Guide Recommendation for Montana Elk

[WesternRookie]

Looking for recommendations for a guided Montana elk hunt. Open to rifle or bow. Open to horseback or backpack, public or private. No budget. Who would you go with if you could pick any outfitter in Montana?

I have looked up the websites of all the Montana Outfitters in the back of the latest issue of Bugle magazine, but am hoping some folks here, maybe even MT locals, can give me recommendations on an outfitter

Thanks in advance

 

[JLS]

Are you looking for a big bull or a wilderness experience? Or just a hunt?

 

[WesternRookie]

Are you looking for a big bull or a wilderness experience? Or just a hunt?

Wilderness experience

 

[WesternRookie]

Open to dealing with Grizzlies?

I have backpack hunted in grizzly country before (Northwest Territories)......

 

[Addicting]

I would steer clear of S&W near Ennis. Talking with them on the phone the guy just rubbed me the wrong way. I ended up running into one of their guides leading out a pack train and the guy yelled at me for being on the trail. It was at a corner and neither of us cold see each other until there almost a collision. Guy was a a**hat.

 

[Western Traveler1]

Highly respected folks in Augusta MT that spend each summer and Fall in the Bob. If I was going it would be with them...

Hunting Trip Rates and Dates | Mills Wilderness Adventures of MT

See this year's hunting trip schedule, our hunting rates, and our refund policies.

www.millswildernessadventures.com

Mills Wilderness Adventures of Montana, Inc.

Mills Wilderness Adventures of Montana, Inc. 4,499 likes · 163 talking about this. Offering experiences of a lifetime in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, both summer and fall.

www.facebook.com

 

[WesternRookie]

Highly respected folks in Augusta MT that spend each summer and Fall in the Bob. If I was going it would be with them...

Hunting Trip Rates and Dates | Mills Wilderness Adventures of MT

See this year's hunting trip schedule, our hunting rates, and our refund policies.

www.millswildernessadventures.com

Mills Wilderness Adventures of Montana, Inc.

Mills Wilderness Adventures of Montana, Inc. 4,499 likes · 163 talking about this. Offering experiences of a lifetime in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, both summer and fall.

www.facebook.com

Thank you

 

[LCH]

I agree, if going guided in Montana, I would definitely go in the Bob. I've backpacked in from near Augusta and it's beautiful country.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Have you called the MT outfitters & guides Assn (MOGA) to see what help they could offer? MOGA is the outfitter trade association and has a pretty big list of members.

 

[WesternRookie]

Have you called the MT outfitters & guides Assn (MOGA) to see what help they could offer? MOGA is the outfitter trade association and has a pretty big list of members.

I have not.....I have looked on the websites of all of these below from the "Montana" section of Bugle magazine, and have connected with a good enough cross section of them to come to the conclusions above. I am waiting to hear back from 4 of them, but don't expect to hear anything new:

Lazy J Bar O

A Lazy H

Absaroka-Beartooth Outfitters

Adventures Outfitting, LLC

Backcountry Montana Adventures

Beaver Creek Outfitters

Billingsly Ranch Outfitters

Black Mountain Outfitters

Broken Arrow Lodge

Elk Ridge Outfitters

Gardner Ranch Outfitters

Grizzly Outfitters

ICR Outfitters

JM Bar Outfitters

Montana High country Tours

Rich Ranch

Rick wemple Outfitting

Rocky Point Outfitters

Ruggs Outfitting

S&W Outfitting

Specimen Creek Outfitters

Upper Canyon Outfitters

Wilderness Connection

Mills Wilderness

Swan Mountain Outiftters

 

[HSi-ESi]

There are some good names on the list above. One thing to look out for IF you are wanting to hunt this year (Fall 2019) - the really good outfitters have been booked up already (for quite some time). You may be able to slide in if there is a cancellation issue. I would be suspect (want to check more references) if I could easily book with someone right now.

Good luck!

 

[SAJ-99]

Guides are usually limited to certain zones, so if the zone is special draw, you would need to draw the permit first. NRs even need to draw a general permit. You also have to pick bow or rifle. They are different seasons. Backpacking into the Bob in late October or Early November (rifle) may be a non-starter for some outfitters. In addition, there may not be two dozen elk left in those mountains if a decent snow storm comes through...and it always does eventually. The only other species you can consider is deer and antelope. The draw odds on moose, sheep, and goat are so low that worrying about an outfitter at this point is a waste of energy.

