MT 380-20 Tag

[onelionhunter]

So I finally drew the coveted 380 tag this year. Somewhat of a torturous thing being as there is so much snow up there right now, ready to get the scouting started.

I have hunted the middle areas for cows and spikes with my daughter when she was able to shoot either for the kids hunt, ie the crow drainage south into Johnny and Keating gulchs, and spent a week outside Townsend in the RMEF Iron Mask property. Have not hunted the South, North, or West sides, thinking that may be my first ones to scout, pressure is pretty heavy in the Crow area.

I will have a lot of time to make this happen, 4 weeks of vacation, personal holiday, and 3 company holidays fall within the season, and i work 4 10's. Thinking of putting a large part of my energies into the archery season, feel like I have better odds and less people. Setting the bar high to start, like 360 or better, but shall see what I can glass up this summer. Already have a 340 archery bull from one of those nasty griz infested units near Hebgen, so feel I should think big.

Need to get some better maps, any recommendations? I have a GPS with the Onyx maps, but its hard to get a big picture feel with it, guess I am old, I like a good paper map still. Any intel on where NOT to go would be great as well, ie death falls on a horse etc. My three geldings are getting old, not sure how hard I can run them in bad country, and so am i, ran out of birthdays that start with 4 this year....

Any bits would be appreciated, hope everyone has a great season.

 

[Southern Elk]

Can't help you, but I'm jealous.

 

[FishN4Eyes]

Good plan on hunting this tag during archery season.

That's about the best advice I can give you. You have already answered a lot of your own questions.

Good luck and I am jealous as hell.

 

[onelionhunter]

Thanks for the confirmation on archery season, I have never been there at that time of the year, too busy fighting of griz attacks near Hebgen that time of year normally.

Tag certainly has created much jealousy here at work as well, pretty much everyone here is a big hunter.

Really excited for the hunt, first year I will be hunting for me since 2009, the daughter is now off at college, and the wife killed her first archery elk last year after 5 years of learning. Have pretty much been there exclusive guide, while its a great rush to help the new succeed, its also good to get my focus back, its a different hunt when its just me on the move.

 

[JohnCushman]

Welcome to hunttalk

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Mytopo.com does a pretty good paper map with public land/unit boundaries and decent topo.

Look forward to seeing how you do.

 

[onelionhunter]

Thanks John.

Minnesota hunter, thanks for that reference on the maps, much of our survey department gear is Trimble, and its excellent, i am sure that their maps are as well. My daughter is up your way for college, Saint Benedict's about an hour north of the twin cities.

 

[MTGomer]

Was about to scroll to the next thread when I read that you're a surveyor. Can't leave you hanging. sending you a PM.

 

[Coop]

Would definitely hunt archery hard. I have a friend who drew that tag last year and shot 360 plus bull during rifle season. Only problem was the hunter that shot over his head afer he had hit the bull once, and decided to claim it. There are d*ckheads everywhere I suppose.

 

[onelionhunter]

Thanks Cody, I plan to have all but 7 days off in september, so bow it is to start.

Sorry to hear of the bull incident, sadly there are more than I care to count out there like that.

 

[onelionhunter]

Truck map ordered, thanks Minnesota

http://www.mytopo.com/products/hunt-area-unit.cfm?state=MT&species=DEL&gmu=380

 

[mr_steve]

Truck map ordered, thanks Minnesota

http://www.mytopo.com/products/hunt-area-unit.cfm?state=MT&species=DEL&gmu=380

These maps are worth it for sure. Good choice.

 

[BHKC20]

X10 on hunting archery season. Had the tag a 5 or 6 years ago and had a ball in September.

 

[Yellowstoner]

I have a friend of a friend who outfits up there. Sounds like the vast majority of decent bulls are on private land by the time gun season comes around, and the outfitters work hard to keep it that way.

 

[onelionhunter]

w8n4rut, I can't think of anything more fun than rutting bulls in September in MT, I submitted my vacation request this morning for that month, will only have to work 7 days in September, the rest will be spent running around with a swollen neck. Going to be a long summer, my commute to work is the entire southern border of the unit, having a hard time keeping eyes on the road.

yellowstoner, not sure about the outfitters there, would seem like a tough unit to stay solvent guiding elk hunters with only 135 total tags. Is plenty of public land for me to find one good bull one would think.

 

[SteveE]

I have a friend of a friend who outfits up there. Sounds like the vast majority of decent bulls are on private land by the time gun season comes around, and the outfitters work hard to keep it that way.

Too funny!!

+1 on hunting archery.
Only unit in the state where the bulls still bugle like the hoochie mama never existed.

Never say die if you dont connect. Someone kills a toad in the foothills late season every single year.
I would guess as many die late as early but the archery hunt quality is the best MT has to offer and you won’t have houses in your hero pics.

Congrats! And enjoy it!!

 

[onelionhunter]

Thanks Steve, really looking forward to September. Only 127 days until the opener.

If a hoochie mama still works, then I am going to have a blast, most units things are pretty quiet short of a few peak days. Part of why i hunt that Hebgen country on a general tag, yeah there are lots of bears, but there are still a lot of very vocal elk most years.

I have been up there on a few of the years where the season ran quite late and the snow came in deep up high, by far the most elk I have ever seen in the low country, was that way for my daughters first year hunting, she shot a cow the day after thanks giving, but had seen 300 - 400 elk that day, she still talks about it. Always a last weekend option at least.

Seems like there are a few good bulls in the low country even post rut from all of the intelligence I have gathered thus far, have talked to a few guys here at work that have had the tag in the last 5 years as well as a few other helpful folks in the last few days, like they are sprinkled all over, just have to find the "ONE"

There is no quit in me, this will be a march to the finish with 21 days off of a 4 10 schedule, along with the ability to hunt after work every night, I am sitting 4 miles from the unit right now.

This may be the longest summer in history, need the rivers to come down so I can distract myself with the drift boat and some hungry trout....

 

[onelionhunter]

Took the new map for a drive and a little walk this morning, good news, at least 63 elk survived winter, 5 of which are showing signs of antler growth. Need to do a lot more walking, ate too good this winter, I am slow right now.

 

[theat]

Sounds like you are going to have a great fall! Here are a few pics of some bulls that we caught and collared in the Elk Horns a couple of winters ago. We were only catching on public lands and never saw any real giants, but there were lots of decent bulls to be found.

 

[onelionhunter]

dang, I have the wrong job, I want to collar elk! If those bulls are a few years older, they may be getting into the range I am looking for, thanks for posting those up!