Montana 620-21

Joined
Apr 23, 2019
Messages
4
Fellas,

I drew Montana 620-21 for Archery elk. This is my first year elk hunting, am a resident of Montana so if I enjoy this area I plan on hunting it often.
My plan is to be in the field for a week, probably Sept 13-20, my guess is that there will be a lot of guys out.
I'm planning on a lot of folks being near the roads but am curious what others has come to find from this area. I'm aware of the rain/gumbo.

The goal would be to glass from high-points, and I've heard that there can be more elk on the western side of the Fort Peck reservoir in some of the rougher country, perhaps just due to pressure or a hunters unwillingless to go to those areas.

Please share any advice or experience from this unit!
 

bobr1

WKR
Joined
Dec 11, 2017
Messages
363
Advice....don't post what you posted and research before you do post. You have been a member for a day and this is your first post. Either people are not going to respond to any of your questions or your going to get flamed for doing the "cardinal sin" of rokslide.

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Wapiti1

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Sep 18, 2017
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Indiana
Specific to that area, pay very close attention to the weather. If it rains/snows, ONLY travel on well graveled roads. That area has gumbo clay mud that is nearly impossible to drive in and makes walking super annoying. It builds up on tires and boots, and just doesn't come off. I've seen it completely pack wheel wells to the point you could not steer the truck. For this reason, also camp near good roads so you don't get stuck for an extra week waiting for it to dry out. This is no joke.

As to the elk hunting, you really should get out there during the summer and learn the area a little. Even if you only get a couple weekends, scout it. You'll learn more being there than you'll ever learn on an internet forum.

Jeremy
 
OP
KalispellKiller
Joined
Apr 23, 2019
Messages
4
Advice....don't post what you posted and research before you do post. You have been a member for a day and this is your first post. Either people are not going to respond to any of your questions or your going to get flamed for doing the "cardinal sin" of rokslide.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Thanks boss,

I did some research before I posted. And I’m not sure what the forum is for if it’s not for asking advice. Thanks for the friendly voice?


@Wapiti1 Okay great! I’m planning on getting out and scouting, just skeptical about how much good it will do if they get pushed by a lot of hunters once the bell rings. But if nothing else I’ll understand more about topography and perhaps where they might be pushed to!
 
Joined
May 10, 2017
Messages
2,160
Thanks boss,

I did some research before I posted. And I’m not sure what the forum is for if it’s not for asking advice. Thanks for the friendly voice?


@Wapiti1 Okay great! I’m planning on getting out and scouting, just skeptical about how much good it will do if they get pushed by a lot of hunters once the bell rings. But if nothing else I’ll understand more about topography and perhaps where they might be pushed to!

Easy with the tone as a new guy asking for advice before really integrating yourself in the forum.
 
OP
KalispellKiller
Joined
Apr 23, 2019
Messages
4
Easy with the tone as a new guy asking for advice before really integrating yourself in the forum.

Wow, it’s nice to see the Hunting community so helpful and welcoming to new people.

Guess Rokslide is as bad as they say it is. ✌️
 

RCL

WKR
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Oct 24, 2014
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631
Calm down
Lots of good people on this forum and you will probably get some help.
 
OP
KalispellKiller
Joined
Apr 23, 2019
Messages
4
Calm down
Lots of good people on this forum and you will probably get some help.

I’m sure there are! But I don’t have time to weed through the junk or get crucified for asking for the help.

A short sample of interactions has already turned me off to the forum.
 
Joined
May 10, 2017
Messages
2,160
I’m sure there are! But I don’t have time to weed through the junk or get crucified for asking for the help.

A short sample of interactions has already turned me off to the forum.

How about contribute to the site without instantly feeling entitled to information and getting angry at responses you don't like?

I've received a huge amount of helpful info here but this is not the recommended approach.
 
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
970
Wow, it’s nice to see the Hunting community so helpful and welcoming to new people.

Guess Rokslide is as bad as they say it is. ✌️
So you heard rokslide was bad but came here and your first post is asking for advice on where to hunt a unit? And your follow up posts are insulting people. My advice would be to call the local biologist. Good luck!
 

