Starting with Elk Hunting in Montana: Know Before You Go, Prime Elk Hunting Unit 1: Snowy Mountains District 411, Prime Elk Hunting Unit 2: East Bridger District 393, Prime Elk Hunting Unit 3: South Little Belt Mountains District 540, Start Now for Your Montana Elk Hunt of a Lifetime, Busy Farm Finds Support in LandTrust Partnership. HD 302 has seen strong buck-to-doe ratios but is likely experiencing lower fawn recruitment due to drought. We hunt from our campsite which is . It may not display this or other websites correctly. Lol. Expect decent antler growth this year due to good growing conditions this spring. Finally ended up taking a decent bull way back in on the north east side of the forest. In general, large patches of grass and CRP and draws or fields with shrubby cover near farmland are good areas to start looking for gray partridge and other upland birds on the prairie. With room to spread out, it's important to know how the elk tend to migrate around through the area. 3,000 acres of foothills, creek bottoms, and heavily wooded ridges and ravines mean that this area is a wildlife paradise. Full on rain gear isn't really necessary, if it's raining that hard you won't be getting around in the gumbo anyways. Some Block Management areas are also closed or restricted due to fire danger. i hope to be up there with a elk b tag. HS 58 Just read all this Congratulations to your Son ! Took 3 weeks off work for it. Be sure to make note of the extreme temperatures as these often pose the greatest risk to hunters. Some areas of HD 331 were affected by the Alder Creek Fire last year, which means reduced forage and cover in some areas and enhanced forage in others. Valid in all Region After that date, the application period is over and youre stuck with a general tag. For the 2022 season, changes to the 2022 mountain lion regulations allow for purchase of a general lion license or an unlimited lion license until February 28, 2023. Populations in HD 310 appear to be healthy. Mule deer numbers in the agricultural areas near Great Falls are doing well, but populations in the mountain/mountain foothill areas are still rebounding from lower numbers of the past few years. # Applicants. a deer with an antler or antlers at least 4 inches long as measured from the top of the skull) may be harvested in Region 1. This year FWP will continue chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance in specific areas known as Priority Surveillance Areas in north-central, central, southwestern, and south-central Montana. Hunters will have to secure permission to hunt white-tailed deer in these areas. While elk numbers are at all-time high levels with extra harvest opportunities in some areas, mule deer numbers generally still remain lower than in previous years. This regulation applies only to Region 1. Good luck. Large swings indicate a good layering system should be used. In HD 318, there are pronghorn does that are collared as part of an FWP study. There are also a number of limited-entry units that have the potential to produce bigger bulls, with most of these units located on the eastern half of the state. "But back then there were also only 700 elk in the entire range. GIS Data: Unit Size and Land Ownership* Overall unit size: US Forest Service: I drew the same tag this year. Northern Carter and southern Fallon counties were particularly hard hit by EHD, with a widespread outbreak that resulted in significant mortality. Montana FWP Hunt Planner User Agreement Maps from the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) Hunt Planner are intended for use as a guide. As a result, bird populations are expected to be stable in this area and similar to last year, around average or slightly above average. The number of elk observed during post-season . However, these grasshoppers also provide a valuable food source for game bird chicks, so the overall impact to upland bird populations depends on the local area. Follow all food storage regulations. HDs 301, 309, 312 and 360 are above objective. Last winter was fairly mild, which means good winter survival for big game in many areas. . Pay close attention to the regulations to make sure you are aware of season length and are properly licensed to hunt mule deer. The Montana Application Deadline For Elk is April 1, 2023. Walk walk walk. When youre looking for a Montana elk hunting lease, and youre more concerned with filling the freezer with some of the best wild game meat you have ever tasted, then opting for a hunting unit that allows you to harvest any animal you happen to see is where its at. Specifically, early vs late season elk presence in the area. Elk hunting is challenging in northwest Montana due to difficult terrain, heavily forested areas and densities relatively lower than other areas in Montana. Just north of Bozeman and Livingston, the Bridger Mountains run north and south. It may not display this or other websites correctly. For the most part numbers are still below long-term averages. Whitetailnumbers remain variable depending on the area of the region. When choosing a place to hunt, hunters should first consider their target species. We will get into a few more of those details as we