Montana region 3 elk

[TN VOL]

Hey guys..I'm still new to this forum, didn't draw Wyoming and I am now looking into SW Montana region 3. I have done lots of research through the internet (due to not knowing anyone personally that has hunted MT)..I'm from TN and I'm wanting to take my two teenage sons on a DIY elk hunt this fall, we are first time elk hunters so please forgive my ignorance. I've looked into units 327, 330, 324, & 323..from what I've read they can all get fairly crowded which at this point I guess that doesn't matter and we will have to deal with it. My question is for hunting these units for rifle season..is it better to hunt opening weekend when the elk haven't been pressured and are resident elk..or come later in the season maybe early to mid November when there has been more of migration take place?? Again..I'm not looking for anyone's spot..just looking to get my sons on some elk..we aren't trophy hunting. you can PM or post..any advice is appreciated thanks!
-TN VOL

 

[robloft]

I'm planning on my first elk hunt this year as well. I am from Mississippi. Hopefully someone with experience will chime in with an answer to your question. I have looked at the eastern part of region three myself.

 

[406LIFE]

I would be out opening weekend. I would be as far off roads as possible. Also know the later you go the more snow. If you have hunted an area before, and don't have the chance to prescout another unit before the season, then I would dive deeper into those units you have been in before.

 

[rammac]

The archery season ends just the before the beginning of the rifle season so you wont be avoiding pressured elk by hunting the first few weeks. The deciding factor for most people around here is the weather, most locals want a little snow on the ground before they go out so you'll probably see more hunters the first few days of new snow. Temperature is another issue, lower temps are a good thing. Being from out of state the best you are going to do is try to plan you time to coincide with the first snow or as close to it as your schedule will allow.

 

[greatwhitebuffalo]

From another NR neighbor who's hunted the same region with some success; I'd get out there as soon as you are able and stay as long as you can.

 

[TN VOL]

Thanks for all the input..does anyone know why the harvest stats in this region dropped so much after 2015?? Some of the units had around 30% success rates then they dropped to around 15% in the 2016 stats for harvest success..not sure how much stock I should put into harvest stats from Montana..

 

[----]

Thanks for all the input..does anyone know why the harvest stats in this region dropped so much after 2015?? Some of the units had around 30% success rates then they dropped to around 15% in the 2016 stats for harvest success..not sure how much stock I should put into harvest stats from Montana..

2016 was one of the warmest, driest rifle seasons we've had. Conditions were brutal, and a lot of the migrations happened after season was over. My wife killed a mule season November 13 in 75°.

 

[HalfAce]

I believe more Elk die on opening day of rifle than any day of the rifle season. BUT, that's because a lot of guys will know where to go, or will scout a day or two in advance and be sitting on elk opening morning. After opening morning, hunting them gets very tough and you may not see an elk for a week or more, especially if you are in an area for the first time. I prefer to hunt from about November 16th and on. If no snow during the second or third week of the season, i would delay the hunt until the last week, but there will be a lot of hunter traffic again around Thanksgiving. Some years you get the dates/precip right, and some years you don't.

 

[Nameless Range]

Everything is so weather-dependent. Like Randy11 said, we could have a season like 2016, where it basically doesn't snow until after the season. Last season in the area I hunt, the third week of rifle it snowed two feet above 6,000ft. Sure, it moved the elk, but it also severely limited where hunters could go. Even with chains. This condensed both the elk and hunters.

If you don't have time to scout a couple of days leading up to the opener, I would avoid opening weekend. Other than that, I would just hunt, and let the weather at the time dictate your plans somewhat. Good luck!

 

[MThuntr]

2016 was one of the warmest, driest rifle seasons we've had. Conditions were brutal, and a lot of the migrations happened after season was over. My wife killed a mule season November 13 in 75°.

Yeah that was a bad one! A few of us were up on a ridge in t-shirts and this year on that same ridge on the same day it was 17 degrees

 

[TN VOL]

Ok..so if we come opening rifle and there’s no snow..should we hunt or focus on an area that is higher elevation?? Like areas above 8,000 feet for example..and if we come later in season in November we should focus on lower elevations??

 

[joelweb]

I recommend narrowing the search down to a couple units and then calling the local biologists to pick their brains. Some units are more forested than others, some have big migrations, and some have private land issues. Those factors will affect the hunting in each.

