Tips on Montana Elk
#22
Fork Horn
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 194
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mtdream is right. Theres goodelk hunting in western montana, dont let anyone fool you to say all the trophys are in the eastern half. Its still elk hunting though. Sure Ill take a eastern MT tag but I have no problem huntingout west either. Ive hunted the breaks on a rifle tag before and tagged along on acouple other hunts in the breaks for elk during rifle season, sure its good but no better than some placesin the western half. Only reason I put in for the special tag for the breaks, only a short drive from my house if I can draw, saves me going to the western part of the state to hunt.
#23
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
The NW Montana looks like it's going to be tuff hunting but I'm use to a lot of waking on volcanic ground and mazanitabushesup in northern Calif for deerbut those hills are maybe 3000 feet and they surround alfalfa soyou are always going to harvest a very good tastingbuck not the big horns but good body size.Every year we start high hunting for the big boys and if wedon't bagone the last day we always can take a management buck small 3 pointsomething that my buddy says wecan take they live and see the same deer and they try and managethe deer on there land as much as they can. There are twoBuck you should look up Burney Buck and ModocBuck just for ****s and giggles these two monsters were harvested close to where we hunt in Califthe owner son sold one don't know which it was for 90Kand I think it was to cabalas
#24
Fork Horn
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
From: Kalispell, MT
well, I think you mentioned like 20K+/- size ranch...in NW montana, that is a pretty good sized place..so it really limits where you will be...in Central and norhtern Montana, that is a back yard 
but if you have 20K of private to hunt on (which would probably mean closer to Eureka), and if they know the land well, that will be a fun hunt for you...I am only about 1.5 hours from Libby...the hunting is STRAIGHT up and down...and VERY dense timber...not long shots at all...So bring several extra pairs of boots, as you WILL soak them through several times...and LOTS of extra socks...and drink PLENTY of fluids...
but most importantly, place a phone call...it is only a local one...God is a full time resident!!!!

but if you have 20K of private to hunt on (which would probably mean closer to Eureka), and if they know the land well, that will be a fun hunt for you...I am only about 1.5 hours from Libby...the hunting is STRAIGHT up and down...and VERY dense timber...not long shots at all...So bring several extra pairs of boots, as you WILL soak them through several times...and LOTS of extra socks...and drink PLENTY of fluids...
but most importantly, place a phone call...it is only a local one...God is a full time resident!!!!

#25
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
MTdream
I was told that the ranch is 45 min to a hour from Libby in fact the person lives inLibby and they spend a lot of time at the ranch theyhave a pretty good size lake-pond that they fish the heck out off it. I have seen a lot of pics of the proprety big meadow looking out at the mouatin range in the back round. there are two housesone one 1500sqf the other is a small bunk house. the Mountians suround ther house like a horse shoe. By the pics it sure dose not look like it straight up and down but in the back country I'll bet it's hard hunting.....I do have a lot of boots
I can't wait untill we are there but I have a lot of hunt before then Wyo and Calif
I was told that the ranch is 45 min to a hour from Libby in fact the person lives inLibby and they spend a lot of time at the ranch theyhave a pretty good size lake-pond that they fish the heck out off it. I have seen a lot of pics of the proprety big meadow looking out at the mouatin range in the back round. there are two housesone one 1500sqf the other is a small bunk house. the Mountians suround ther house like a horse shoe. By the pics it sure dose not look like it straight up and down but in the back country I'll bet it's hard hunting.....I do have a lot of boots
I can't wait untill we are there but I have a lot of hunt before then Wyo and Calif
#26
Fork Horn
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
From: Kalispell, MT
yeah, big thick country, with limited visibility...you will have a great time, and if they have lake, then they will have whitetails, and some of the whiteys up there get VERRRY good sized...If they have not hunted the property much, you will have an incredible time...if they have, you will just have to suffer with having a great time 
this is a LOT different than hunting on lava rock, this will be very slippery, and VERY high humidity, which means that cold will make it feel like it is 30 degrees colder...use good base layer sweat dispersing stuff, and dont try and be ironman climbing to top just to show you can...mountain hunters know the biggest enemy is sweat, and once you start getting sweaty, take a little break to cool down...

