Caribou Gear

Elkhorn 380-20 tag

C

Cold Smoke

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Joined
May 11, 2014
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Location
Bozeman
I'm a Bozeman rifle hunter and drew this tag for 2014. Somewhat reluctant to open this, as I've read older threads that got contentious about the tag's value. Putting that aside, I'm looking for help managing the rifle opening day crowding. I've scouted the east side six times so far (never hunted the Elkhorns) and have seen a couple really nice bulls recently. I'll continue scouting right up until October 25. Here's my dilemma... I've heard a bunch of stories where a guy had seen a good bull a number of times, and then opening morning there were other guys GPS hiking around in the dark, blowing the bull out of there before shooting time.

Should I instead try to locate on a general escape route and let others push the elk ahead? I've done this other hard-hunted places with some success. Those routes would be just guesses based on my limited experience (zero opening day) with the Elkhorns and some Google Earth "flying around." Any particular spots/strategies someone would like to share? I'll use your info only once. Also, any off the wall approaches to hunting bulls after opening day? I'm retired (MSU) and plan to hunt this tag as much as my old carcass can stand.

Oh, I have never shot a 300 bull, so I will not be overly picky in that regard. Thanks in advance for any help.
Dan
 
You should have bought a bow mid-April, too late now. Opening of rifle season, I went with my cousin for 10 days a couple years ago, there will be crowds and a line of trucks/SUVs, and Subarus. Hike far back and then keep hiking. They will be there, my cousin passed on a couple big bulls and "settled" with a 330.
 
Congratulations on the tag. I've never had it myself. But I grew up in the Elkhorns, went to High School in Boulder, and now glass the western slopes from my back porch in Corbin.

I've known a fair amount of people who have shot 300-330 inch bulls there, and though I don't have any specific spots to tell you about, I will say this: Don't be afraid to hunt low. I have seen a fair amount of bulls at all times of the year just out of sight of the highways surrounding the Elkhorns.

75% of Elkhorns Bull tag holders will be in the Radersburg or Montana City access areas. If I ever do have that tag, I will be in the timber, I won't be in either of those two areas, and I will be hunting lower than the herds of orange, and I would probably focus on the southern and western sides of the range. For what it's worth, that's my input.

Good luck.
 
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First off, you suck!!!!!!

Now that I've got that out of the way, I'd say you have a HUGE advantage in the fact that you are able to hunt during the week when the masses are working.

With the time you have available I would caution (urge? plead?) you to not get antsy and shoot the first 300 bull you see.

There are good bulls there and they can still be found after the opening day.

If you put one to bed before the opener near any public access point you are likely to have your plan ruined by the spike and cow hunters.

If you can get a substantial distance from any road or trailhead, you will have a much better chance.

Most of all, enjoy the tag and the hunt, lots of good bulls to hunt.

PM me if you have any interest in additional info. Hint.
 
Don't overlook juniper country,...I have seen whoppers late in the season hiding in minimal cover.
 
I'll just throw in that a friend drew the tag 3 years ago and ended up seeing a lot of nice bulls down low in the juniper come mid November... other than that, I know very little about the range...

Good Luck!! Post your Results!!
 
Great information on the elkhorns! I got lucky after 19 yrs and drew the 380-20 permit for 2023 season. I still check my phone first thing in the morning to make sure it didn’t go away😅

I’m going to pack my old bow in there and try to talk some sense out of one of those Perdy Bulls. Unbelievable to get a chance to hunt that limited draw area.
 
Moosecreek said:
Great information on the elkhorns! I got lucky after 19 yrs and drew the 380-20 permit for 2023 season. I still check my phone first thing in the morning to make sure it didn’t go away😅

I’m going to pack my old bow in there and try to talk some sense out of one of those Perdy Bulls. Unbelievable to get a chance to hunt that limited draw area.
Click to expand...
Nicely done sir....you revived a thread from nine years ago.
 
Moosecreek said:
Great information on the elkhorns! I got lucky after 19 yrs and drew the 380-20 permit for 2023 season. I still check my phone first thing in the morning to make sure it didn’t go away😅

I’m going to pack my old bow in there and try to talk some sense out of one of those Perdy Bulls. Unbelievable to get a chance to hunt that limited draw area.
Click to expand...
You should really put some effort in contributing to other threads to make you a valuable member of the forum. Pretty sure you didn’t sit around and wait 19 year and not hunt.
 
Funny reading what I wrote on here 9 years ago. 5 years later I would draw the tag myself.

I don't want to piss in anyone's cheerios, but I think the Elkhorns are in decline. Poor forest conditions, more pressure than ever, development on historic wintering ground, recreation exploding, large populations of elk either leaving the range or spending their lives in the ag fields of Wheat Montana....

The Elkhorns are now officially under objective with nearly 600 less elk than there were just a few years ago. Really the lowest count in the last 25 years and with good survey conditions. Parts of the Elkhorns are healthy, but other parts are really hurting. The biologist counted a good (relative to previous years) amount of brow tined bulls in this survey this year, so I suppose that is good for you, but the yearling bull total was down by nearly a third from previous years.

The Elkhorns are an amazing place. And a blast to hunt - with a bow in particular. Every year, pictures circulate of some dinosaur someone harvested. The year before last, someone shot a 15 year old bull and a couple 14 year olds were also taken. Those are the exception and not the rule, but it is special to have a place where that is a legit possibility.

Welcome to Hunt Talk. If the past is indicative of the future, you'll gain whatever info you can, go hunting, and never return to this place. I'd really like to hear your on-the-ground report of how your hunt goes and hope you stick around to tell your story and not just to acquire intelligence. Good luck.
 
Copy that! I will share whatever I come up with in the upcoming season.. appreciate your time and insight on the district. I live close proximity so that will help with time in the field.
 
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