Montana

[Texasdan]

Just posting my obligatory Montana thread. 17 days and its off to SW Montana!

Reports? Saw some snow drop last week . Its 100 degrees in South Texas.

I want to hear about dead Montana Bulls!

[MTLongdraw]

Been pretty quiet in region 2. A few bulls down but not a ton. Haven't heard a bugle yet.

[Indian Summer]

My brother has been guiding a pair of hunters there. 5 bulls to around 50 yards in the first two days but no shots. Then it got hot out and things quieted down. Fresh sign everywhere though.

Another hunter in Wyoming texted my on day 2 f his hunt. Bulls bugling good but had to back out both days because of the wind and I haven't heard back since.

[Indian Summer]

Update: Doug called in 5 bulls yesterday. All within 20, TWENTY! yards... no shots.

Hunters are mad at themselves for not taking a shot at one monster. So far no other hunters around and zero sign of wolves. I'm on the edge of my seat here.......

Had another buddy call in a giant to 30 yards, take the shot, and hit a branch missing completely. he said a 350 bull.... but he's a youngster and it's the first bull he has ever shot at so.... I'm guessing 320ish.

Been a good season so far.

[MTLongdraw]

Second what IS said. They were screaming non stop today.

[Texasdan]

9 days!

Plans set, bow sighted, gear packed.

Leave me some live elk, folks.

[Brendan]

Had a ton of action 9/15 - 9/18. Then, things went quiet except for first light and at night through 9/25.

[GoGriz1234]

Good luck out there! I am hoping to find time to get out into the woods in SW Montana soon.

[Texasdan]

Few more days and a wake up before I'm headed north.

How's it going now that we've pushed into October?

[Texasdan]

Update: Doug called in 5 bulls yesterday. All within 20, TWENTY! yards... no shots.

Hunters are mad at themselves for not taking a shot at one monster. So far no other hunters around and zero sign of wolves. I'm on the edge of my seat here.......

Had another buddy call in a giant to 30 yards, take the shot, and hit a branch missing completely. he said a 350 bull.... but he's a youngster and it's the first bull he has ever shot at so.... I'm guessing 320ish.

Been a good season so far.

Shoot...I'll take half that action. Subtract 30 from whatever the guess on the hoof is

[Texasdan]

Edit.

Wrong copy of my note.

[MTLongdraw]

Dan- you came to MT on what sounds like a diy hunt in an area you've never been. You saw and heard elk...that's a bonus. Not to mention you came late in the rut. Its just not as easy as some people make it look. To me it sounds like you guys were successful. Your playing a game with 10% success odds. Elk hunting is a tough businesses. Hell imagine being the outfitter whose been at it since September 7 or 15th. He's running clients 5 days at a time in an area he knows like the back of his hand. He has years of experience and can't find an elk...sounds tough to me. Oh and don't underestimate cows. Since 2011 I've probably hunted elk at least 50 days with both bow and rifle. I've yet to have an opportunity at a cow in that amount of time. They are by no means a gimme. Think about it, an amazing trophy bull is probably 7-8 years old on average. Now that's a 350+ bull in most parts of the state. My wife has killed at least two cows that were 18 and 21. Now who do you think is smarter? That's why herd bulls are so hard to hunt...the cows usually get you first. Only reason my wife got those elk is they were sidetracked. One was on her way to vote and the other was headed to the bar.
This elk hunting is a fun yet frustrating business. Tell your wife if you keep coming back you WILL succeed. It may be next year or it may be 5 years but it will happen. I've been at it 16 days in an area iv hunted for two seasons and have the same tag in my pocket. Best of luck

[Texasdan]

I should have added these other caveats. The cow and wife comment were in jest, mostly. Not disrespecting cows ha.

The tire tech was talking about elk hunting while waiting for the tire to be fixed. He said he tags out every year because he knows a ranch owner that finds the elk to be a nuisance and costs him money. His comment was "just go get yourself a cow, I'm sure you can find a ranch owner that would be glad to be rid of them." He wouldn't tell me his spot though ha. I was all "sweet, let me just go get that cow!"

I've got a long lessons learned note that I may post up.

It's mostly things I had an idea of or knew already from books or forums, but you can't really know that you know until you experience it.

The wolf sighting was probably the coolest of all the sightings. First one I've ever seen in the wild.

I came to montana because I couldn't take a day off before October 3. Next year I'll be able to hunt mid September wherever I go. New Mexico will be number one just because its so much closer, but pref points have to be built for just about everywhere else so montana is the plan B. And a good one. I love Montana if even just for the Flyfishing. And I'm going to teach the wife how to glass so she feels involved. I've still got 5 empty texas deer tags and a large herd of axis that need managing so meat will be fine by January.