Idaho or montana?

[explorerss]

I have been planning an elk trip for this sept archery. Settled on idaho as I did not want to go back to colorado and wyoming without any preference points would likely not happen. Had thought of montana but figured with an 800 dollar tag I would stick to idaho. Well coming from wisconsin, montana is alot closer and only come out to a bit more than the idaho tag and the extra gas savings. But I know nothing about montana. Any info on some good elk hunting units for archery. Don't need any honey holes just looking for a little direction. Thanks

 

[realunlucky]

Missouri river breaks( if you can draw was 100% archery years back) and you can hunt them in thick stuff next to the river just like whitetail

 

[freebird134]

MONTANA! You don't want to go to Idaho, with all them wolves there's hardly any elk left
(I mostly say this because I hunt Idaho! Haha)

Where are you in wisc? I live near madison now.

 

[Calbuck]

Both

 

[explorerss]

Anyone ever hunt around the little belts?

 

[Jason Snyder]

Anyone ever hunt around the little belts?

Yes. Lots of elk and lots of hunters. Find some areas away from roads.

 

[Clarktar]

Little belts are packed with people!

 

[explorerss]

Any areas I can key in on that won't be so crowded? Not looking for anyone's honey hole but with never being out there its harder to figure out.

 

[Brock A]

Never seen so many hunters in my life in the little belts. Not to mention we didn't see many elk either.

 

[NDHunter]

Any areas I can key in on that won't be so crowded? Not looking for anyone's honey hole but with never being out there its harder to figure out.

It sounds like everywhere gets a lot of pressure. Maybe you'd be better off going out there around October 1st when most of the other hunters are gone? I haven't bowhunted MT so that's just an idea I'm throwing out there. Or maybe get a packer lined up in case you shoot something and pack in 5 miles?

 

[Jason Snyder]

Here's my advice in a nutshell:

1) Look at elk populations for hunt districts
2) Look at hunter success rates
3) Look at road densities and travel plans

Any unit with decent elk numbers, and some areas where you can get a mile from a road can provide you with good hunting opportunitites. For the most part in Montana, you will find elk on public land during archery season. Later in the rifle season you will have issues with elk seeking refuge on private land, but it's not nearly as big of an issue in September.

Every mountain range west of Billings holds elk. However, they will vary greatly in how steep they are, how dense the forest canopy is, how the elk disperse, and the relative hunting pressure. Some areas get hammered with pressure one year and have very little the next. That's why when I go to Montana I always have at LEAST three plans, sometimes more. Sometimes plan B might mean driving 100 miles.

Don't rope yourself in to one certain spot and one certain style of hunting without something else to fall back on because of hunter numbers, fire closures, flooding (like the Missouri Breaks last year), etc. Don't overthink it either.

The more time you can give yourself and the more open your mind is, the better your odds of success.

 

[Rizzy]

Any areas I can key in on that won't be so crowded? Not looking for anyone's honey hole but with never being out there its harder to figure out.

Best way to limit pressure and competition is with a tag quota. Take a look at the zones with limited A tags. Figure 20% of the tag holders are going to backpack hunt and hike in, then look at the size of the zone. You might be by yourself in a lot of areas

Take into account both Nonresident and Resident tag numbers, to see how much company you will have.

 

[explorerss]

So by the sounds of it montana would be a better hunt than idaho. If I get a general area tag maybe I could just jump around a bit. But it does sound like montana gets alot of pressure, I didn't think it was hunted that heavily since tags are expensive. Any of the wilderness area any good or are those gonna be loaded up with outfitters and horseback hunters.

 

[danarnold]

We went to Mt last season after not being drawn in Wy, 4 hunters, 2 bulls... my friend got a 6X6 and on the last day of a 10 day hunt I got a 7X7 or 8X8 if you count the crowns, which the P&Y measure did
8 days solo with very little pressure but hardly any bugles and not getting on them much at all

pm me , I'll tell you what I know

BTW I applied in Wy with 1 point and hope like hell we're drawn

 

[gethuntin]

went to MT last two years a lot more hunters this year and very skittish elk. Found the elk but they didn't respond very well from the pressure. I jumped around a little including the Little Belts.

 

[explorerss]

Anyone hunt any of the units in southwest montana, looks like it would be easier to get away from the crowds.

 

[Brock A]

Anyone hunt any of the units in southwest montana, looks like it would be easier to get away from the crowds.

Post #11 sums it up best for you.

 

[Bubba]

Exploreress,

I have been looking into Montana a lot this past year. Don't forget the west half of Montana has the grizzly bear. I don't feel comfortable in bear country so ill stick to Idaho. JYI

 

[Matt Cashell]

I agree on post #11. That is sound advice.

To reinforce Jason's good advice:

1. As he implies, sometimes getting away from crowds doesn't necessitate going "deep." I used to hunt a little drainage surrounded by trails open to, and commonly used by, ATV hunters. It was tough walking surrounded by easy riding, so the elk felt safe, and I found solitude.

2. Be flexible. If you aren't in the elk, go find them.

3. If you really want to be alone and go deep, there are still lonely places in the big wilderness areas in Idaho and MT. Treat the trail systems like road systems. Elk don't like pack strings going by every ten minutes just like they don't like trucks doing the same. Most of that "deep" country gets hunted off the back of a horse, so getting a little ways off the trail is a benefit.

Good luck!

 

[explorerss]

So I have come up with a few areas to do some more research on. The crazies, the bridgers, keep looking around the little belt area and possibly down around unit 560 but i think that's a draw maybe. How difficult is it getting around the private land?