New Guy

[Southern Elk]

Hey guys, I just recently found this site and I am really enjoying it so far. I've been on other forums, but really like this one. I have been a fan of Randy's work for a long time. I live in Mississippi, but we just bought a few acres of land near Ennis, MT. I hope to move up there one day.

I have hunted elk 4 times in MT (Gravelly Range) and struck out each time. (All bow hunts) I'm wanting to start rifle hunting there as well. If anybody could help point me in the right direction or share some info on that area, I would greatly appreciate it. I'm interested in any area within driving distance of Ennis. Feel free to PM me, if you'd rather not share info on this thread, Thanks and I'm looking forward to learning more on the forum.

Jonathan

 

[kmf]

Build a cabin and rent it out to hunters. As they report back to you where they see elk and other game you can learn the area from them and move there. I've actually thinking of sending people to my general tag areas out west to find where the elk are because I sure can't find them.

 

[belly-deep]

Lotsa elk in the Gravellys. Keep at it. There's definitely a learning curve to the elk game. When I was a teenager an older guy once told me "your first elk is hard to kill. Once you get one under your belt, the rest seem to come easier." And he was right.

 

[duckhunt]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Big Fin]

Welcome. Sounds like you already have a good starting point from your bow hunts. Best of luck.

 

[Pagosa]

Congratulations on purchasing your cabin site/land. My best recommendation is to come a few days before the rifle season and scout/glass promising areas. I only hunted one time in the Gravlies, but it's open country so you should be able to find them. Good spots are tough to come by and nobody is going to tell you where to hunt. Check out the book Elk Hunting in Montana and it will give you a good starting point.

 

[JohnCushman]

Welcome!!

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Welcome, MT is a great place too have cabin or live....
Matt

 

[Southern Elk]

Thanks guys. So, I have a couple of questions. When I first hunted the Gravellys in 2008, we saw very few other hunters. This year it was a mad house. It reminded me more of a Colorado OTC hunt than a Montana hunt. Is this something that is being seen state wide or just in this area? I was wondering if declining elk populations in other nearby units might have caused more people to hunt here.

I could also very easily hunt the Madison Range or the Tobacco Roots from my place. Does anyone have any opinion on how those areas compare to the Gravellys?

 

[Southern Elk]

Check out the book Elk Hunting in Montana and it will give you a good starting point.

That's how I first found this spot. I'm wondering if maybe I should pick a spot that the author didn't recommend.

 

[worm]

Welcome to the site

 

[CUElk]

welcome. pm sent

 

[Gerald Martin]

Thanks guys. So, I have a couple of questions. When I first hunted the Gravellys in 2008, we saw very few other hunters. This year it was a mad house. It reminded me more of a Colorado OTC hunt than a Montana hunt. Is this something that is being seen state wide or just in this area? I was wondering if declining elk populations in other nearby units might have caused more people to hunt here.

I could also very easily hunt the Madison Range or the Tobacco Roots from my place. Does anyone have any opinion on how those areas compare to the Gravellys?

This year that unit was one that went to cow or brow-tined bull for the entire general season. It was advertised as being over-objective and people responded accordingly.


All of those areas hold plenty of elk. It's just a matter of time in the woods before you kill your first bull.

 

[Southern Elk]

This year that unit was one that went to cow or brow-tined bull for the entire general season. It was advertised as being over-objective and people responded accordingly.


All of those areas hold plenty of elk. It's just a matter of time in the woods before you kill your first bull.

I didn't realize that Gerald. That may explain the crowds. I guess I should mention that I killed a 6x6 in Colorado back in 2007. It is my one and only elk. Still looking for that first Montana bull though.

Thanks, Jonathan.

 

[sneakypete]

Welcome to the forum. Great on you to buy a place for the future! Keep at it, I killed my first bull this year and I'm 56 now! Yikes

 

[Southern Elk]

Can anyone give me some pros and cons of the Tobacco Roots and Madisons vs the Gravellies?

 

[hank4elk]

Welcome.
Elk are amazing critters and as predictable and patternable as they CAN be,they can disappear or move to a total different area in the blink of an eye and leave you humbled to boot.....

 

[chadv]

Welcome New Guy, I also am a "new guy" here. Ive been lurking for some time and this site is my new favorite.

 

[pabearhunter]

Welcome aboard.

 

[ndhunterman]

I am new as well, been lurking a while, have the same handle on 24hr campfire.

I too have hunted the Gravellys, though during rifle season. Read "Ellk Hunting MT" cover to cover. Recently, I started hunting the Little Belts but was over run with people this year... thinking I need to try somewhere more remote. Not opposed to putting on 10-12 miles on in a day, boot leather and pack.
Any suggestions?

Later gentleman