If you are fit, I recommend hunting early and high up at the tops of the mountains. If it wears you out to even think about hiking 1,000-2,000 vertical feet every morning, I'd try and hunt the migrations. When the elk move because of deep snow, they can get in pretty close proximity to roads. It's just not a sure thing as the weather is different every year.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Ok..so if we come opening rifle and there’s no snow..should we hunt or focus on an area that is higher elevation?? Like areas above 8,000 feet for example..and if we come later in season in November we should focus on lower elevations??

Hunt as high as you physically can in either event.

 

[Pagosa]

My general experience with opening day in Montana has been rather tough. Probably 5-6 times I have located a large herd or individual bachelor bull groups from 1-5 days before the rifle season opener. Every time I had developed were planned out hunt on opening day. I hike back into the secluded area I had seen the elk traveling to from their bedding and feeding area. Once it becomes daylight I quickly realize I have 2 to 6 groups of hunters having the same plan as myself. The elk had moved off well before opening light and are long gone.
I know a lot of elk are shot opening weekend, but not in my personal experience. Check station data has more indicators that harvest spikes when the weather systems move through and overall harvest is basically the same level pattern throughout the 5 week rifle season. At least in my area where I hunt the average harvest doesn’t go above 10% for both bull or cows at the two check stations I pass through for every week of the season. Opening day and the last week always seems to have a lot of elk that come out whole that were shot on private ranches.
I think you are looking at a very good area to hunt, but expect to have other hunters and harvest rates of 10-20%. Good luck

 

[joelweb]

Hunt as high as you physically can in either event.

From my experience, elk hunting down low in the late season can be quite good. Elk are often at the tops of the mountains during opener.

 

[Badger_55]

A lot of good info for you to start out with so far on here. I am excited for you guys, it was just a handful of years ago when I was doing the same thing for my dad and my brother. All the districts you listed will have a pile of elk in them. Some are butted up next to WMA's which can hold a lot of wintering elk so you will have some migration opportunities there towards the end of the season. No matter when you go you will have other hunters out there with you, so I would just pick a time that would allow you to be out there the longest. The more days with boots on the ground the better your odds. Another thing to think about is with the pressure of some of these districts you will have elk getting bumped around constantly, so its not always a bad thing to have other hunters around you if you can identify sanctuaries and escape routes.

Do some more looking on Google Earth and Montana Game and fish. Look at the terrain and what type of hunting you feel you are comfortable with, find some numbers that exciteyou and then look up the biologist who works that district. I have had really good experiences with the biologist out in Montana. Also dont be afraid to call the local CO either, they are really good to work with too.
Match up your camping situation with your hunt. Its a heck of alot easier to be able to hunt close to camp vs driving an hour to stay at a lodge. My first year out I took a cow and I was happier than a pig in you know what. Its all the experience that you are looking for, regardless of what you choose know that you guys are going to have a blast and that any more work and research will just pay off more before you get there.
Figure out that district and hit Google Earth hard again and again. Weather in the mountains is a revolving door so just get out there when you can to hunt the longest you can and have a great time. Know that you will forever be hooked and plan on doing it every year.

Have fun with this, its part of the hunt.
And good luck!

 

[TN VOL]

Thanks for all the input from everyone!! Does anyone have any recommendations of camping in any of the units I was looking at for good camp experience that’s close to a stream or body of water with good fishing??
Thanks again!

 

[Flatlander14]

We hunted 324 the week before Thanksgiving in 2016. As said earlier, extremely warm. We’re in t shirts half the week. The elk were all at the highest cover you could find with the warm weather and the earlier pressure. Weekends had more hunters, but you could still get away from a lot of them. Make sure you put in for a mule deer tag in 324, we saw some studs but did not draw. Beautiful country, the last day we went to 330 and tagged 2 Deer. Good luck.

 

[joelweb]

Thanks for all the input from everyone!! Does anyone have any recommendations of camping in any of the units I was looking at for good camp experience that’s close to a stream or body of water with good fishing??
Thanks again!

You could camp along the Ruby, Big Hole, or Beaverhead Rivers. I'd be careful about trying to both fish and hunt before you get an elk. While it sounds nice, if you're serious about killing an elk, it'll likely require all of your focus.

 

[TN VOL]

Joelweb, good point...however since I'm taking my wife and sons..I planned on alternating taking my sons hunting, so my wife and one of my sons had something to do and they all love to fish...so while we were hunting they could fish..so it'd be nice to camp close to where they could fish while we were hunting...there might be days we all go.. I'm looking extremely forward to this trip! this will be our first elk hunt..I'm sure there will be a huge learning curve but I'm excited for the experience we will have and the memories that will be made...any elk will be a trophy to us!