I drew an either sex elk tag for units 702-704-705 in SE Montana. Does anyone have any info they would like to share on these units? I plan on hunting the Custe national Forest se of Ashland. Also if anyone has any names of ranchers that may allow access that would be great too.
SE Montana Custer Nat Forest?
- Thread starter Dieseldog
- Start date
elk_hunter
Active member
Wow, you lucky bastage. There are definitely elk there and you don't necessarily need ranch access. 
ismith
Well-known member
Sent you a PM Dieseldog.
yeah this was kind of a shot in the dark for an area, but its only about 3 hours from home so i wanted to try it. I know the area isn't loaded with elk but it sure sounds like their might be some good ones in there. Will be kind of nice not hunting elk at 9000 ft of elevation for once.
Thought i would bring this back to the top. Was down scouting but was super hot. Some elk sign but no elk spotted. Are the elk more in the southern parts of the forest compared to the northern side. Thanks in advance for an info.
Well went down for 5 days over opener. Was still hot like 65 degrees plus. Saw about 10 elk is all. My buddy missed a nice 6x6 probly 320 type bull. All in all it was pretty tough to find elk let alone to find a big bull. I am planning on going back in a couple weeks. Hopefully it cools down some and get a little tracking snow. Still open to any info anyone has to share about the area. Also all does and little two point bucks was all we saw on national forest. No big bucks seen on public land.
ismith
Well-known member
There will be some nice bucks running around that country pretty soon. Happy to hear you got into elk!
hardscrabble
Active member
Diesel,
What happened with Mike? Thought he was a dead eye. Gonna have to give that guy some crap
What happened with Mike? Thought he was a dead eye. Gonna have to give that guy some crap
He tried to get fancy with his scope and use the yardage hashmark dots. Not something you should do if you have never practiced with them before or let alone know exactly what yardage they are for. We figure he put about a 1000 yard dot on him when the bull was at 533. I think he is slipping a little, he was0-5 on coyotes at home in ND on pheasant opener. haha
Well looks like tag soup for me. Don't think i can talk the wife into letting me go again before the end of season. Was down again last week Mon thru sat. Saw some bulls walked up a good one in a snowstorm but of course he busted out in the thickest stuff around so no shot. Caught 6 bulls out feeding one morning and got to withing 175 yards but nothing bigger than 300 so we didnt shoot. Also one other 5x5 that wanted to die but i passed on hium also. Coulda filled the tag a few times but the freezer is still full from 2 elk last year and the wife shot a cow moose this year. Also saw a black wolf at 175 yards but didnt have a tag of course. All in all fun hunt, tough area to find elk in as they really are not in the same places day to day. Would i do it again, i think so as everyone says there are some big ones around and its nice not having to fight the thin air of the big mountains.
BackcountryBull
New member
Sorry you didn't get your bull. But sounds like it was a great hunt.
Looks like you gave it a good effort, DDog. Most people think that hunt is a slam dunk. Not so. I would caution people from applying there, thinking they will have multiple opportunities at big bulls. They are there, but hard to find. And, they have a ton of private to find refuge on.
It is a fun hunt, as you mentioned, but tough. I felt lucky to find a good bull there when I had the tag.
Hope the memories stay with you for a long time.
It is a fun hunt, as you mentioned, but tough. I felt lucky to find a good bull there when I had the tag.
Hope the memories stay with you for a long time.
