OTC Montana archery elk

[Greenhorn911]

Ok guys like the title says I’m planning this hunt for 2022 I’ve got a few units picked out so my first question would be for the guys that have hunted Montana if you had to gamble on 2 weeks to go what weeks would they be and why. Also what is the weather like up there at that time of year lots of rain ? How cold does it get at night ? How hot during the day ? 0 degree sleeping bag enough ?


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[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Welcome
Couple of things- Montana doesn’t have an OTC elk tag, they have a general tag. You need to apply and even with a point or two it is not a sure thing anymore. For true OTC look to Idaho and Colorado.

As far as weeks go, might depend on area/how much pressure you are expecting, how dry it is, and moon, but generally the 12-26 is a safe bet

Weather can vary from 90 to single digits, sunny to 5-6” of snow. 0 degree bag would be fine, I take a 15 and layers.

 

[Greenhorn911]

Welcome
Couple of things- Montana doesn’t have an OTC elk tag, they have a general tag. You need to apply and even with a point or two it is not a sure thing anymore. For true OTC look to Idaho and Colorado.

As far as weeks go, might depend on area/how much pressure you are expecting, how dry it is, and moon, but generally the 12-26 is a safe bet

Weather can vary from 90 to single digits, sunny to 5-6” of snow. 0 degree bag would be fine, I take a 15 and layers.

Turkeygetpwnd38 sorry you are correct about OTC it is a points we plan on buying 2 points this year. There’s 3 units we are looking at 2 are higher grizz population units 1 apparently has non 12-26 is usually when I go up here and I’ve had vary good luck those weeks . Does the peak of the rut usually happen in those weeks or are they still trying to roundup there cows in those weeks ?


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[Airborne1]

For what it is worth, I prefer to start around the 14th and run to the end of sept. However that is area specific. If I'm on the western most portion of the state I prefer a little earlier.

If you find the elk you should get into bugling, unless your in the heavier wolf and lion territory. In my experience they tend to be more quiet.

Turkey hit it spot on with the weather. Sounds like a joke but it's really not. In a two week stretch it will go from a high of 90 to high of 20. It's crazy.

 

[Greenhorn911]

For what it is worth, I prefer to start around the 14th and run to the end of sept. However that is area specific. If I'm on the western most portion of the state I prefer a little earlier.

If you find the elk you should get into bugling, unless your in the heavier wolf and lion territory. In my experience they tend to be more quiet.

Turkey hit it spot on with the weather. Sounds like a joke but it's really not. In a two week stretch it will go from a high of 90 to high of 20. It's crazy.

Airborn 1 I’m going to be pretty transparent here not sure if I’ll get any hate or not but I’m from Manitoba Canada . I find the same thing up here as far as wolfs go the elk shut right down on the bugling I’ve got almost 30 years of elk experience up here but our province doesn’t run our conservation of animals vary well and unfortunately the elk hunting the last 10 years has been vary poor and frustrating so I’ve decided to spend my money south of the boarder where I believe they are doing a way better job at managing so I’m basically starting from scratch all over again which I’m totally fine with. Sounds like the weather could be vary similar to what we get up here although we do get a lot of rain at that time of year usually .


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[Airborne1]

Airborn 1 I’m going to be pretty transparent here not sure if I’ll get any hate or not but I’m from Manitoba Canada . I find the same thing up here as far as wolfs go the elk shut right down on the bugling I’ve got almost 30 years of elk experience up here but our province doesn’t run our conservation of animals vary well and unfortunately the elk hunting the last 10 years has been vary poor and frustrating so I’ve decided to spend my money south of the boarder where I believe they are doing a way better job at managing so I’m basically starting from scratch all over again which I’m totally fine with. Sounds like the weather could be vary similar to what we get up here although we do get a lot of rain at that time of year usually .


