed on shooting a record bull but getting out into the country and seeing elk. With my longbow I would just as soon shoot a nice cow as I would a monster bull. I love just being out there anyway.

Im putting my plan together if I don't punch my tags in the Bob's. I will be backpacking out from my truck and be very mobile. In the Northeastern mountains I bivy camp chasing mountain deer. Im planning a similar thing here. Ill be prepared to go out 4-5 days at a time and be able to regroup and head out somewhere else if my computer scouting comes up a bust.

I have a few units in mind and areas that look good off the beaten path but manageable If I need to pack out some meat in a day. I have a few questions though just to make sure I'm not overlooking anything obvious that will lead me to not see any elk. I dont want to spew anyones personal information across the web, I know how many years and calories it took yall to find your favorite places and I dont want you to tell me any of that, that information is priceless! Im sure after a few years Ill have some of my own. Ill be solo after my outfitter hunt from Sept 21st-oct 1st

1. I want to be able to get off the beaten path 3-5 mi, I already have 5 areas in mind that appear less traveled but want to make sure im not going to show up to a crowded and packed location. Are there any units you would avoid in SW MT bc of crowds during late archery?

2. In the particular units in SW Montana north of Dillon are there good chances of me being able to find elk late September?

3. In the Ruby area is there a place for me to find road closures of the national forest roads? With the vast aray or roads through here is it worth my time to try and find some "off pist" hunting here?

4. What do yall think about my plan? I know itll be tough, but am I overlooking any major obstacles?

5. If you would be willing to talk or are interested in more specific at areas I have in mind or my plans there send me a PM.

Thanks for your interest and input.

 

[JohnCushman]

Welcome!

 

[matthausarchery]

Thanks!

 

[LCH]

So 3 week's total to hunt? I think it sounds like a pretty good plan. You're bound to stumble into game eventually with that much time.

You'll really enjoy the trip into the Bob. I've only backpacked it, never hunted there, but beautiful country and gives you the feeling of a true backcountry adventure.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

You could easily spend two weeks wandering he mountains around Dillon, and easily find elk in any of them. The Snowcrest Mountains are a wilderness study area, and there are a number of road and trail
restrictions throughout the Beaverhead-Deerlodge forest. Call the ranger district office for travel plan maps.

Good luck. Sounds like a great adventure.

 

[Dougfirtree]

3 weeks to do nothing but hunt sounds absolutely delicious.

Which northeastern mountains are home for you? Always nice to hear from someone else who chases those mountain deer! I'm in the Adirondacks.

 

[matthausarchery]

Im in the greens, Northern Vermont. I often find myself across the lake when I can. I absolutely love it up there.

I cant wait to get out west though. Right not Im having an impossible time trying to pick which of the two units I want to hunt. Then I have those units divided into areas I could hunt.

 

[matthausarchery]

Got my locations narrowed down to the Pioneer areas. It looks like tough country, But I want to get out there and see it all.

Given the time frame Ill be there (Sept 21-early Oct) should I focus on locations in higher country or lower country? With the winter last year should I expect less elk in higher reaches than data from last year indicate?

 

[Josh Kuntz]

It is my experience of hunting elk in the rut in MT for 10+ years that they generally return to approximately the same areas as previous years, regardless of the past years winter. This assumes their food and water and predator situation is not wildly abnormal.

Your plan sounds like a helluva good time to me. Best of luck.

One last thing, be prepared for 6 inches of snow, cold rains and 75 degree temps. You very well might experience all of them.

 

[Drew]

Im in the greens, Northern Vermont. I often find myself across the lake when I can. I absolutely love it up there.

I cant wait to get out west though. Right not Im having an impossible time trying to pick which of the two units I want to hunt. Then I have those units divided into areas I could hunt.

Great to see another east coaster. I sent you a pm.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

One last thing, be prepared for 6 inches of snow, cold rains and 75 degree temps. You very well might experience all of them.

Sometimes in a 24 hour period.

 

[matthausarchery]

JLS, thanks for the heads up. I have prepared myself for the cold. One day in Vermont I woke up in my bivy bag with 2 ft of snow on me! What a surprise. But I hadnt thought of it being hot. Definitely should change my base layer plan then.

Would anyone familiar with unit 331 be interested in me running my general area I Plan to hunt by them? Im mostly concerned with 1. It being crowded. 2. Theres no elk at all here. 3. Some unforeseen issue that I wouldn't realize until later.