Newbie Hunt Plan - MT Combo

[Shootemjacob]

Hello Everyone,
A buddy and I drew Montana Combo Licenses and I have been e-scouting over the past year. I have gone through multiple units and multiple plans, thinking that I found the "perfect" spot and have the perfect plan. A few weeks into refining glassing spots, feeding areas, drainages, etc., I realize that the spot/plan is far from perfect and will likely be a waste of time and effort due to a multitude of reasons. I have learned a lot just by going through OnX, Google earth, biology reports, etc., over the past year. Looking back at my early planning, I now laugh at how clueless I was. Knowing that, I can't imagine how I'm gonna feel at the end of our trip.

I am asking for some general guidance on my planning/situation as I am struggling to decide if the plan is reasonable.

DETAILS:
Area: SW Montana
Elevation: 6,000ft to 10,500ft
Dates: Oct. 22 - Oct. 28
Access: Bivy/Backpacking
Age: Youthful

LOCATION A:
Location A encompasses around 8 to 12 square miles of public land that is pretty much encapsulated by private land. I have been able to verify our access point as it was very hard to find. Simply put, the terrain is very very aggressive and there is a lot of vegetation/timber. There are not a lot of openings/glassable areas compared to Location B. There are a good amount of meadows and water sources with smaller open spaces.

I have found elk in this area on google earth so I know there are elk there. I just don't know if such an aggressive/thick area is feasible for late October rifle season.



LOCATION B:
Location B significantly encompasses a lot more land than Location A. Location B is in a wilderness area, but there are a lot of labeled trails and public access points in all directions. I know for a fact this area gets hunting pressure based on the few outfitters nearby and general research I have done. The terrain/habitat looks a lot more sexy to me though. I know its good habitat, I would just be fighting against hunting pressure.


QUESTIONS:
Would you consider rifle hunting Location A at all given the terrain? If both locations look good, which one would be your first location for opening morning and which location would be your backup?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Afhunter1]

Oh Geez, Your probably gonna get blasted for this post. I apologize already. Ha Ha.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

you should probably delete the photos at a minimum, and maybe reconsider the whole post.

No one is going to tell you anything useful, the best you can hope for is that you just posted someone's honey hole and they're going to *straight up lie to your face* to get you to go somewhere else.

 

[bsnedeker]

Dude, it would take 5 minutes to find those spots on ONX. You need to pull those pics down.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Shootemjacob]

I wasn't too concerned about sharing the images.
1. I am new to elk hunting so if someone was to follow my e-scouting advise, that would probably be a mistake on their part.
2. Maybe I am just naïve, but unless one was familiar with those areas, it would take them a good bit of time to reverse image those photos, without a guarantee of finding the spots in the end. Why waste time reverse imaging a newbie elk hunter's spots?
3. If these were someone's "honey holes" I want to hear their lies.

 

[Shootinsurveyor]

Rifle season is going to be way different than you are thinking. You can find the deep dark spot where they all are hiding from the rest of the rifle hunters possibly. Filling your deer tag should be easier than a elk tag so keep your eyes open as there are lots of whitetail and mule deer. I enjoyed the deer hunting more than the elk personally during rifle season.

 

[Bachto]

to answer your actual question: It depends.

Hunting thicker, less glassable terrain can be harder with a rifle if it's something you are not used to or know how to. Still hunting, ambushing and similar tactics are going to be needed.

More open country is easier to glass and find elk, but can also be harder to get into range and in my experience tends to attract more people.

Rifle elk season can be very weather dependent depending on the unit. If it's a warm October they can stay in the high country for a long time or until the first couple good snows. Given that you are a newbie I would probably go with the more open and glassable terrain. You also need more back up areas. 2 areas for elk is not enough, add plans C, D, E, F and probably a G.

I didn't see the photos, but you would be surprised how easy it is to find a spot based on a picture and just knowing a region. People are just warning you about posting specifics. All it would take is you replying back to the thread later with a bull you killed and now everyone is going to be trying to figure out where you hunt.

 

[Shootemjacob]

to answer your actual question: It depends.

Hunting thicker, less glassable terrain can be harder with a rifle if it's something you are not used to or know how to. Still hunting, ambushing and similar tactics are going to be needed.

More open country is easier to glass and find elk, but can also be harder to get into range and in my experience tends to attract more people.

Rifle elk season can be very weather dependent depending on the unit. If it's a warm October they can stay in the high country for a long time or until the first couple good snows. Given that you are a newbie I would probably go with the more open and glassable terrain. You also need more back up areas. 2 areas for elk is not enough, add plans C, D, E, F and probably a G.

I didn't see the photos, but you would be surprised how easy it is to find a spot based on a picture and just knowing a region. People are just warning you about posting specifics. All it would take is you replying back to the thread later with a bull you killed and now everyone is going to be trying to figure out where you hunt.

Great advise on needing more back up plans. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[hobbes]

I've not read all the responses and must have missed your images. If I were choosing types of areas that I wanted to start in, it would be something more open. I'd start wherever I thought pressure may push the elk. Maybe most folks come in low, so I'd be above them waiting at daybreak. Regardless, I prefer to be able to glass some.

If that doesn't pan out and you realize it's a circus with few elk opportunities then I'd try the hell hole out.

Expect to find folks anywhere and everywhere in rifle season. If you've thought of it, someone else has too.

 

[Indian Summer]

I would never hunt an area surrounded by private. Although some of the properties surely get some hunting pressure they’re probably careful not to run their elk out. But there are surely private properties with no hunting where the elk are accustomed to seeking safe refuge. Believe me every damn elk for miles around will be in that property. Hunt the bigger country!

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I'd rather have a nice peaceful hunt and not run into another hunter and not kill an animal than to participate in a circus and notch a tag. That's just me though, for me it's about having the experience, any animal down is just icing on the cake.