this is a LOT different than hunting on lava rock, this will be very slippery, and VERY high humidity, which means that cold will make it feel like it is 30 degrees colder...use good base layer sweat dispersing stuff, and dont try and be ironman climbing to top just to show you can...mountain hunters know the biggest enemy is sweat, and once you start getting sweaty, take a little break to cool down...
#27
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
MTdream
They said they have a lot of whitetail I was hopeing to harvest a big muledeer but I have never hunted whitetail or taken onewould be nice to fill both my tags elk and deer. The humidity has me confused is that because the timber is sodense because everytimeI was in the rockies it was very dry dry snow dry in the summer dry as a pop corn fart....LOL I like your idea aboutthe ironmanall my hunting cloths are the kind that gets rid of wetness like I SAID IN ONE OF MY OTHER POSTS I'M 49 WITH A NEW KNEEIam slow and steady I will have 8 daysI'm going to enjoy the way they talk is we have no worries when it come to deer and there are only7 hunters this year 8 if I bring his daughter that lives by me but if that happens i have to bring two kid uder 5 so my two buddies riding in one truck and then there is me pulling the jeep with two screeming kids in the back seat of my truck
They said they have a lot of whitetail I was hopeing to harvest a big muledeer but I have never hunted whitetail or taken onewould be nice to fill both my tags elk and deer. The humidity has me confused is that because the timber is sodense because everytimeI was in the rockies it was very dry dry snow dry in the summer dry as a pop corn fart....LOL I like your idea aboutthe ironmanall my hunting cloths are the kind that gets rid of wetness like I SAID IN ONE OF MY OTHER POSTS I'M 49 WITH A NEW KNEEIam slow and steady I will have 8 daysI'm going to enjoy the way they talk is we have no worries when it come to deer and there are only7 hunters this year 8 if I bring his daughter that lives by me but if that happens i have to bring two kid uder 5 so my two buddies riding in one truck and then there is me pulling the jeep with two screeming kids in the back seat of my truck
#28
Fork Horn
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
From: Kalispell, MT
ROFL, come on you could strap them to the hood!!! 
As to humidity, NW montana has TONS of lakes...and is one of the wettest parts of the state...it is not humidity like Florida, but when it is cold, the slightest humidity (generally 40-70%) makes cold weather feel like it is 30 degrees colder...
and this area is known for lots of rain, and has lots of lakes...
depending upon when you are there, you might or might not have to deal with humidity...
if you ahve not hunted whitetails, you will have a good time, just be patient, and you could get a monster wall hanger in this neck of the woods...there are truly some monsters up there...
Here is a story of a nice buill taken in Libby area...
http://www.montana.com/territories/recreation/hunting.php3
like I said, worst case, you will have a great time, and if you get one, make sure and stop in Kalispell on the way back home and I will buy you a beverage...

As to humidity, NW montana has TONS of lakes...and is one of the wettest parts of the state...it is not humidity like Florida, but when it is cold, the slightest humidity (generally 40-70%) makes cold weather feel like it is 30 degrees colder...
and this area is known for lots of rain, and has lots of lakes...
depending upon when you are there, you might or might not have to deal with humidity...
if you ahve not hunted whitetails, you will have a good time, just be patient, and you could get a monster wall hanger in this neck of the woods...there are truly some monsters up there...
Here is a story of a nice buill taken in Libby area...
http://www.montana.com/territories/recreation/hunting.php3
like I said, worst case, you will have a great time, and if you get one, make sure and stop in Kalispell on the way back home and I will buy you a beverage...
#29
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
MTdream
Where are you going to hunt this year? I'll bet you have some very good secret spotsand I would think you are a bow hunter. Did you grow up in Montana? The only two times I was in Montana went I played football at Idaho State and we traveled to play Montana State back in 77-78 and the second time wasin 2000 when Irode my Harley toSturgis and coming home we went in to Montana and rode around stooped had lunch can't remember the name of the town but they did say that when winter hit you could notwith get in or out with out a snow machine we were on the road 13 day sleep on the side of the road greatest tripI have done
#30
Fork Horn
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
From: Kalispell, MT
your statements are pretty dead on...grew up in Bozeman, so you are the enemy 
there are some insanely beautiful harley trips around here...one of the most beautiful rides you can ever experience, is going from Kalispell, through Glacier, up into Canada, up through Jasper National Park in BC, then over to Victoria BC, then down to Seattle...it is AWWWWW inspiring!!!
I have a few nice locales to hunt, some of them make you do this ---->
living here is truly one of the greatest blessings in life!!!

there are some insanely beautiful harley trips around here...one of the most beautiful rides you can ever experience, is going from Kalispell, through Glacier, up into Canada, up through Jasper National Park in BC, then over to Victoria BC, then down to Seattle...it is AWWWWW inspiring!!!
I have a few nice locales to hunt, some of them make you do this ---->

living here is truly one of the greatest blessings in life!!!


