Realistic Expectations for MT 411

[LukeDuke]

So when my brother and I drew the 900-20 elk tag we decided we would hunt MT 411 since it is close to family. We are really excited to try our first archery elk hunt and we had planned to hunt for bulls during archery season and if that didn't pan out, we would come back around Thanksgiving and look for a cow. Since then, my wife and I have found out that we are expecting a baby boy and he is due on Thanksgiving Day...a blessing for sure. So with that bit of information, and knowing I will not be out there over Thanksgiving, we are really thinking about shooting the first legal elk we get a chance at...if we get the chance at all. We have all of our maps, onX chip, talked to bio's/wardens, so we have a plan on where we will go, but being its our first archery elk hunt, it is all about gaining some experience and sharing some time together. Yet I set here and daydream about some of the big bulls I have seen taken in that area and think...what if, what if we get lucky. Not sure I have a question...just wondering what others would do?

Getting very excited and good luck to all of you who are going after them this weekend!!

 

[TheJason]

If you want to spend time learning how to hunt elk, then you should try and spend as much time in the field as you can. If you want to get experience killing elk, you should kill the first one that you get a crack at.

Even then, archery hunting elk is not a given at all. I've had plenty of "gimme shots" go to hell in a handbasket in the blink of an eye.

Really, it all comes down to what you want out of it. If you want elk steaks, shoot the first one. If you want experience and possibly a good bull, you won't get that by killing the first cow that walks in front of you.

Have a fun hunt!

 

[Flatrock]

Having never shot a bull with a bow before, the first legal one would be getting shot at!

I wouldn't worry too much about how big of one you shoot.

 

[wingman1]

411 has less than 10% success ratio overall for elk. You decide.

 

[LukeDuke]

HA...funny you should say that.The doctor told my wife and I that we had less than a 10% of getting pregnant. Too funny..maybe its a sign!! We will give it our best and have some fun along the way.

 

[TimeOnTarget]

HA...funny you should say that.The doctor told my wife and I that we had less than a 10% of getting pregnant. Too funny..maybe its a sign!! We will give it our best and have some fun along the way.

I can't help with your elk hunt but...CONGRATS!

 

[Hem]

I started bow hunting in my mid-twenties.The guy that helped me was obsessed with only shooting big 6 pts.,so naturally I followed suit.That was REALLY dumb.One 6 pt. killed in the first 7 years, and every year I passed smaller bulls.I have more respect for the guys that kill bulls every year,than the blowhards that talk like they are the next best thing but only killed one large/mature bull.Each to their own.I have the 900 tag too, haven't killed a bull in two years so I thinking any legal bull....a 5 pt. would be nice though.

 

[C17loadclear]

Congrats on the baby!! When I went out west for my first archery Elk hunt, I made the choice early that I was going to shoot the first legal bull I saw. I had 7 days to hunt and shot a nice 5x5 bull on the third day and have no regrets. If I had been able to shoot a cow I would have done that on day one also. Good luck!!

 

[sneakypete]

I drew this tag last year, it is a very Private unit! I would get there early and spend as much time as possible in the field learning where you can hunt. The biologist should have told you about some state land, block management property. good luck!

 

[LukeDuke]

Thanks guys. We are excited for the arrival of the little one. Yeah Sneakypete the bio named off some areas and I have the block management book so we will see what happens. As you say, its a very private unit. My grandpa used to tell us that he didn't like horn soup/tag soup. He always did give good advice

 

[sneakypete]

Try Tyler Cuttoff state on one side and state and BLM on the. other side of the rd. Also have a cow call if you are archery hunting which could be your best bet! Surenoff rd has a piece of state property that's adjacent to blk mgmt. good luck!

 

[maginnis]

wow lucky you. Road names and section. Maybe we should give the gps coordinates why we are at it

 

[LukeDuke]

thanks sneakypete. yeah i traveled every road in that area in july and marked up my gps with available public access.(not alot of marks...haha) i noticed sure enough bma cut back its available acreage enrolled in the program this yr compared to last yr. throw in the couple other BMA's and state ground and there you go.

maginnis...i'm more that willing to help another hunter. helping people is rewarding for most and if can help steer somebody in the right direction I will. i didn't ask anybody for roads or GPS coordinates. I utilize all tools that are out there to find public access. I don't want to pay fines/lose privileges, or get into awkward situations with landowners, so its my responsibility as a sportsman to always know where i'm at.

 

[sneakypete]

McGinnis, I drove around 200 mikes a day to hunt this unit and countless phone calls, it's a tough unit with little public land. I thought I could unit the Durfee's but that didn't work out either. Like duke do you have the hunt on x chip?

 

[belly-deep]

wow lucky you. Road names and section. Maybe we should give the gps coordinates why we are at it

I guess we know where maginnis hunts....

 

[LukeDuke]

yes sir sneakypete i love my onXmap chip and the team of folks they have do a great job with customer service. such a valuable tool, especially out west.

I really didn't intend to upset anybody over this post. the main reason we are hunting 411 is so my brother and i can see my parents while we are there. We knew what we were getting into from an access standpoint, but its worth it to see them.

The info sneakypete listed above is available on the MT hunt planner site for everybody to see. heck there are only 5 BMA's in the whole unit. That info is online with maps and phone numbers and in the BMA book MT sends out to 1000's of hunters who request it each year...not really a secret as far as i can tell. thanks again pete and good luck this fall. i will let you know how it goes