 

[Coop]

If money isn't an issue, check out Montana Hunting Company. Rob is as good a guy as you will find anywhere and these are quality hunts. That would be my pick if I had to choose one.

 

[WesternRookie]

Guides are usually limited to certain zones, so if the zone is special draw, you would need to draw the permit first. NRs even need to draw a general permit. You also have to pick bow or rifle. They are different seasons. Backpacking into the Bob in late October or Early November (rifle) may be a non-starter for some outfitters. In addition, there may not be two dozen elk left in those mountains if a decent snow storm comes through...and it always does eventually. The only other species you can consider is deer and antelope. The draw odds on moose, sheep, and goat are so low that worrying about an outfitter at this point is a waste of energy.

Yeah, I'm saying maybe another species in another state. I might rather take my buddy up to Alaska for a couple thousand more for caribou, get the wilderness experience, and the success rate. $4-6K is alot of dough for 50% odds. I may as well be playing roulette and betting on red or black.

 

[shannerdrake]

Being from the East (Indiana) I struggled with similar questions/concerns when I started exploring the idea of hunting the west. I ended up going with a very inexpensive outfitter in Colorado (about $3500 on top of tags of course) and ended up shooting a nice (to me) 5x5 bull on my third day. All hunting was on private land. I also had an opportunity on a 5x5 on my second day and my hunting partner killed a similar 5x5 on the first evening. It was an awesome experience and we enjoyed every minute of it. For a couple flatlanders, it was a real adventure. That being said, we both ended up killing our bulls on an evening hunts during the last 10 minutes of light while the elk filtered out into an alfalfa field. Outside of the beautiful scenery and much bigger animals, it was an awful lot like Indiana whitetail hunting. The upside was the guide let us be very involved in the process so we had input on where we were hunting and due to some scheduling issues, we were actually alone when I killed my bull. But we also drove the truck to him and loaded him in the back with a winch...so again not too different from my whitetail experience. However, the success rates were high as were the opportunities.

Fast forward a year, we did a DIY general tag hunt in Montana. All public land in a general unit. Sort of the opposite experience. We did not see 1/4 of the wildlife, never saw a bull in 7 days of hunting and over 50 miles of hiking (not to mention 100s of miles driving), and I only saw one mule deer buck (that I shot). I ended up killing a smallish 4x4 mulie on day 5 and a cow elk on day 6. It was all DIY and all onyourown.

Looking back on both hunts, I can't convey how entirely different they were. One was a limited draw unit with an outfitter; one was general tag in an overhunted unit. At the end of the day you have to decide what you want out of the hunt. I am very glad I have seen both ends of the spectrum as it is helping me form and plan my future hunts. Ultimately, I want a DIY experience that doesn't border on impossible. So know I am looking more and more at limited draw units in various states. People love to talk about how expensive building points is. However, my one inexpensive outfitter hunt would cover numerous years of applications.

I'll add one more thing. My hunting partner of 12 years was with me on both of those hunts and neither one of them would have been near as enjoyable without him. We couldn't be more different, but we both love hunting. And believe me when I say we bump heads 100s of times every time we plan or go on a hunt. However, I think finding something that checks some of the boxes for both of you would likely yield a memorable hunt for both of you as well.

 

[Gerald Martin]

If you have to kill an animal to have a good trip, elk in Montana is probably a poor odds proposition even with an outfitter. There’s a lot of guys who save for years for that bucket list one elk hunt that come away disappointed because they weren’t informed about the reality that is elk hunting. The best elk hunts are one you can take and be okay when you go home with an infilled tag. If you know your buddy can’t do that with certainty you are making the right call hunting something else for his first western trip.

Elk hunting usually has some kind of challenge that throws a wrench in the best of plans. Many guys who add the pressure of really “needing” to kill into the trip fold under the strain and give up rather than adapt. Happens time and time again.

 

[Western Traveler1]

I have done alot of research over the last couple of months on guided elk hunts. What I am finding is that hunts are coming down to either wilderness or ranch.