GregB

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Joined
Aug 5, 2017
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Location
Idaho
Here's what you need to understand. Countless people come on the forum asking for information on their first post, "this is my first elk hunt" etc. Once they get the info they disappear and never post or contribute another thing. The point of the forum is for members to be active and contribute, not get get what you need and offer nothing in return. Here is a link to a post someone had brought up not too long ago as an example. POST
So when your first post is exactly that issue, members are not necessarily going to have the warmest response. Go to the FNG thread introduce yourself, read some posts, contribute a little. Getting mad no one wants to give you a bunch of info on your first post tends to indicate you may be one of those who is only here to get what you need.
 

bobr1

WKR
Joined
Dec 11, 2017
Messages
363
Thanks boss,

I did some research before I posted. And I’m not sure what the forum is for if it’s not for asking advice. Thanks for the friendly voice?


@Wapiti1 Okay great! I’m planning on getting out and scouting, just skeptical about how much good it will do if they get pushed by a lot of hunters once the bell rings. But if nothing else I’ll understand more about topography and perhaps where they might be pushed to!

Look you are getting butt hurt for no reason. My advice was trying to warn you from avoiding this exact situation.....See your behavior is what most people on the forums don't like.
If it is your first post you really should introduce yourself to the forum under FNG. Posting a specific unit then asking about how to hunt it is just faux pas. And if you don't know why that is, then maybe you should read some more threads that ask a similar type of question.
I haven't been around on the forums for a long time but even as a FNG I knew the etiquette of what to ask and when to ask. And more importantly, what you don't ask on the forums.
Unfortunately, your problem is specifically what you just posted, " I don't have time to weed through the junk" as if it is everyone else's responsibility to do the work for you. Seriously? A lot of people on here are busy people but if you don't think it is necessary to do the legwork then why would anyone want to help you?
If you have spent the time researching the topic in question and through the forums and you still can't find exactly what you are looking for then people are going to be more than willing to help. But it is pretty obvious in a post how much someone really has researched or put in the effort to find the information.
 

Airborne1

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 13, 2018
Messages
251
I found this entertaining, thank you!! I may be newer to the site, but learning how to elk hunt is part of the whole experience. The frustration and reward is greater when done on your own without hand outs. Scout, learn areas, make mistakes and adjust fire. Success is what you make of it.
 

Usi05

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Jan 7, 2019
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Michigan
A few of the guys in this exact thread helped me with e scouting and I am new myself. But we are putting the work in and went about asking in a much different way!

Everything is about approach!


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Joined
Jun 4, 2014
Messages
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Location
North Dakota
If you haven't already done so, try googling "Montana 620-21 elk" and you'll see all kinds of threads on various sites. Many of those threads were started by people just like yourself (new members, first time posters). Sure, you will get some information on the internet, but your best resource for starting out is going to be maps and scouting.

Once you've got a few very specific areas identified you can contact the local biologist and ask very specific questions about those areas. And when I say specific, I don't mean "what is the central part of the unit like?". Asking generic questions will only get you a generic response. The biologists are very helpful when they know you've already done your research and have exhausted all other options. Don't waste their time until you've done your part.
 
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BuzzH

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May 27, 2017
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Wyoming
The local biologists are about zero help, mainly because the elk in those units can be about anywhere. The elk take a beating in the breaks just like every other unit in Montana and there aren't any secrets as to where to hunt. You're hunting with at least 1400 of your best friends minimum. Some of the elk are going to push onto private and not leave for most, if not all, of the season. I have rifle hunted the boundaries of the public/private, but probably wouldn't with a bow...many times you need to kill those elk within feet of the boundary.

Most any of the country in the CMR would be a good bet to start, just get away from the roads. The elk tend to bed in the thick junipers, but many times if they get pressure, they find it better to bed in the wide open. That should tell you the kind of pressure they get when they would rather bed where they can see, in the blazing sun, rather than risk heading to the shade.

Depending on where you're at and the year, hunting water can be productive but I wouldn't bank on it.

Your idea of just getting to high points and glassing will work...finding elk in that country is never a problem. Getting them killed is a whole other issue due to pressure, private/public issues, the open nature of the country...combined with a metric shit ton of permits.

The hunting in those units isn't what it used to be quality wise, I wouldn't pass any 6 point you get a good chance at. Like everywhere else in Montana, the FWP is not interested in quality, just killing as many elk as they can.

Take fishing gear and when you get burned out...fish for a day.
 
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