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Got it. Can't see why there would be much hate over that, but everyone has their opinions on how predators effect hunting. It's a big task starting from scratch, I understand that. I am working on the same thing and figuring out Wyoming for next year. Never been there and know minimal about the hunting there.
I do a good amount of search functions for past posts, it helps narrow down areas. Shoot me a PM if you want. Not sure how helpful I could be. Many more on here have a lifetime more information on Montana and elk then I do.

 

[Dos Perros]

I prefer the early hunts, the opener (or maybe the week after the opener) and on. The bulls are usually not with giant herds so easier to get on. Lower chance of a big snow dump. I'd take hot and dry versus big snow dump...I've never seen the rut get kicked off by inclement weather, always the opposite for me.

October can be appealing too. Less folks. Satellites getting desperate.

0 deg bag will definitely be enough. I'll pack in with a 20 degree and a good high R value pad if there is a favorable weather report. Weather as always can be variable. I've been hunting MT for 8 or so years and I've never seen it into the teens before second week of October but I'm sure it can happen. Hot and dry is more likely in my experience. My good hunting buddy has had the opposite experience though, so it's not scientific.

 

[fatlander]

I prefer the early hunts, the opener (or maybe the week after the opener) and on. The bulls are usually not with giant herds so easier to get on. Lower chance of a big snow dump. I'd take hot and dry versus big snow dump...I've never seen the rut get kicked off by inclement weather, always the opposite for me.

October can be appealing too. Less folks. Satellites getting desperate.

0 deg bag will definitely be enough. I'll pack in with a 20 degree and a good high R value pad if there is a favorable weather report. Weather as always can be variable. I've been hunting MT for 8 or so years and I've never seen it into the teens before second week of October but I'm sure it can happen. Hot and dry is more likely in my experience. My good hunting buddy has had the opposite experience though, so it's not scientific.

You must not have been there opening week this past year. It was 15 degrees on the Tuesday morning following Labor Day.


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[Dos Perros]

You must not have been there opening week this past year. It was 15 degrees on the Tuesday morning following Labor Day.


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Nope was in Wyoming enjoying beautiful weather. We did get chased out by a storm on the 11th or 12th that dumped a foot in the high country.

I'd expect yours is a pretty rare event, a 1 in 10 kinda thing. If one isn't prepared for weather, then one shouldn't really be elk hunting, IMO of course.

 

[MTSasquatch]

I prefer the first ten days of the season.
I carry a 15 bag.
Weather can be all over the place.

 

[Greenhorn911]

Right on guys thanks for the responses so sounds like it will be fairly dry there. Now me being a flat lander that usually hunts flat swampy areas for elk am wondering about the thermals up in the mountains that’s something we don’t need to worry much about here. So my question would be do most guys start high in the morning and glass or locate ? Or kind of mid height up the mountain and parallel the high and low ? And on average once the sun starts coming up do the thermals usually stay low till like 9-10 or do they change pretty quick and start rising right away ?


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[bsnedeker]

Right on guys thanks for the responses so sounds like it will be fairly dry there. Now me being a flat lander that usually hunts flat swampy areas for elk am wondering about the thermals up in the mountains that’s something we don’t need to worry much about here. So my question would be do most guys start high in the morning and glass or locate ? Or kind of mid height up the mountain and parallel the high and low ? And on average once the sun starts coming up do the thermals usually stay low till like 9-10 or do they change pretty quick and start rising right away ?


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I would not count on it being dry! As stated above, last year it rained all day labor day, which turned into snow. The snow was gone mostly by Thursday. The year before that it rained heavily in central montana the entire opening weekend. You need to be prepared for any weather.

As far as tactics that depends where you hunt. Maybe it's just me, but I haven't found very many areas that lend themselves to a "youtube" style hunt if you know what I mean. In theory you should start low in the morning and go up the mountain as the day heats up so you are at the top by the time the thermals are rolling. I haven't found many locations where that strategy is workable, but I tend to hunt thicker country.