Wilderness is you get packed in by horseback on day 1, hunt for 5-7 days, then pack out on last day. Emphasis is more on the experience, the hardships, beauty of rugged wilderness, and getting away from the world. With major X factor being weather, and some weight on hunters fitness/ability to shoot, the success rate is around 50%. On a hot week nobody may get a bull. There are 6 - 10 hunters in camp at once

Ranch hunt is private land. Basically staying in a regular house with hot showers and plumbing. 4x4 trucks and UTVs. Success rate close to 95%. 4 to 6 hunters in camp.
I dislike everything about the ranch hunt except the success rate, and I dislike the high number of hunters and the success rate on the wilderness hunt.
I honestly think maybe I need to look at another species besides elk, if doing a guided hunt. I know my buddy would never let me hear the end of it if he spent $6K on a hunt and didn't kill anything.

Sounds like you talked to a bunch of honest outfitters. What you described is what I would expect on a pack trip into the Bob. On a ranch hunt my expectations would depend on the type of ranch, timing (resident herd or migration) and trophy quality expected. Higher the quality, higher the cost.
Migration hunts can sure be hit or miss too. 100% one week, zip the next=75% success. I get where both you and your friend are coming from and it can be a difficult choice. For me my age, financial position, and likely future opportunities would weigh into the decision. I’ve been fortunate to have done successful public land guided, private ranch unguided and plenty of DIY public land elk hunts both on foot and horseback into the Bob and other areas and have had a bit of success. If there is one regret I have it would be not having done a full on guided horseback hunt into the Bob just as you have described. Kill or not. At this point I would settle for a summer guided pack trip into the Bob but don’t know if I’ll ever climb aboard another horse.

 

[mtmuley]

http://www.montanaoutwest.com/ Not sure if he is still at it, but this guy knows what he is doing. mtmuley

 

[pitt_mb]

Being from the East (Indiana) I struggled with similar questions/concerns when I started exploring the idea of hunting the west. I ended up going with a very inexpensive outfitter in Colorado (about $3500 on top of tags of course) and ended up shooting a nice (to me) 5x5 bull on my third day. All hunting was on private land. I also had an opportunity on a 5x5 on my second day and my hunting partner killed a similar 5x5 on the first evening. It was an awesome experience and we enjoyed every minute of it. For a couple flatlanders, it was a real adventure. That being said, we both ended up killing our bulls on an evening hunts during the last 10 minutes of light while the elk filtered out into an alfalfa field. Outside of the beautiful scenery and much bigger animals, it was an awful lot like Indiana whitetail hunting. The upside was the guide let us be very involved in the process so we had input on where we were hunting and due to some scheduling issues, we were actually alone when I killed my bull. But we also drove the truck to him and loaded him in the back with a winch...so again not too different from my whitetail experience. However, the success rates were high as were the opportunities.

Fast forward a year, we did a DIY general tag hunt in Montana. All public land in a general unit. Sort of the opposite experience. We did not see 1/4 of the wildlife, never saw a bull in 7 days of hunting and over 50 miles of hiking (not to mention 100s of miles driving), and I only saw one mule deer buck (that I shot). I ended up killing a smallish 4x4 mulie on day 5 and a cow elk on day 6. It was all DIY and all onyourown.

Looking back on both hunts, I can't convey how entirely different they were. One was a limited draw unit with an outfitter; one was general tag in an overhunted unit. At the end of the day you have to decide what you want out of the hunt. I am very glad I have seen both ends of the spectrum as it is helping me form and plan my future hunts. Ultimately, I want a DIY experience that doesn't border on impossible. So know I am looking more and more at limited draw units in various states. People love to talk about how expensive building points is. However, my one inexpensive outfitter hunt would cover numerous years of applications.

I'll add one more thing. My hunting partner of 12 years was with me on both of those hunts and neither one of them would have been near as enjoyable without him. We couldn't be more different, but we both love hunting. And believe me when I say we bump heads 100s of times every time we plan or go on a hunt. However, I think finding something that checks some of the boxes for both of you would likely yield a memorable hunt for both of you as well.

What outfitter did you use?

 

[Straight Arrow]

Pick one of the outfitters in RMEF's BUGLE magazine. They are reputable and they support elk habitat with money.