Thanksgiving Elk Montana Unit 360 (Big Sky, MT)

[Southern Elk]

The elk will be migrating by then, unless we don’t have snow. Look at the migration maps and pick some spots you are comfortable with.

 

[Doublecluck]

Welcome, I shot ya a pm

 

[Pagosa]

I would focus on a district where either a cow or bull is legal. That includes a good portion of Region 4 and a lot of Region 3, just check the regulations prior to hunting. I avoid hunting districts close to Bozeman, Helena, Butte, Kalispell, etc; anything over an hour and half will cut down pressure. Lastly, avoid districts with a lot of roads, or what the Montana FWP considers high road densities. I looked into those districts along the Madison Range and decided to continue hunting along the rocky mt front and extreme SW MT/Idaho border. Good luck to you and your dad, I remember by Dads last trip to the field. Preston

 

[Addicting]

Also, take a bottle of 800mg Ibuprofen. It’s a necessity for us flat landers after day 1 in the mountains.

 

[RockinU]

It seems like you have a grasp of the most important thing, and that is to not hinge your success on a dead elk. Go to the mountains, hunt with your dad, build memories that will last a life time, and it will be enough. If you kill and elk you might even get to go home sore. Here's hoping you do.

 

[BlakeA]

Why is this your dad's last hunt? I would go guided if that is truly the case. Pay the money and enjoy the last hunt.

 

[Hem]

Listen to the advice. Do some more research. Do not disregard distance and elevation mixed with difficult conditions.
You cant do 15 miles on foot coming in cold turkey from Iowa or anywhere else for that matter. Put your ego aside and be cautious...have fun learning, you'll be better prepared for the next visit.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Welcome to HT!

 

[brockel]

Packing in camp and staying over thanksgiving doesn’t sound like a good time and could turn out bad for you. Dark at 5pm and not light till 7am is a lot of time to spend cold and wet in a backpacking tent. Even if you have a stove to dry out with that will burn out real quick and you will spend a lot of time awake stoking that thing when it could be 0 degrees outside. If I were you I’d be day hunting and camp back at the pickup where you can have a bigger wood stove roaring and if SHTF you can simply jump in the pickup and get out of there

 

[Carbon]

This is really good advice!!!

 

[8andcounting]

Why is this your dad's last hunt? I would go guided if that is truly the case. Pay the money and enjoy the last hunt.

Agreed: pay a guide