discover the prime elk hunting units in Montana below. This often-overlooked hunting area keeps the crowds to a minimum, but the elk herds are dazzlingly high in numbers. Mountain grousenumbers might be up a bit this year as a result of favorable spring moisture. backyardsniper; Jun . If huckleberry crops fail in large areas of northwestern Montana, black bears may move down into lower elevations and riparian areas where they are more accessible to hunters. Wings will be used to determine the age and sex of grouse to determine productivity for the year. Securing access to private lands (which may include Block Management Areas) that have pronghorn on them during the hunting season will provide the best opportunity for success. Out of those 700, half of them were bull elk. Sep 14, 2021. If you can find some block management close to those areas is where Id spend most of my time. This fall, FWP wants to be sure that bird hunters are aware that thanks to recent efforts to restore native sharp-tailed grouse to western Montana, it is possible you could encounter a sharp-tail grouse in western Montana and hunting is closed for this species west of the Continental Divide. The ranch has an insulated cabin that acts as base camp for hunting parties. Grouse hunters headed to Region 6 will likely encountersharptailpopulations similar to the fall of 2021. He actually died there on his last hunt. In the Sheridan area, elk populations came down by about 10 percent relative to last year across HDs 320 and 322. The outfitter has @53K acres and BLM land access from there as well, so I was anticipating a good hike daily but I really have enjoyed hiking in MT the last few summers in Glacier, The Bob and around Yellowstone. Thanks in Advance. Do you have any points built up, preference or bonus? In some areas near the mountains, mule deer numbers are more than 25 percent below long-term average and the regulations changed to reflect this, so only mule deer bucks can be harvested there on the general deer license. If you intend to use scents to either mask human odor or as an attractant for deer and elk, you should be aware there are regulations on which ones you can use. As a result, early and late shoulder . Abundant spring/summer rainfall this year has resulted in rapid recovery of range plants, but abundant vegetation also means increased fire danger as grass dries out. Holders may not hunt antlered elk in The landowner draw takes place before the regular draw. The Missouri Breaks (HD 700) and Custer Forest Elk Management Unit (HDs 702, 704, 705) remain the two "core" elk populations in southeast Montana. Hope to hear back from you! The good thing about upland birds is that they have a high fecundity and are able to rebound very quickly if given adequate conditions. This kind of weather can have very adverse effects onnesting hens and young broods. Manyduskyandruffed grousewere detected during the spring breeding season. CWD continues to be present across the Ruby watershed. Total numbers of pronghorn have been good in the Sheridan area. Hunters in other regions are required to submit the hide and skull to an FWP official within 10 days of harvest so FWP can collect a tooth for aging. Drought conditions reduced the quantity and quality of forage available to deer during spring and summer 2021. . Grasses and forbs have grown high, which provide good cover and abundant insect forage for broods to eat. Opportunities to huntmule deerare somewhat limited in western Montana. Prepare for the cold and you'll be fine on the warm days. These dates are provided only as a general reference.Check current regulations or use FWP's online Hunt Planner for specific dates.. 2023 SEASON . . Resident or non-resident hunters longing for a special permit, on that allows you to shoot a bull elk in a unit that otherwise is antlerless only, the time to start looking is also before April 1st. The Missouri River Breaks (MRB) encompasses 17,239 square miles of Fergus, Petroleum, Garfield, Phillips and Valley counties in northeastern Montana. Pronghornpopulations in southeast Montana increased from last year and are 27 percent above the 10-year average. The archery season dates will allow you to hunt all phases of the rut, while most general rifle hunters wait for weather to push the elk down into lower, more accessible country. However, counts and harvest in this district were low last year. Apr 13, 2016. Once your archery season is over, you could hunt the rifle or muzzleloader elk season in the general units. So this next week I have my annual elk hunt in montana and am wondering if anyone out there hunts montana elk that could help me. Dumping carcasses is illegal, unethical, and can spread diseases, including chronic wasting disease. Access to private lands that have elk during the hunting season is always a key consideration in HDs 390 and 391. Many districts require a permit or B license, awarded through the statewide application process earlier this year. Overall, elk numbers should be similar to last year. Outside of these areas, elk numbers are generally low, but numbers have been increasing at a moderate rate, accompanied by a gradual expansion into previously unoccupied habitat. 