There is a good reason Montana has the all must wear hunter orange when hunting law. There are more hunters than game on the public ground. Its insane!!!!!!!
Most the elk are on private and the outfitters do a very good job keeping them on the private. I watched over a dozen elk killed on a ranch this year. The outfitter would line up about 3 or 4 hunters and then herd the elk to the hunters. Once they shot their elk the elk would start running to the public. The landowners and outfitters would run 5 or more trucks and side by sides along the road when the elk would try and leave after the shootings. They were herding the elk back onto their ranch, and it worked very well. I watched this paly out several times over a 7 day hunt. There were at least 400 head of elk. As for the public, OMG there was soooo many people with side by sides running around, it was very difficult to get away from all the people. This was Dillion Montana area. I was very disgusted with the lack of biggame managment Montana has there. The deer population was extreamly low, but yet I seen several camps with 3 or 4 does hanging, but not a single buck. Montana should consider a pick your unit to hunt. Somthing similar to other states. The current big game management model in Montana is not sustainable. Best of luck with your quest for a hunting spot. This type of combat hunting isnt for me, it disgusting. Dillion Montana area is a **** show, For what its worth.