Is this a bad sign? Montana general Elk

[MITCHMO]

Lots of snow up high, we can’t get a 4 wheeler into the end of the trail to pack in camp. Seeing this down low....maybe a bad sign if they are down on private? Not seeing much sign where we could setup camp. Covering ground the next couple days to see if we can find any sign of life.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Gotta hunt elk where they are.

Extra challenge to be sure, but at least you won't spend too much time in thigh deep snow wondering where they are.

 

[Pagosa]

If this is down by district 217 south of the Clarks Fork I would bet they stay on private. Hopefully there will be a bunch of hunters on this ranch opening day and push elk up to the public land you are hunting. Good luck

 

[MTelkHuntress]

I've noticed on this side at least, the bulls are still rutting like crazy. That being said, I have gone up high and seen elk tracks in the snow so they are definitely where you find them. Hopefully the bulls will be moving off the cows soon. Good luck!

 

[buck137]

From my experience this fall, archery hunting, we've had a lot more pressure from increased numbers of archery hunters. Which does two things here, it pushes the elk either to private lands that don't allow hunting or they go high and deep, as for the snow pushing them down, it'll take quite a bit to move them down, I'm talking over knee deep here.

 

[MITCHMO]

Maybe I’ll just have to go farther back. My brother watched 12 guys on horses go in the canyon we are hunting yesterday to set up. Maybe that will move some around

 

[buck137]

It'll move them around and hopefully your way, or farther back...lol. Good luck and hope you get one!

 

[daltrix99]

I wouldn’t be dismayed about big herds on private. In my experience many of these are resident herds that summer, rut, and winter on private. There should still be plenty of elk working their way down from the high country as the snow hits (4” down low in Bozeman last night).

If this is 217, send me a PM. I have a lot of experience with this district.

 

[buck137]

Seen quite a few elk today, all on private. But the big thing was, I've seen more people in this area than ever before, My boy and I were hiked in quite a ways, and could see the roads from our vantage point, and the roads looked like major roadways.