Basically, I don't worry about wind or thermals until I know where an elk is. I tend to wander around throwing out the occasional location bugle mainly to see how many other hunters are in the area....lol. When I locate an elk that's when I start to get serious about the wind and thermals.

Disclaimer: I've had many shot opportunities but have never killed an elk with my bow so take everything I say with a pile of salt!

 

[fatlander]

Nope was in Wyoming enjoying beautiful weather. We did get chased out by a storm on the 11th or 12th that dumped a foot in the high country.

I'd expect yours is a pretty rare event, a 1 in 10 kinda thing. If one isn't prepared for weather, then one shouldn't really be elk hunting, IMO of course.

In 2019, basically the same thing happened around the 20th of September. Over a foot of snow up
high and temps in the upper teens.

I’m not trying to be argumentative, I’m just driving the point to the OP to prepare for cold weather, even in early to mid September.


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[Dos Perros]

In 2019, basically the same thing happened around the 20th of September. Over a foot of snow up
high and temps in the upper teens.

I’m not trying to be argumentative, I’m just driving the point to the OP to prepare for cold weather, even in early to mid September.


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Oh for sure. And we're not arguing. I meant the risk of that happening in the first two weeks was pretty low compared to the chances it'd be hot and dry. But dude should pack for all scenarios or have a plan to bug out if a storm comes in.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Turkeygetpwnd38 sorry you are correct about OTC it is a points we plan on buying 2 points this year. There’s 3 units we are looking at 2 are higher grizz population units 1 apparently has non 12-26 is usually when I go up here and I’ve had vary good luck those weeks . Does the peak of the rut usually happen in those weeks or are they still trying to roundup there cows in those weeks ?


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Dates were just a general guideline. Everyone has different dates they like, most peak rut guys will say the last two weeks of September. If it’s really dry or full moon early I’ll go later, but I usually like to go a bit earlier while they are still gathering cows up.

 

[Dos Perros]

It kills me to be home when I know other dudes are out running the elk around.

 

[Greenhorn911]

It kills me to be home when I know other dudes are out running the elk around.

Me to I have to take this year off due to work but I’ve got white tails to fall back on after that. That being said I’ll still be thinking and planning for 2022 Montana nothing like chasing elk around the woods for a couple weeks


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[Brendan]

Since 2014 I got crushed by wet weather Wyoming 2019 and Montana 2017. 2019 was rain, 2017 snow. I will never go on a trip without good rain gear top and bottom, I can always leave it in the truck. Of the remaining years, maybe 1-2 I could've gotten away with a soft shell the entire time, the rest I used my rain gear for at least passing storms.

Also - I'm assuming when you say "Buy two points" you mean 1 each. It's one a year per person unless something has changed.

 

[Greenhorn911]

Since 2014 I got crushed by wet weather Wyoming 2019 and Montana 2017. 2019 was rain, 2017 snow. I will never go on a trip without good rain gear top and bottom, I can always leave it in the truck. Of the remaining years, maybe 1-2 I could've gotten away with a soft shell the entire time, the rest I used my rain gear for at least passing storms.

Also - I'm assuming when you say "Buy two points" you mean 1 each. It's one a year per person unless something has changed.

Yes I’ve got all the good gear I never leave home without it for sure . As far as the points system goes I’m new to it but correct me if I’m wrong I believe I can buy a point this year plus a bonus point ? So that will give me 2 or am I wrong because I think from the research I’ve done I won’t be able to buy one next year before the draw ?


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[Brendan]

Yes I’ve got all the good gear I never leave home without it for sure . As far as the points system goes I’m new to it but correct me if I’m wrong I believe I can buy a point this year plus a bonus point ? So that will give me 2 or am I wrong because I think from the research I’ve done I won’t be able to buy one next year before the draw?

You need Preference Points not Bonus points for the General Tag. BP are for the permit draw.

Assuming you have zero now, you can buy one this year and will go into the draw with 1 next year, and gain another if you don't draw.

How to purchase Montana bonus points and preference points

Plus difference in bonus vs preference points

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