A Poor Elk Hunter With A Good Elk Tag

[Jape]

Thanks for keeping us updated. That country looks really neat.

 

[Southern Elk]

Hey NR, I can't remember if anyone asked, but are you archery or rifle hunting or both?

 

[Sytes]

Sometimes the "Rudy" stories beat the hell out of the Aaron Rodgers, "winning" QB events.

Your putting in the time... Harvest or not, this is a favorite thread.

 

[LopeHunter]

I don't have any cool pictures of elk yet to share, but I have been doing some scouting, and the early summer is a fine time for hiking. I figured I would share some facts about the hunting district, since it has some pretty interesting history and geography.

This map was reduced in size when attaching it, so you can't really see the things I wanted you to, but you get the idea.

​

Hunting District 380 is mostly comprised of the Elkhorn Mountain Range and surrounding valleys to their midpoints.

Quick Facts:

- Highest Point: Crow Peak 9,415 ft
- Lowest Point: Canyon Ferry Dam 3,800 ft

My father-in-law had just graduated high school when the "new" Canyon Ferry Dam began construction in summer of 1949. The rising level of the lake resulted in fantastic habitat for aquatic feed and shelter that produced some very large fish, including trout, being caught for the next few years. He spent a lot of time fishing on the lake. My father-in-law won what may have been the first color television in Helena in a fishing derby though do not think involved Canyon Ferry. Not sure what the television's screen size was but was the television was set up in the glass window of a downtown Helena store to promote the event and people would line up in the evening several deep to watch the small amount of programming that was televised then.

Good luck on your hunt.

 

[Nameless Range]

Hey NR, I can't remember if anyone asked, but are you archery or rifle hunting or both?

Hunting both

 

[Nameless Range]

My father-in-law had just graduated high school when the "new" Canyon Ferry Dam began construction in summer of 1949. The rising level of the lake resulted in fantastic habitat for aquatic feed and shelter that produced some very large fish, including trout, being caught for the next few years. He spent a lot of time fishing on the lake. My father-in-law won what may have been the first color television in Helena in a fishing derby though do not think involved Canyon Ferry. Not sure what the television's screen size was but was the television was set up in the glass window of a downtown Helena store to promote the event and people would line up in the evening several deep to watch the small amount of programming that was televised then.

Good luck on your hunt.

Very cool LopeHunter.

I have shared this on HuntTalk before, but it is a mosaic of aerial images from the 1930s that I created of what today is Canyon Ferry Lake. The town at the bottom of the photo is Townsend, which today exists at the southern shore of the lake.. Look at the historic meanders that are now submerged.

 

[JLS]

Hunting both

But are you throwing caution to the wind and wearing cotton?

 

[Nameless Range]

But are you throwing caution to the wind and wearing cotton?

Of course, and with an arrow nocked.

 

[widnert]

Go get 'em and share any pictures or stories as you can! I'm envious but know how you feel about those mountains. I've spent quite a bit of time in there prepping for when I actually get to draw that tag. Still waiting for that moment.....

 

[TC207]

Well this is already exciting, and I would imagine will get much more so as we get closer! Keep up the updates, and good luck!

 

[Luke_with_a_lab]

I've applied there for years with no luck. My brother drew it a few years ago though. Congrats on getting the tag! Hope you can nail a big one

 

[Ebayollis]

Tagged

 

[TRS_Montana]

Really was hoping this thread was going to be a show stopper! Not so much hope it’s not a health issue??

I don't know what the hell this guy's talking about. Anyone can get pics of antlers. What I HAVEN'T seen is the quality of nutsacks that Nameless is parading on here. Well done!

Seriously, love the history of the elkhorns. This thread is already better than most because of depth of the info you provide. Thanks and keep it up, buddy!

 

[Nameless Range]

Hunt 1:

Had to work opening weekend so my first day out was yesterday.

I left the truck about 45 minutes before shooting light. I hiked about 800 vertical feet to the top of a ridge that separates the road I drove in on and a drainage far from any road that eventually drops into private property. Huffing my way up in the dark, bugles ripped in all directions, including the opposite side of the road from where I parked my truck.

I attained the top of the ridge about 15 minutes before shooting light. The nearest bugle sounded as if it were still quite a ways away and down on some private land below the ridge. With about ten minutes till shooting light I let loose a bugle, and the bull down below responded....

I began thinking that if I could pull that bull up the ridge to the public land I occupied, I would be in an interesting place for an ambush. I was just below the top of the ridge but could see it clearly. No sooner had I visualized poking a giant bull in the heart, when only 60 yards up the ridge a bull walked right down the spine right in front of me. He was skylined against a morning sky, and walked down the ridge perfectly silent. He stopped broadside at about 60 yards and I think winded me, and turned and dropped off the other side of the ridge. The bull wasn't that big, and 60 yards is too far for me, but it was an interesting lesson. It was still ten minutes before shooting light and probably longer until a shooting light I was comfortable with. Moving forward I'm not bugling unless I'm ready to shoot something. I listened to half a dozen bulls on the hike up, and never heard him or anything from his direction make a peep.

About 20 minutes after sunrise everything got pretty quiet. I hiked around and continued to hear bugles in the distance but nothing close. I did try bugling and raking a tree once it got quiet but that produced nothing. After thinking about it for half a year it felt fantastic to be hiking around with a bow in my hand, and the first ten minutes of my hunting season were adrenaline filled.

The drainage I was heading toward.



Even though sign around these are significant, I think in the Elkhorns wallows are a dime a dozen.

 

[MTHunter1321]

Sounds like a fun start to what I’m sure will be an epic fall for you! Looking forward to hearing your progress as the season continues

 

[dcopas78]

I've been looking forward to the story of this hunt

 

[Ridge Ghost]

Sounds like a good start!

 

[noharleyyet]

...been hoping you'd post up some pics and thoughts....good stuff.

 

[Sytes]

Very cool! A thread worth following!

 

[Ben Lamb]

This tag better not get punched too soon. We want more content.

#makehunttalkgreatagain.