Elkhorn tag mt

Not trying to down play the tag at all. But in a unit where ANYONE can hunt spikes and cows it makes the hunting tougher. A 300 inch plus bull is a good mature animal. To each his own and best of luck.
 
AH_14 said:
Please do not get the idea that your 380 tag is overrated. It is not. One of the top 2 tags in this state with 410 probably.... Anyone who has spent any time in this unit knows there are lots of 300 plus bulls in there. I good friend of mine who has some great access opportunities in the Big Belts drew the 380 tag this year and he is ecstatic. You should be too!
That said, many members on here have posted some concerns that are very real and important to your success.
1st---If you can archery hunt it YOU HAVE TO. The tag probably should be split as an archery opportunity and a rifle opportunity----it isn't and there are a lot of extra people that show up during rifle season.
2nd---private land is helpful here, difficult to gain access, and maybe not worth the effort. I believe I know of somewhere between 10 and 15 bulls that have been harvested in 380 and I think they all came off of forest service land.
3rd---The biologist is a must if you don't know the unit....Could be very beneficial.
4th---A 320" archery bull is a great trophy and should still be considered an awesome animal in 380....You may see larger but if you have an opportunity ???
***Some, if not most of the best bulls disappear during rifle....Same as everywhere else....Think Dark timber, nasty, and alone if the weather is mild.
380 is exactly like good elk hunting country in other parts of Montana during rifle----There are plenty of people, some roads, horses, everything----accept if you find a bull, chances are much better he will eclipse the 300 mark.
*Still very necessary to hunt as hard and as long as you possibly can.

Hope this helps a little
Click to expand...

Every bit of this is good advice.

Welcome to the forum, hope to see a few more posts.
 
I had this tag in 2001 and ate my tag. I saw 2 bulls over 360 and quite a few 300-330 bulls. Once i saw the big boys it was one of them or nothing. They dissapeared as soon as rifle season opened.
my buddy had it in 2008 and we ended up getting him a 351. There were a lot fewer elk that year. The elk numbers and quality have declined quite it bit in the last 10 years. Archery season is a blast. Rifle season is full of hunters especially on the weekends. PM me and i'll tell you everything i know about the area, hopefully it will help.
 
Can't imagine it being anything short of a great permit to have. Problem with a permit like this is 98% of the hunters with the permit will be expecting to see a 350 bull around every bend in the road. Probably much larger bulls in many units in this state, including some of the general ones, so for pure awesome bull scale, it might be a little over-rated, specially with those kind of drawing odds.
 
Well I have read a lot of great advise. Thank you everyone. I understand that no tag is a for sure big bull. I grew up in this state and have had the opportunity to hunt districts like the 410-20 tag. This trip I am looking forward to taking my 2 kids, so that the can experience bow hunting. If I spent the time here at home I could get a 300 class bull. What I am looking for is volume. I want to bring in several close enough that the kids never forget.
I will spend 10 days down there between the second week and third week of September, unless you guys thing the better rut is later. If I have to go back during rifle I will just fill the freezer.
What I was hoping for was were people hunted and were they camped.
 
Good advice from people. It is an overrated tag as there are better genetics in units not far from 380. It is definitely like winning the lottery!! The elk just don't get time to grow in other districts. I wouldn't pass up a 320 bull, if I were you. I have to respectfully disagree with the numbers being down. The biggest problem is the number of hunters, for whatever reason is pretty high, both during archery and rifle. I used to be able to hunt all archery season and not see a single hunter. Now I can't go an hour. The other reason is weather, as most of the state has seen. Much warmer in September than normal. My best piece of advice is to not chase stories. You'll be a day late to where the elk were, not are. Trust your scouting!
 
hint: don't overlook the juniper country.I have found some huge bulls hanging in very unlikely places,with not a whole lot of cover.
 
Here is my bull from 2011 shot opening day of rifle.
 

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My family logged on ranches near Radersburge. I think I can get on a ranch there. I was told most of the elk are on FS property though.
 
ozmontana said:
What I am looking for is volume. I want to bring in several close enough that the kids never forget.
Click to expand...

Well, I know it doesn't take volume for a kid to never forget.....even one will be awesome for them.......I still remember the very first elk I ever called in! You should have lots of fun with your kids in there in september! Good luck!
 
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