MT general Seasons

[RoaminPublic]

This is going to be my first year hunting elk with a rifle, I have bow hunted elk in various states now for 8 years. Given the length of the MT general rifle season I was wondering what people's favorite week to hunt was? I can see the hunting tactics being different from the first week of rifle season to the last. Just wondering is there a "best" week to be out there. I think at this point I will devote 2 weeks to this hunt, just wanted to see what kind of responses I got on a poll! Feel free to comment why you chose the week you did! Thanks everyone!

 

[Dan O]

Each week can be the best or the worst week. You are dealing with mother nature and her tricks with weather. I've seen it shirt sleeve weather during the Thanksgiving week and -40 and snow. So with that in mind the best week is the one you chose and give it a 100% effort.

 

[BuzzH]

If you're hunting elk and DEER then 11/13 to end of season.

 

[RoaminPublic]

If you're hunting elk and DEER then 11/13 to end of season.

Buzz,

Thank you for calling that out! My two buddies are hunting elk only, I will have the combo! Thanks for the words of wisdom!

 

[RoaminPublic]

Each week can be the best or the worst week. You are dealing with mother nature and her tricks with weather. I've seen it shirt sleeve weather during the Thanksgiving week and -40 and snow. So with that in mind the best week is the one you chose and give it a 100% effort.

Dan O,

Thank you for the response! If a guy was flexible with his time off in early November is there a certain weather pattern that you are looking for from the fickle mother nature? Hunting whitetails here in WI if you can catch a big cold front in early November you better get you butt in the woods because that seems to crank up the whitetail rut. Would something like a large snowstorm be that trigger to push elk down? Would you look to hunt a few days following that event? Thanks!

 

[rogerthat]

Dan O,

Thank you for the response! If a guy was flexible with his time off in early November is there a certain weather pattern that you are looking for from the fickle mother nature? Hunting whitetails here in WI if you can catch a big cold front in early November you better get you butt in the woods because that seems to crank up the whitetail rut. Would something like a large snowstorm be that trigger to push elk down? Would you look to hunt a few days following that event? Thanks!

Yup

 

[Southern Elk]

I don't know why, but the majority of elk that I've killed with a rifle were killed the first week of November.

 

[RoaminPublic]

I don't know why, but the majority of elk that I've killed with a rifle were killed the first week of November.

Southern Elk,

The only elk I have killed have been in September, but hoping that changes this year!

 

[kwyeewyk]

Last year was my first year hunting MT since 2000, I was amazed at how many elk had moved to public before the opening of rifle season. Never seen so many elk loaded whole in truck beds. Meanwhile the public ground that held hundreds of elk a few weeks before you could walk miles to find one set of tracks. Didn't get better, thought some weather would help but I think it made it worse. I wouldn't skip the archery season.

 

[RoaminPublic]

Last year was my first year hunting MT since 2000, I was amazed at how many elk had moved to public before the opening of rifle season. Never seen so many elk loaded whole in truck beds. Meanwhile the public ground that held hundreds of elk a few weeks before you could walk miles to find one set of tracks. Didn't get better, thought some weather would help but I think it made it worse. I wouldn't skip the archery season.

Kwyeewyk,

I might have 2 other bow tags in other states so rifle might be all I get in MT this year. I am trying t squeeze in a few days between ID and CO since I need to drive right through MT basically.

I have hented CO the last few years and the amount of elk on private lands was astounding. Not so much in the NFS. Though I did botch a shot on a cow last year, so no one to blame but myself on that tag soup!

Makes sense that snow storms will push them lower and most of the lower ground in any western state is private property, so I can see the issues there.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Why isn't December through February a choice?

 

[RoaminPublic]

Why isn't December through February a choice?

Hey Eyjonas,

I have it narrowed down to going during the general rifle hunts, so that's why I just did those dates. Nothing wrong with the shoulder seasons or Muzzy, we just have the option to go sometime during the general rifle.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Hey Eyjonas,

I have it narrowed down to going during the general rifle hunts, so that's why I just did those dates. Nothing wrong with the shoulder seasons or Muzzy, we just have the option to go sometime during the general rifle.

