The "Breaks"

Joined
Aug 14, 2016
Messages
1,451
Location
Great Falls MT
So first off I've spent my whole life in Montana and have never hunted the Breaks, so it's definitely a bucket list hunt. The private land I'm blessed to hunt is a lot of fun, but contrary to popular beliefs about private land, there's not a single buck above 120-130"! On two prime Hi-Line farms/ranches.

So out of respect for my fellow residents let's try and avoid discussing unit numbers lol!

Anyways I found a remote spot I'd like to hike into and bivy for a long weekend here in a couple weeks.

I've been doing a lot of cyber scouting with OnX and Google Earth and I'm just curious how the water sources are there. The map shows one decent pond and a few streams. But I know how hot it was this summer. I'd hate to pack in and not have water. I don't plan on being close to the river either. Any guess as to how the water sources are as far as being all dried up or full of cow crap? I see a lot of blue lines in the coulee bottoms as well. Are these probably going to be all dry? Should I pack in water just in case?


Then two I growing up hunting the Hi-Line and the mulies usually stick to brushy coulee bottoms. Will these deer bed in the coulees in the sage the same way? What about the trees?

Thanks!

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Joined
Jan 22, 2016
Messages
1,209
Location
Missoula, MT
Yes I would pack water! You might get lucky and your spot may have a good water source but I wouldn't count on it. I definitely would think any streams or coulees are going to be dry.


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jvonbank

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 4, 2015
Messages
168
Location
Missouri
I have filtered water out of the Missouri River to drink when I did pack-in hunts in the breaks. If you are going to hunt walk-in land or BLM land that has cattle on it there will likely be water in the ponds where the creeks have dams, but I don't think I'd want to drink it. The water in the creek bottoms is typically dry or if it is there it looks alkaline with dry powder left around the dry edges.

This year we actually seen way more mule deer elk hunting than what I have seen in the past. Maybe access during gun season was really bad last year? Even though I didn't see many bucks other years, the biggest mulie that I have ever seen was in the breaks so they are around!

Good luck,
Jared



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907to406

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 15, 2016
Messages
212
Location
BZN,MT
Just got done with a 5 day hunt in the breaks trying to help a friend punch his bull tag. I bet we were seeing 100+ deer a day including some decent bucks. I saw what looked to be a 180" deer (best buck I've ever seen on the hoof) hanging with another couple of decent bucks. The rut looked like it was maybe just starting as I saw a couple smaller bucks starting to put their nose down pushing does. I would definitely plan on packing water but also bring a filter as some of the coulees did have some standing water in the bottoms but they were few and far between. Good luck, you should have a great hunt.
 
OP
TradLife406
Joined
Aug 14, 2016
Messages
1,451
Location
Great Falls MT
Just got done with a 5 day hunt in the breaks trying to help a friend punch his bull tag. I bet we were seeing 100+ deer a day including some decent bucks. I saw what looked to be a 180" deer (best buck I've ever seen on the hoof) hanging with another couple of decent bucks. The rut looked like it was maybe just starting as I saw a couple smaller bucks starting to put their nose down pushing does. I would definitely plan on packing water but also bring a filter as some of the coulees did have some standing water in the bottoms but they were few and far between. Good luck, you should have a great hunt.
I've been hunting the inlaws place this week south of Chester and noticed a ton of mulies! The one night has 30 does fawns and young bucks every night! Last week around Billings I saw a lot of deer too! Just nothing mature enough to A tag.

Yeah cows can screw up a perfectly good water source! I'll take definitely pack in water and my water kit. I hate packing in water but this spot looks great! I'm hoping it's not too bad of hiking. Praire walking if your not in and out of too many coulees is great, it's easy for a fat kid to cover several miles! Wouldn't be too terrible to walk back to the truck mid-day for water.



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rino

FNG
Joined
Jul 31, 2016
Messages
87
Location
Helena, Mt
View attachment 60400

Just got back from 4 days in the breaks. We had a blast. The bigger bucks are wiley for sure. Rutting activity starting soon, not too evident as of last weekend.

Good luck!
 
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