Archery elk hunting pressure?

[BMF11]

I'm curious as to the hunting pressure you elknuts encounter during the archery season? I'm going to Montana this year for the first time and may not get a chance to put boots on the ground before hand. Looking at hunter stats for certain hunting districts and it tells me there were 1200 hunters in that HD in 2011, but it doesn't specify archery or rifle hunters. I know that MT has ALOT of resident hunters, so hopefully that cuts down on some hunters during the week. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel I'm "entitled" to hunt an area by myself. I'm just hoping that I can find a trailhead where I don't need to take a number to park. I study maps, I find a place that looks to be backcountry, then I look at the big picture and realize its only 30 miles from a heavily populated town in MT. At least as populated as MT gets. I often over think certain situations. I'm just wondering if you elknuts will enlighten me with your hunting situation as it relates to hunting pressure and do the other hunters seem to hunt "in" as far as you? Thanks BMF

[JohnFitzgerald]

I find that hunting pressure plays a very little role in weather or not I decide to hunt an area. If there's a hunter behind every tree, yes I will move. But I consider that extreme hunting pressure. Seeing a lot of camps or trucks doesn't deter me from hunting a location. Prepair yourself to hunt in deep and also short. That is the most important piece of advice I can give you and can't stress that enough. Just because your 5 miles in, doesn't mean the elk are going to be there!

Keep up the map work and have a good plan(A through Z). Spend the time to relocate if the signs aren't encouraging and if you do encounter hunting pressure in a good area, work it to your advantage. Last year my team bugled up ~15 bulls, 2 were farther than 1 mile from a main road.

Just my 2-cents!

[Swede]

I agree with what John posted. Remember there is not just one way to hunt elk and no one way works best in every situation or area. I hunt a heavily roaded, pressured area. I have learned to adapt to that area to be successful. I do a lot of tree stand hunting and some cold calling setups, for the most part. It works very well for my area and it is applicable in many other areas too. You will need to look over your HD and determine what you believe is best. If this will be your first hunt there, then be as flexible as possible. Good luck.

[mtnmutt]

I hunt in a heavily hunted CO OTC area. It is within 30 minutes of 2 mountain towns. Locals use it a lot. I used to be a local.

Lots of hunters on weekends. I have only seen 2 when out in the woods and that was within 0.5 of the road at 8 am. They walked in the middle of a large open meadow instead of skirting it, so I did not think they were serious bowhunters. When I get back to the road, there are 1-3 other parked vehicles. Some may already be gone when I get back there. In morning, I tend to be off into the woods before I see other vehicles parked there. Most of them follow the 4x4 trail up to the 12K ridge.

Since they switched to ML draw, even ML week isn't too bad. ML is the 3rd week of archery. Midweek hunting in CO is the best.

I mostly hunt 0.5 to 1.5 miles from the road through medium to thick forest with pixie sticks deadfall in places. Find a route through deadfall used by the elk is a sweet spot in my area. Most Hunters prefer the open 12K ridge and won't bother with the deadfall areas because it gets old really fast to go just 50 yards through it.

I used to think the high numbers of hunters in my GMU were scaring the elk away. In my 2nd year, I found the sweet spots 0.5-1.5 miles from the road. No other hunters and I found the elk. This may change every year since it is an OTC unit and people out of state also use the area. Fortunately, I have a few places, all close by, to fallback on if I don't like what I see on opening day.

[welka]

Might not be the answer you were hoping for, but it usually takes a couple of years hunting the same place to benefit from pressure. The first few years will be frustrating as set ups will be ruined, elk will be bumped, you will hear people talking, etc. However, if you can hang in there and learn how the elk avoid all these hunters (i.e. find their routes), you might like the area! You will likely be surprised that you may not have to go super deep - especially if you are hunting a range with ag fields or obvious food destinations. Good luck.

[BMF11]

Thanks for the responses guys. Part of the reason I chose MT is because of the long season and its a little closer to home so theres a possibility of two trips in 1 season. Thinking this might help "speed up the learning curve" of a new area. Good to hear some of your experiences. Waiting for my elknuts DVD Scouting Elk Country, can't wait to apply that to some map areas I've been looking at. Hopefully then I can find some "spots" and when I put boots on the ground I can find "sweet spots within these spots" like your talking about. Thanks again

[cnelk]

I know of a popular trailhead and sometimes there can be 5-6 trucks there when we come out at mid-day.
They arent there when we get there and we usually dont see anyone.
The whole area seems to engulf hunters.

One time, we were on our way out after a morning hunt and there were some guys just coming in.
They asked us if we got into any and we said yes...

That was the morning we shot 3 elk in 1 1/2 hours....

Those guys were late

[CrazyElkHunter]

I hunt a very crowded OTC unit just about every year during the archery season. I have taken several bulls in deep basins far from camp and several less than a 1/2 mile from camp. Learning the area and what pressure doe's to the elk is what fills my freezer just about every year. Finding these ridges, trails, wallows, benches that they use and learning which one to be at while there being pressured is vital. Last year, my favorite area and wallow near camp, was not being hit at all. On the evening of opening day, I went to another wallow deep in a basin and shot a 6x5 bull that trotted in a hour before dark. The year before I shot a 6x6 at the wallow near camp and could hear the generator running in camp and vehicles on the road. I got pictures of 4 different bulls and 2 bears on the trail cam at that wallow near camp that year.

[BMF11]

Thanks again guys! Appreciate and enjoy the stories and the fact that they are optimistic! I'm a little more at ease with some spots which I've found on maps so far. Now if my elknuts DVDs and books would get here I could see if these spots should be "elky".

[mongopino915]

As others have stated, keep your options open. Study the map in detail and mark many X's for plan A, B, C, D,......... Elk can be anywhere and so can other hunters. The only way to know is to go and find out.

Have called elk in to camp at noon time while practicing elk calling. Have heard elk bugling 200 yards from camp next to a main highway and almost got the big one with 20 plus cows. Also hunted as far as 10 miles from the truck.

Just because you are the only one there and far away from the nearest road does not mean that there are elk there. I would prefer to get luck and kill one close to the truck rather than 5 plus miles away. Be willing to explore, both close and far.

Other hunters in the same area do not bother me as it OTC public land. Just learned to shut up and stay out of their way.

The best time is the week days, you may find that you are the only one there within hearing distance.

Good Luck.

[Trophyhill]

i've hunted heavily pressured OTC units and hunted pressured elk in unpressured areas the key is finding these unpressured areas that elk like to go once the pressure is on. haven't killed a bull in these areas just cows but that's only because the cows showed up first and i'm not picky.....yet:)

[ORelksniper]

Trophyhill, what do you look for in terrain and cover when hunting pressured elk in unpressured areas? The standard deep, steep, and dark?