700 East 51st Street . Hunters should expect to find better numbers of sage-grouse in areas containing some riparian habitat. Carry and know how to use bear spray. Elk populations in HD 555 continue to suffer the lingering impacts of previous fires. Pheasants will generally be found closer to riparian areas and grain sources. Hunters are encouraged to read the regulations closely as there are multiple changes this year including some hunting district boundary changes in HDs 201/202/240/285 and elimination of HDs 203 and 283. Back in 2020, there were 345 bull elk harvested from this district; 55% of those bulls were 6-points or larger. A ranch like Elk Creek Adventures. Bull on Monday 7x8, 389 yards, 300 WM 215gr Berger. After that it dried up got hot and wasn't enough feed to keep em on public and hunting got real tough. sbschindler 07-Nov-15. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The entire ranch is accessible for your elk hunt, but the hunt doesnt have to stop at the ranch boundaries. Even where numbers are good, hunters may need to try many areas of suitable cover to find coveys. I hunted east of the there about five years ago in unit 410 so pretty familiar with the landscape, just looking at some potential areas to camp, access and hunt should I draw the archery tag. . Was a great opening weekend with snow and cold and lot of elk. White-tailed deerspring surveys in HDs 502, 525, 555 and 575 showed a modest uptick in over-winter fawn survival in 2022, which should result in some improvement of whitetail numbers for the upcoming hunting season. LPT. Be sure to make note of the extreme temperatures as these often pose the greatest risk to hunters. Elk numbers southwest of Augusta and in the Birdtail Hills remain above long-term average, with extended (shoulder) seasons in place for both areas to help address high elk numbers. Toggle navigation. Large swings indicate a good layering system should be used. As snow covers the ground up high, the elk migrate lower to ensure they still have ample feed to continue packing on the pounds for what can end up being a long Montana winter. This year will be very similar to 2018. Pronghornnumbers in HD 506 are below average and very similar to last year. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Brood success will be low in areas hardest hit by the drought and improve eastward. Are you resident or NR ? Its the hunters responsibility to know where they are at all times, and what the rules are for that area. White-tailed deer continue to expand in hunting districts in the Dillon area, but harvest opportunity will remain almost exclusively on private lands. This may give the illusion that numbers are worse than they actually are. Let other hunters know when bears and/or fresh sign are observed. Mule deerrecruitment in the Helena area was up this spring compared to last year with good winter survival, though overall numbers are still low. When youre looking for a unit thats a little more open one where you dont need a special permit to shoot a bull elk look to number 393. Check for current or recent wildfires in this area. There are still some early and late shoulder season opportunities but note that late season rifle opportunities end Jan. 8 this season. Messages. Toggle between terrain, satellite, and topographic views, The ability to filter OTC units by residency and manner/sex, 1st choice license applications and licenses drawn, Draw odds for resident and nonresident applicants, Harvest stats by hunt_code, manner, season, sex, type, Average # of days between precip or snow event, Probability of other weather events (thunder, hail, etc) by by month. I drew the same tag this year. Plan your Montana big game hunt with an interactive unit boundary map. Discovering the Best Elk Units in Montana. . Mule deer in some mountain ranges experienced significant declines in the last 10 to 15 years, and although mule deer populations in prairie habitats are faring a bit better, drought conditions have hindered populations in some of the eastern areas of Region 4. I would suggest that you make sure you are prepared to walk long distances in a pair of quality boots. Mule deer numbers in HD 329 appear to be holding steady, with some growth over the past 10 years. Many of them also allow you to harvest a cow; it just depends on what your end goal is with your Montana adventure: meat, trophy, or both. Similar to mule deer, whitetail fawn recruitment this spring was below average at 44 fawns per 100 adults. Its expected that hunters will observe fewer mule deer than they have over the past two years, but harvest opportunities will continue this season. If you harvest an animal, remove it from the field as quickly as possible. Weather can vary by elevation. An example is that if you draw unit 410-21, which is an archery-only elk permit, you can only hunt archery elk in unit 410. Sun River elk remain near long-term average for the population with bull to cow numbers slightly above long-term average. Enough cover to be protected, but open fields in which to graze. There is also an area in HD 103 that requires a permit to hunt mule deer (HD 103-50). 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