Missouri Breaks Unit 700 Archery experience/advice?

[Gene_The_Elk_Machine]

Hi All,
I drew the archery tag for unit 700 in the Missouri breaks, but have never been up there, and am unsure of how much time I will have to scout. Has anybody hunted there previously and have any advice they could give me? Even just a place to camp and start off that would be great, there’s so much area it’s overwhelming. Thanks for any help!


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[Morrid7]

Welcome to Rokslide. Congrats on drawing that tag.


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[Gene_The_Elk_Machine]

Welcome to Rokslide. Congrats on drawing that tag.


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Thank you! I am really enjoying how helpful and willing to share everybody on here is, it’s refreshing. Hopefully I can fill my tag this year.


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[Forest]

Almost everywhere in 700 has private/public land access issues. OnX will be your most important piece of gear, followed closely by a good weather forecast as the breaks and rain don't work well together. Dryer than a popcorn fart right now so fire danger is extremely high. Best of luck. Put on some miles and use your glass, issue will not be finding elk, but finding elk that are huntable...

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[OpenCountry]

This. You mention you'll have some limited time to scout. I would encourage you to at least drive through the unit on a scouting trip to understand what land is available to hunt vs being land locked. Those tags become pretty consolidated, but there is elk to be hunted on public. It can turn into a border game pretty quickly as well. Good luck.

 

[Scooter90254]

Congrats on an awesome tag.
There are a ton of elk. Like mentioned above your plan will be to figure out where you can get to the elk that are coming off private.

That’s going to be harder then it seems. Very easy hunt in some beautiful country.

 

[Gene_The_Elk_Machine]

Almost everywhere in 700 has private/public land access issues. OnX will be your most important piece of gear, followed closely by a good weather forecast as the breaks and rain don't work well together. Dryer than a popcorn fart right now so fire danger is extremely high. Best of luck. Put on some miles and use your glass, issue will not be finding elk, but finding elk that are huntable...

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Ok, thank you for the tip. I’ve found a couple water sources located pretty inland from the reservoir, do you think those will be dried up, or an ideal place to look? I’ve heard to stay up high on top of the breaks, to look in the cottonwoods, and to look on the edge of the reservoir. What are your thoughts on that?


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[Gene_The_Elk_Machine]

Congrats on an awesome tag.
There are a ton of elk. Like mentioned above your plan will be to figure out where you can get to the elk that are coming off private.

That’s going to be harder then it seems. Very easy hunt in some beautiful country.

Thank you, I’m very excited! Do you think my Time is better spent focusing a little more inland near private property borders, instead of being on the edge of the reservoir? Cant wait to see the area for myself, ive just got to see tons of pictures and videos.


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[Forest]

Ok, thank you for the tip. I’ve found a couple water sources located pretty inland from the reservoir, do you think those will be dried up, or an ideal place to look? I’ve heard to stay up high on top of the breaks, to look in the cottonwoods, and to look on the edge of the reservoir. What are your thoughts on that?


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There are many inland water sources, many of which are man made water lines/tanks. Again a lot of them are on private or will be close to it. Natural dams and waterholes will be marginal at best if it stays the way it is. I'd bet there are a lot of them already dried up completely. But September is still a ways away so anything can happen.
No doubt there are elk closer to the lake as well. But keep in mind just because that's all public doesn't mean it's accessible on foot.... Not all roads on the maps are public roads. And even a lot of the state and cmr roads are walk in only, but may still show a number on the map.
700 is a tough unit to explain without hands on experience and specific area questions. The unit is gigantic and things vary a lot across it. You have a good tag but just be aware going into it that it can be a very frustrating hunt too.

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[Werty]

Contact the biologist and the game warden. They can be a wealth of info.

All b/s aside, that's big country, make sure you go in prepared. I hunted it a couple years ago. I was in there 20 + miles for a week. Went home for 2 days turned around went back. I could only get in 4 miles and damn near didn't make it out. Also, anything you kill will most likely have to be carried out up hill.

 

[Dos Perros]

If there are cows in there you know there is water, and elk could be on that water too. I'd imagine water sources will be dispursed but abundant, if that makes sense.

 

[Beating Brush]

Contact the biologist and the game warden. They can be a wealth of info.

All b/s aside, that's big country, make sure you go in prepared. I hunted it a couple years ago. I was in there 20 + miles for a week. Went home for 2 days turned around went back. I could only get in 4 miles and damn near didn't make it out. Also, anything you kill will most likely have to be carried out up hill.

