Seeking Advice Montana Hunt

[Old Rooster]

I am adding something.
You are concerned about bears and rightly so.
I have been run out of hunting areas more by Black Bears than Grizz but if you get chased by Grizz you WILL get caught.
Carry bear spray,any caliber of bear spray you want(wink).I use 44 mag with 310 gr hardcast wide meplat bullets.
My brother law was confronted by a large Black Bear while bow hunting and his brand new can of bear spray sprayed a 2 feet spray and stopped.
All the stuff that makes it spray leaked out and the charge was a false charge as the bear stopped a few feet from him.
Carry fresh bear spray if you want but I prefer my method and by the way I had a charge from a Grizz.I shot an elk in the same spot as the year before and started up the hill to gut my elk but a Grizz jumped from brush rock and peed all over MY elk.Then he charged me and got just a few feet from my face and growled the deepest growl I have ever heard.I can still smell his breath and still have vivid dreams of that charge.
Where you are going there will be plenty of bears,both kinds and for something that big you will be amazed at how fast they can cover ground.
Just wanted to let you in for some reality this morning.Don't be scared of them as they will know that,kinda like bad guys on the streets,they sense fear.
But you already know that.
Old Rooster

 

[Brian D]

Randy,

I have the heavier rifles on hand just considering a lighter option as well. I am certain once I decide on the route to take a rifle will be here and ready to hunt long before I feel that I am in adequate shape for all the hiking and significant change in elevation from east TN. We are also planning to take a couple of horses as well.

 

[406muley]

We are also planning to take a couple of horses as well.

Make sure they don't care if you throw dead elk on them. 406muley

 

[Maol]

Randy,

I have the heavier rifles on hand just considering a lighter option as well. I am certain once I decide on the route to take a rifle will be here and ready to hunt long before I feel that I am in adequate shape for all the hiking and significant change in elevation from east TN. We are also planning to take a couple of horses as well.

If you can, look into getting Mules instead. They are even better than horses to ride or pack with in the mountains. Either way you will need certified weed seed free hay.

 

[rammac]

I second the mules, the difference between locations is enough that you're going to need a day or two to climatize your horses before you work them. If you can, get your horses used to the certified hay that you are bringing with you before you come up. Our natural grasses and foliage around here are probably pretty rough and dry compared to what your horses are used to. The last thing you need is a vet bill for a horse with colic and all the time lost in order to take care of it.

 

[rammac]

I doubt that you'll see any 600 yard shots in the area that you are talking about. Big Sky to Yellowstone is pretty mountainous country, yes there are long shots possible but my guess is that when the time comes you'll probably have a shot that's less than 400 yards and maybe as close as 100 yards. I live about 150 miles northwest of where you want to go but it's in the same mountain range and most often my shots are less than 300 yards.

 

[L.Sherm]

If your stock isn't accustomed to the smell of elk and deer on there backs take some vics and rub it in there nose before you start loading the meat on there backs.

 

[dogz]

I doubt that you'll see any 600 yard shots in the area that you are talking about. Big Sky to Yellowstone is pretty mountainous country, yes there are long shots possible but my guess is that when the time comes you'll probably have a shot that's less than 400 yards and maybe as close as 100 yards. I live about 150 miles northwest of where you want to go but it's in the same mountain range and most often my shots are less than 300 yards.

I don't quite concur with that, there's a good share of the part of the world that he's talking about that 600 is easily on the table. That is if one wants to do that, good thing about that is that by the time one got to the elk there's a possibility that one won't have near as much to pack out thanks to certain large furry denizens....

 

[Brian D]

I do plan to shoot as much as possible between now and then. Based on my current zero and load data for the RUM the elevation adjustment at 400 is 2 moa and 600 is 6.5. This will change because I am going to work up a load with the 212 eldx. I will just have to validate things here as much as I can and recheck in Montana. I am sure it will change I just don't know how the elevation effects everything.

 

[Ga6570]

sounds like a good time!!
The 212 ELDX will be plenty sufficient. My last elk I shot at 496 yards with a 143 eldx from my 6.5 PRC. She went 10 small steps and was done.

 

[Old Rooster]

Your smart to consider altitude as some have more problems than others.
Younger ones body seem to acclimate to altitude changes better than older ones.
If it's possible, get to your spot and set up camp a few days early and walk as high as you can and just sit and glass the area.
Walk slowly and breathe deep.You will acclimate quicker than your dad most likely so give you and your dad plenty of time for your body to adjust to the thinner air.
One caution,You WILL fall in love with Montana as we did while visiting family that relocated here and we fell in love with Montana to the point that we moved here in 1998 and have no plans to move back down south as we love it here.
I sure hope you get drawn.
Old Rooster

 

[Sneuses]

You need wolf tags?

$50 per tag

 

[Sneuses]

Yessir! $25 for NR Wolf tag.

They told me $50 either way thins them hope I see female (bitch) should save the elk and deer population for a good bit.

 

[Mike Matteson]

A private party bounty? By who? You can't even kill enough wolves with legal tags to make a bounty make any sense. If SSS had any prayer of working we wouldn't have the wolves we do. Wow. And if it takes a bounty for Montana hunters to get off their butt to hunt wolves, that's pretty fricken sad. 406muley

Okay here you go!
March 2. The Senate approved two bills Monday aimed at increasing the hunting and trapping of wolves. SB 267 & SB 314. It should be, take a wolf first then get you tag for elk and deer. By the last of your statement I feel you must love the wolves. It was the biggest lie under Clinton time in office that allow for the wolves to be brought in Montana. Never have gotten a handle on it either. Now they are in Mex-ifornia which is a good thing. I sure they like them there. Just like in Arizona where they feed the wolves there if the wolves aren't getting enough to eat.