What's the deal with MT?

[HighDesertSage]

I have enjoyed hunting NM and UT over the past few years. This year I am going to be trying out CO. I was considering giving Montana a shot in the future, but I was on the fish and game website doing some research and the success rates for deer/elk on public land are horrible. Am I reading this information correctly? With all of the positive things I have heard I would have expected a much better report. I'm not sure I want to burn a week's vacation and purchase a tag for single digit or low teens success rates. Do you guys out there that hunt MT usually get your elk or deer? I am willingly to hunt hard away from roads, but it seems as though that might not help. Maybe I am reading this report incorrectly. Have the wolves really done that much damage? I would appreciate any feedback from the local guys or people who hunt MT. Thanks

 

[jryoung]

I went to MT for the first time last year and we filled two of three tags and had a great hunt. Looking at statistics can only get you so far. Are you looking at a statewide statistic or unit specific?

Have the wolves really done that much damage?

They tried, but fortunately hunters stood up and said no and had a pretty damn successful legislative season despite all the attacks.

 

[----]

FWP does a good job at some things, coming up with realistic harvest stats however is not one of those. I wouldn't put much, if any, faith on them outside of the mandatory report animals (bear, lion, moose, sheep, and goat).

Wolves have helped crash populations in a few areas, but haven't done a ton of damage overall.

 

[Rat Fink]

A man makes his own success. Those that put forth the effort never complain of empty freezers or bare walls.

 

[Carnage2011]

If you get off the roads and do some actual hunting there is opportunity. The fish and game doesn't truly have any idea what the actual stats are on harvest.

 

[ida homer]

8-10% of the 12% that are successful, are successful every year... Not a ton of merit in harvest statistics. It doesn't segregate your once a year weekend warrior from the serious hunter.

 

[thecrittergitter]

A man makes his own success. Those that put forth the effort never complain of empty freezers or bare walls.

This comment is as true as it can get.

As Randy mentioned, statistics are worthless.........I have a buddy that has killed an elk and deer every year as long as I can remember and the last time he was asked about his harvest stats was in 2001. They call still, but many calls always seem to be, "did you see any wolves". and thats it. Heck, I've only been called twice in 4-5 years....

I would say for anybody that puts in the effort in MT, you are going to get rewarded. Anybody who says the didn't get their animal just because of wolves..........well its just like anybody who produces more excuses than results.

There is no other state I would put on top of Montana for opportunity to kill a big game animal. Jeezuz, season is open for 3 solid months. With that long of season and amount of public land, tied with the amount of animals, well, you know what I'm saying.

The amount of success is generally driven by the amount of efffort you put in..........just like anything else in life

 

[Carrion Carrier]

Success rates are low for a few reasons. Many buy a license and don't go. Most buy a license and drive roads a couple times. A few will walk the same easy loop they do every year, even though they've never had success in that place. In short, most people in my area have never killed an elk and they never will. They don't have the first clue and believe that there is no point because the wolves have certainly killed all of the elk.

Get into real elk country for a week or ten days. Be physically fit and move by the landscape, not logging roads or trails. You will have a chance at an elk. Many of us get one every year. Once you learn what elk habitat looks like you can easily pick out good areas.

The bottom line is, Montana is the best elk hunting state in the country for two reasons. 1) you can hunt great areas every year (OTC) and 2) the long season helps spread out the pressure.

I hear people say all the time that Colorado is the best elk hunting state in the country. True, they do have a bunch of elk, but what a zoo when everyone from Denver has a few days to whack one!

 

[brownbear932008]

I agree I have hunted MT. 8 times never came home empty handed with something decent to average. They keep sorry stats I have never been called about stats. I have a few friends who have and normally it seems they are interested in bird numbers ect. ect. LOL

 

[HSi-ESi]

A man makes his own success. Those that put forth the effort never complain of empty freezers or bare walls.

This one deserves to be quoted twice.

Another bias on the statistics would be the game-check stations. They're not open everyday, or into the late night. I seem to be bringing elk through the stations a) very late at night when I finally get back to a truck with it or b)During the week when the station isn't open because it's taken me a couple of days to get it out.

I think FWP would acknowledge the high % error of their hunter success statistics, but maybe I am naive. At least put something like 12% plus or minus 40%....

 

[jryoung]

Just a thought, but as someone who has worn and auditor hat you wouldn't need to sample a terribly large amount of tag holders to get a decent sampling pool. I'd bet the harvest statistics are fairly accurate....but it's just a number.

I've never weighed success ratios in the past because there are far to many variable that factor in, access, effort, weather, hunter ability, etc. etc.

 

[AH_14]

This one deserves to be quoted twice.

I think FWP would acknowledge the high % error of their hunter success statistics, but maybe I am naive. At least put something like 12% plus or minus 40%....

Absolutely loved this--- 12% success rate in unit such and such with a plus or minus of 40% ( Why even collect data!) loved what CRITTER wrote, everyone gets called 1-3 times every 6-8 years it seems. Nice statistical gathering.....

The animals are always around, bulls, cows, bucks, does, trout and CARP!

 

[sbhooper]

You have CARP!? I'll be loading my truck and heading north. We don't hardly have any around here.

 

[AH_14]

Yes billions of CARP! Everywhere, don't fish for them. They are no fun, not challenging, and not very big.

 

[----]

Just a thought, but as someone who has worn and auditor hat you wouldn't need to sample a terribly large amount of tag holders to get a decent sampling pool. I'd bet the harvest statistics are fairly accurate....but it's just a number.

I've never weighed success ratios in the past because there are far to many variable that factor in, access, effort, weather, hunter ability, etc. etc.

The problem is it isn't really a random sample though. Like was stated earlier, the check stations are only open from noon to an hour after dark on the weekends. The serious die hard guys, the guys that would really increase the success rates, are almost completely missed because of this.

I'd buy in to their numbers more on year to year trends, but on overall success I think they miss big time.

Even if they did a 100% check in, it'd still be skewed low though just because such a large percentage of people that buy tags put forward so little effort. Going for a drive and enjoying some road pops on opening day and Thanksgiving is 'hunting season' for a large amount of Montanans.

 

[Carnage2011]

I agree with pretty much everything that is stated above. I haven't received a phone call in 4 or 5 years AND in that time period I have draw 3 special deer permits. You would think they would at least like to know how those hunts turned out.

 

[Nemont]

Hunting here is horrible, mobs of people, no access and no chance a trophy quality animals except for the billionaire's places. I would look at burning a week elsewhere if it were me.

Nemont

 

[Ben Lamb]

Hunting here is horrible, mobs of people, no access and no chance a trophy quality animals except for the billionaire's places. I would look at burning a week elsewhere if it were me.

Nemont

Don't forget the wolves, bears, lions and otters that will eat you.

And the skeeters.

 

[HighDesertSage]

Thanks everyone for your input. I had a feeling that the stats may be off. CA is the same way. The F&G here really has no idea how many deer are killed every year. I might be looking at MT a little harder next year. I am tired of playing the draw game in Utah and NM. And 5 day seasons suck....

 

[JohnCushman]

Nemont is wrong...there's no deer or elk or antelope in Colorado...they're all in Montana and Wyoming and New Mexico