I drew the 380-20 tag in Montana. For those who are familiar with this tag, understand that I have been on cloud nine for since I found out. So here it is one in a life time tag. I have to do this write. Does anyone have specific advise about time, place for my best chance to get a large bull?
Elkhorn tag mt
- Thread starter ozmontana
- Start date
buglum
Member
Go anywhere on the forest service elk will be there. Good timing is the same as all other elk hunting-the rut with a bow, or later in the season when the snow piles up for rifle hunting. Just take any road into the mountains and start walking, the elk will be close. I hunted 380 for 15 days with a friend who had the permit and there were elk in every place we looked, every single day.
JCW
Active member
I would give the biologist for that unit a call. They ususally are pretty open about where large bulls have been taken in the past, especially for limited draw units like the 380.
Rat Fink
Member
Just like I tell everyone that draws that tag and thinks they struck gold, good luck with the most overrated elk permit in MT. Your best bet is to find places to get away from the crowd of spike, cow, and youth hunters as they overrun the unit.
HUNTMAN
New member
I would shoot the 1st 300 plus bull you get a chance at. Overrated is a under statement.
AH_14
Member
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
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
Rat Fink
Member
Best piece of advice yet.
Rat Fink
Member
2nd best piece of advice. You're gonna need all of the days you can put in to get a good bull, especially if you end up rifle hunting.
putm2sleep
New member
Its all relative man.
buglum
Member
Totally agree, I should have also mentioned in the 15 days I hunted it of the 40+ bulls I saw the very biggest was maybe 315". My friend was holding out for one of the run-of-the-mill 360" bulls that are everywhere in the Elkhorns. Second to last weekend of rifle season he shot a broken 2nd year six point that never passed 300". Be smart and realistic about the potential in those mountains as it fell far short of my expectations.
AH_14
Member
Probably could make a case for a couple other special draw tags---(yellowstone border, highwoods, fort peck area, others)---access is great in 380....Not so in many other special draw units.
I don't know,,,,380 is really good.
I don't know,,,,380 is really good.
HSi-ESi
Well-known member
He's got the tag now - no reason to be negative or bring him off cloud nine. There's still good bulls in that country - and you don't have to shoot at 370+ bull to have a great hunt (that would be awesome, but no tag gives you 100% chance of it). I have known plenty of guys shooting rag-horns in some big-bull units.
Just like any tag - you still have to hunt hard. Definitely talk to the biologist, get in as much time scouting as possible - and hit the area right away. I'd love to have the tag just because it's fun country and much closer to me geographically than say the Breaks.
Use it as an excuse to get time off work - or any thing you need to get 'out of' so you can spend all fall up in the mountains.
Best of luck to you - and congrats on the tag.
Just like any tag - you still have to hunt hard. Definitely talk to the biologist, get in as much time scouting as possible - and hit the area right away. I'd love to have the tag just because it's fun country and much closer to me geographically than say the Breaks.
Use it as an excuse to get time off work - or any thing you need to get 'out of' so you can spend all fall up in the mountains.
Best of luck to you - and congrats on the tag.
brownbear932008
Well-known member
Not knocking your tag that is a great tag and that is some great typical elk country no doubt! Congrats but I have heard the same things about 380. I think it is way over rated for the number of guys that apply. You beat huge odds by pulling it. I would def take the first 300ish bull I found in there. But on that note enjoy a great tag with lots of nice elk running around it will be an awesome hunt I'm sure.
And by the way make sure you come back here we wanna see and hear the story or give us some summer updates on scouting missions and pics that is what we like around here. Don't just show up wanting info and that's it too much of that these days....
I agree. Any limited draw is better than OTC as a norm. I have two friends that took bulls in the 360 range as non-residents. I just think the popularity outweighs the quality when compared to a few other areas. ozmontana will let us know. mtmuley
BuzzH
Well-known member
I'd put some realistic expectations on YOUR hunt.
Like any other area, the more time you spend scouting and hunting the more likely you are to find a bull that will meet your goals.
I've never hunted there, but I know its good enough that there is some pretty good potential for a bull bigger than 300.
A very good friend of mine had that tag about 7-8 years ago and I believe he arrowed the largest bull ever officially entered in P&Y from that unit...net scored over 360.
Enjoy the tag, and set your own goals.
Like any other area, the more time you spend scouting and hunting the more likely you are to find a bull that will meet your goals.
I've never hunted there, but I know its good enough that there is some pretty good potential for a bull bigger than 300.
A very good friend of mine had that tag about 7-8 years ago and I believe he arrowed the largest bull ever officially entered in P&Y from that unit...net scored over 360.
Enjoy the tag, and set your own goals.
PJ0311
Member
I don't know much about 380 but buglum's experience sounds a lot like mine when I drew one of the breaks units a few years back. I spent the majority of the season in my area and only saw a couple of bulls in the 330 range that I passed on looking for the big one and one monster hanging out in the willows that was just too smart for me - BUT - I saw bulls every single day in almost every area I went when I got away from the people and I could hold out for a smoker feeling fairly confident no matter what happened I could shoot a six point or better bull on any given day. I've never experienced that in a general unit. I didn't shoot a big boy but man did I learn a lot just by having a tag in a limited entry unit and seeing elk every day. If you don't put too much pressure on yourself you'll have a great hunt. At the end of the day you'll only have a set amount of days that you can hunt due to work, etc. All you can do is make the most out of those days and shoot the best bull you can get on. Good luck.
thecrittergitter
Well-known member
Congrats on drawing the tag.....My recommendation would be to put as much effort as you can in there in September if you like to bowhunt. I think that unit is far better in archery than rifle.
Although in general, I don't think it is what it used to be but I would bet there are a couple handfulls of 330+ bulls running around in there, you just need to go find em....
The thing your gonna find during archery is that you have very little competition and will have lots of bulls to make plays on without having a bunch of people to contend with. That will be great fun!
Although in general, I don't think it is what it used to be but I would bet there are a couple handfulls of 330+ bulls running around in there, you just need to go find em....
The thing your gonna find during archery is that you have very little competition and will have lots of bulls to make plays on without having a bunch of people to contend with. That will be great fun!
Rat Fink
Member
Even Archery season is a busy place in there. Local guys just love to go and call in all the "Big" bulls to get good video and then let them walk and shoot a spike after they get bored of the big boys. It makes for a bunch of educated elk and pretty tough calling. It is far from a Limited Entry type hunt you see in other states.
