Hello all I have been trying to understand where to hunt archery elk by watching lots of YouTube but I still can’t nail down anything with out looking somewhere else. I am probably going to be hunting south of Livingston in HD 314 but I just need some general questions answered. Should I be targeting high country up on high ridges or more in the drainages in lower elevation. Is steeper rougher country going to have more elk even though it seems the cows would be on more open areas with greater food variety? And how important is water to rutting elk and how far will they travel to take advantage of plentiful water sources? Sorry for all the questions.
Archery elk
- Thread starter noahdah
- Start date
Mtnhunter1
Well-known member
If you drive the frontage road up the pass, west of town, you will see roughly 60 head grazing in the bottom every night. This herd has been growing in numbers by the day. A month ago there were only 8 head!
I tell you this as an example. The feed in the wilds have dried out from the lack of moisture and the elk are looking for the best feed available. This feed will be located where the moisture has a chance to stay longer throughout the day....steep, north facing slopes or in the bottoms of steep canyons.
Yes, water is a factor as it is needed by both the elk and the elk's food supply.
I tell you this as an example. The feed in the wilds have dried out from the lack of moisture and the elk are looking for the best feed available. This feed will be located where the moisture has a chance to stay longer throughout the day....steep, north facing slopes or in the bottoms of steep canyons.
Yes, water is a factor as it is needed by both the elk and the elk's food supply.
I hunted there for a couple weeks last year and saw tons of elk, all on private lands. Mostly in one huge herd of thousands that was crossing a road between two private fields. I saw 1000's of elk cross a road just south of Livingstone on one evening and spent days trying to find a way to reach the elk via public land, but never could get there.
There are some patches of public land you can hunt and a lot of checkerboard, it was a lot of work finding anything huntable, and then not see any elk when you get there. My plan this year is to be there the first week before things get concentrated on private.
My $.02, I was a first time MT elk hunter and spent the whole archery and rifle seasons scoping out 200 and 300 units without seeing any bulls on public, a couple cows but nothing else. That said, I have no doubt they are there... I'll get one this year for sure
There are some patches of public land you can hunt and a lot of checkerboard, it was a lot of work finding anything huntable, and then not see any elk when you get there. My plan this year is to be there the first week before things get concentrated on private.
My $.02, I was a first time MT elk hunter and spent the whole archery and rifle seasons scoping out 200 and 300 units without seeing any bulls on public, a couple cows but nothing else. That said, I have no doubt they are there... I'll get one this year for sure
Mtnhunter1
Well-known member
I think that you will find what 2019 offered up will be mirrored in 2020 but worse. A very dry July and August has the elk migrating to the lower private ground....where the feed is readily available.I hunted there for a couple weeks last year and saw tons of elk, all on private lands. Mostly in one huge herd of thousands that was crossing a road between two private fields. I saw 1000's of elk cross a road just south of Livingstone on one evening and spent days trying to find a way to reach the elk via public land, but never could get there.
There are some patches of public land you can hunt and a lot of checkerboard, it was a lot of work finding anything huntable, and then not see any elk when you get there. My plan this year is to be there the first week before things get concentrated on private.
My $.02, I was a first time MT elk hunter and spent the whole archery and rifle seasons scoping out 200 and 300 units without seeing any bulls on public, a couple cows but nothing else. That said, I have no doubt they are there... I'll get one this year for sure
The public ground that still has feed available will also see increased elk numbers. In dry years, the good elk areas will have elk and the marginal areas may be devoid of any elk.
Good luck this fall, I hope that you are successful in finding legally accessible elk to chase around.
For the checkerboard land can you get to hop from one piece to the next of public land or do you have to get permission to go from one to the other?I hunted there for a couple weeks last year and saw tons of elk, all on private lands. Mostly in one huge herd of thousands that was crossing a road between two private fields. I saw 1000's of elk cross a road just south of Livingstone on one evening and spent days trying to find a way to reach the elk via public land, but never could get there.
There are some patches of public land you can hunt and a lot of checkerboard, it was a lot of work finding anything huntable, and then not see any elk when you get there. My plan this year is to be there the first week before things get concentrated on private.
My $.02, I was a first time MT elk hunter and spent the whole archery and rifle seasons scoping out 200 and 300 units without seeing any bulls on public, a couple cows but nothing else. That said, I have no doubt they are there... I'll get one this year for sure