What happened to you on your trip? I drew the 700-20 elk permit this year.

 

[Werty]

Saw some bulls, wind is crazy and hunters skylining themselves and people road bulging all over. I didn't get one

 

[RGRWheeler]

Be ready for a lot of short steep up and down climbing to get around. The land is full of little draws and spurs.

 

[mTNhunter86]

Almost everywhere in 700 has private/public land access issues. OnX will be your most important piece of gear, followed closely by a good weather forecast as the breaks and rain don't work well together. Dryer than a popcorn fart right now so fire danger is extremely high. Best of luck. Put on some miles and use your glass, issue will not be finding elk, but finding elk that are huntable...

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Forest nails it with his last sentence. I hunted the other side of the river last year (622). Saw lots of elk, everyday. The terrain can make getting close a challenge. Pick your spots and be prepared to walk.

 

[Gene_The_Elk_Machine]

Forest nails it with his last sentence. I hunted the other side of the river last year (622). Saw lots of elk, everyday. The terrain can make getting close a challenge. Pick your spots and be prepared to walk.

I’ve heard that there are just so many hunters in there bugling that it’s better off being stealthy and cow calling close range. What are your thoughts on that? When you hunted the other side did you stay close to the river, or did you work farther inland? Were you able to fill your tag last year? What did you feel was your best approach by the end of the season?


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[mTNhunter86]

I don't know how many tags get issued for 700 versus 620-622 but I didn't have a bunch of hunters crowding me. I wasn't hunting an area that had road accessibility though. On the wildlife refuge all mechanized travel was prohibited I believe so maybe that helped.

We did little to no calling. Everything I had been told was that it wouldn't be effective. In my experience that's probably correct. We didn't fill our tags but our best opportunities came from executing good stalks on bulls feeding or bedded. About halfway through the hunt my mindset switched from elk hunting with calling, etc. and moved into a mule deer spot and stalk mindset.

I saw elk in sight of the Missouri River and several miles away. If 700 is like 622 "seeing" elk won't be the problem. Find the elk you can get close too and then stay patient. We were guilty of losing our patience on a stalk and moving too fast at the end which cost us. Have fun and stay flexible on plans. We went in with the ability and plan to spike camp but ended up sleeping at the truck each night. Spike camping just wasn't necessary. We could walk anywhere from ~ 1 mile to 4 miles and be in elk each day.

Last tip, get really comfortable with your bow. The further you feel comfortable on a shot the better. It's pretty open country. Our two best chances last year came at 61 yards and 55 yards. No possible way to get closer.

 

[Southforkguy]

Gene I am hoping to draw this one in a few years, please update us with your information after the hunt. We appreciate it

 

[Gene_The_Elk_Machine]

I don't know how many tags get issued for 700 versus 620-622 but I didn't have a bunch of hunters crowding me. I wasn't hunting an area that had road accessibility though. On the wildlife refuge all mechanized travel was prohibited I believe so maybe that helped.

We did little to no calling. Everything I had been told was that it wouldn't be effective. In my experience that's probably correct. We didn't fill our tags but our best opportunities came from executing good stalks on bulls feeding or bedded. About halfway through the hunt my mindset switched from elk hunting with calling, etc. and moved into a mule deer spot and stalk mindset.

I saw elk in sight of the Missouri River and several miles away. If 700 is like 622 "seeing" elk won't be the problem. Find the elk you can get close too and then stay patient. We were guilty of losing our patience on a stalk and moving too fast at the end which cost us. Have fun and stay flexible on plans. We went in with the ability and plan to spike camp but ended up sleeping at the truck each night. Spike camping just wasn't necessary. We could walk anywhere from ~ 1 mile to 4 miles and be in elk each day.

Last tip, get really comfortable with your bow. The further you feel comfortable on a shot the better. It's pretty open country. Our two best chances last year came at 61 yards and 55 yards. No possible way to get closer.

That’s all really good information, and I appreciate the help! I’m hoping to hunt on foot and return to my truck each night, I built a bunk in the back so I could stay really mobile if I needed to move spots.

Were most of your stalks in pretty open grassy country then? I’m thinking of working within 1-4 miles of the river, hoping I can find a nice glassing area and enough broken up country to make a stalk. Were you hiking in and out in the dark each day? How was the rattlesnake presence? Any antelope?


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[Gene_The_Elk_Machine]

Gene I am hoping to draw this one in a few years, please update us with your information after the hunt. We appreciate it

Absolutely, I’ll definitely update the post at the end of the season!


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