MT 313-45 Elk Permit

[2ski]

It's funny. Some people lament its not what it used to be and some know what a sh!t show it used to be. Lol. I was there once as a kid in the 90's. I know fist fights over elk were a regular thing. I saw the opposite happen. We and about 100 of our closest friends were all glassing a group of cows coming down the mountain. Everyone just parked on the side of the highway. A shot rings out and a cow drops. Everyone knows they're cows but the guy shooting. Trucks jet out of there in both directions because you don't want to be the guy that has the most fingers pointed at him to the warden that it was you that shot the cow.

I went for a hike a few weeks ago at one of the trailheads not far north of Gardner. The one right across from the Slide. Lots of elk dropping. Couldn't walk 2 feet without seeing a new pile.

 

[dcarnell]

After a summer of scouting and speaking with some previous tag holders and FWP Biologists I have a pretty good game plan for my tag. Hoping the weather cooperates and I can get into some elk. Can't wait for my tag to kick in and I will keep you all who are interested posted! Good luck to everyone this fall and excited to see everyone's success.

 

[dcarnell]

Well, this tag has honestly sucked. I have seen hundreds of elk and all of them are cows and spikes. I have gone deep and high only to find more cows and spikes. I've also hunted the hot spots around the park and guess what.....more cows and spikes. The weather has absolutely killed this tag but I do not think the weather is the only issue. They have got a rough situation down there and I don't think anyone knows how to fix it. 2 packs of wolves running around rattlesnake butte pushing the elk all over the place but not crossing onto the flats. They just are not willing to move off rattlesnake butte. I'm sure the weather is the biggest kicker but I am blown away after only seeing 1 legal bull (3x3)..... going to finish it out down there but man I don't want to. Hope everyone else had a great season and my advice is to pass on this tag until something changes. Thankfully I only burned 1 elk bonus point. Thanks for following along guys!

 

[8andcounting]

Well, this tag has honestly sucked. I have seen hundreds of elk and all of them are cows and spikes. I have gone deep and high only to find more cows and spikes. I've also hunted the hot spots around the park and guess what.....more cows and spikes. The weather has absolutely killed this tag but I do not think the weather is the only issue. They have got a rough situation down there and I don't think anyone knows how to fix it. 2 packs of wolves running around rattlesnake butte pushing the elk all over the place but not crossing onto the flats. They just are not willing to move off rattlesnake butte. I'm sure the weather is the biggest kicker but I am blown away after only seeing 1 legal bull (3x3)..... going to finish it out down there but man I don't want to. Hope everyone else had a great season and my advice is to pass on this tag until something changes. Thankfully I only burned 1 elk bonus point. Thanks for following along guys!

Sorry to hear this but thanks for the honest report

 

[406dn]

You just never know,,,,, maybe just maybe a nice bull will show up in the next couple of days. I hope so.

It does not surprise me that you have seen lots of elk just no bulls. That is how it was last year for me. One morning my brother and I had a hundred head or so that crossed paths with us at maybe a hundred yards. Some of the elk were agitated, most were just wondering wtf. There were maybe three spikes in the bunch.

As far as fixing the mess down there,,, that would be easy if FWP had the elk herd's interest at the forefront. For the next year or three, no bull tags and a modest number of cow tags.

After that all of the bull hunting should be by permit. For the ensuing years, keep the bull tags limited to maybe 50, until it is obvious that more could be taken.

There is not a reason in the world that 313 could not be the premier place for a diy hunter to hunt for a big bull. It will never happen but it could.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Just 10 years ago I watched 3 350+ bulls get killed one AM from the jardine road. Saw a couple others that dodged hunters enough to scurry back over into the park. A week before that, my girlfriends father shot a 397 a few hundred yards off the travertine road. 15 - 30 years ago that place was elk hunters paradise. FWP, wolves, and hunters that will come from miles to sling lead at anything that moves are the problems..

This report comes as no surprise.

the good thing about these permits as those that draw it feel a need to still hunt only there even after days and days of shitty hunting- which means they aren’t in much better general areas.

Sorry you had to learn it the hard way.