I was only kidding. I share the same feelings as most opening week up to mid November seems to be best. Have done fairly well the very end of November though as well. Good luck

 

[Dan O]

The dates Buzz gave you will get you into the rut for deer. Also you will have a better chance of the weather moving the elk out of the back country. If your hunting an area with a wilderness or roadless areas nearby the weather can really help you out. Remember to outfit your truck with good tires and it's good to have chains also.

The early season can be productive possibly with warmer weather but it will depend on where you hunt. just remember it takes some time to figure out an area and how to hunt it.

Good luck

 

[RoaminPublic]

The dates Buzz gave you will get you into the rut for deer. Also you will have a better chance of the weather moving the elk out of the back country. If your hunting an area with a wilderness or roadless areas nearby the weather can really help you out. Remember to outfit your truck with good tires and it's good to have chains also.

The early season can be productive possibly with warmer weather but it will depend on where you hunt. just remember it takes some time to figure out an area and how to hunt it.

Good luck

Thanks Dan O!

If we hunt that time that lines up with the deer rut do you see low BLM lands holding elk? Or are they mostly on private by then? That is my biggest concern is we get out there mid November and the elk have largely moved on to private lands down low. Then we are kind of out for an elk watching trip not elk hunting. haha

I have looked at some decent spots where there is NFS up high, BLM in the mid elevations and some private low. Thinking then we can kinda surf the elevation bands for sign and then hunt the elevations with the most sign.

 

[Dan O]

Thanks Dan O!

If we hunt that time that lines up with the deer rut do you see low BLM lands holding elk? Or are they mostly on private by then? That is my biggest concern is we get out there mid November and the elk have largely moved on to private lands down low. Then we are kind of out for an elk watching trip not elk hunting. haha

I have looked at some decent spots where there is NFS up high, BLM in the mid elevations and some private low. Thinking then we can kinda surf the elevation bands for sign and then hunt the elevations with the most sign.

Thats a tough question. You need to decide what area you're going to concentrate on, Mt is a big state. You might be better off trying to contact the biologist that works that area and ask him/her all of these questions. They normally will do their best to help you.

 

[Jon.Breitbach]

It depends on the area and what the animals are doing there. Some areas hold elk before the snow, other spots when pressure hits, other spots as the snow moves them out of other areas. We have had 1.5 to 2 ft of snow the second week of archery, and sometimes don’t have a foot by thanksgiving.
Gotta use your glass to find them and then put boots on ground to get closer. Chat up people you see and spend as much time on the mountain as possible.

 

[NDcoyote]

I have never hunted the first week but my tactics wouldn't change from the first week to the last..use your glass to find them and then be willing to burn boot leather and go after them when you do. This tactic has served us very well from mid to end of season.

 

[RoaminPublic]

I have never hunted the first week but my tactics wouldn't change from the first week to the last..use your glass to find them and then be willing to burn boot leather and go after them when you do. This tactic has served us very well from mid to end of season.

NDCoyote,

Are you glassing from the roads, or "roads" aka 4x4 trails? Or are you hiking in to find a knob to glass off of? All of us have various models of Vortex spotters that can reach out there a ways. So just wondering do we find a spot down low and glass from the truck. Then mark them, and start hiking? I spent 14 days on the mountains l;ast year during archery, so short of a rock face I am willing to use the quads gave me.

 

[RoaminPublic]

It depends on the area and what the animals are doing there. Some areas hold elk before the snow, other spots when pressure hits, other spots as the snow moves them out of other areas. We have had 1.5 to 2 ft of snow the second week of archery, and sometimes don’t have a foot by thanksgiving.
Gotta use your glass to find them and then put boots on ground to get closer. Chat up people you see and spend as much time on the mountain as possible.

Jon,

Are you glassing from the roads, or "roads" aka 4x4 trails? Or are you hiking in to find a knob to glass off of? All of us have various models of Vortex spotters that can reach out there a ways. So just wondering do we find a spot down low and glass from the truck. Then mark them, and start hiking?