. Big game check stations will be open in Region 1 on weekends during the general season Highway 2 west of Kalispell; Highway 83 north of Swan Lake; Highway 200 on the west end of Thompson Falls; and Highway 93 near Olney. Elknumbers are good across the Granite Butte Elk Management Unit, but elk distribution may be challenging for hunters. Additionally, adding a specific forum name to any of these searches can produce even more results (e.g., "Montana elk unit 317 Rokslide" or "Archery elk Montana unit 317 Hunt Talk"). It may not display this or other websites correctly. Multiple years of drought have taken a toll on bird numbers. There will be wing barrels out in several locations throughout southwest Montana. Some block management in the area we were in . Cow on Tuesday, 422 yards Bull scored 374 6/8. That was likely the result of increased hunter harvest last fall. Discovering the Best Elk Units in Montana. Hunt; Fish; State Parks; Activities; Conservation; Education Hunters need to be aware of some regulation changes passed by the Fish and Wildlife Commission this winter. out! Mule deer numbers in the agricultural areas near Great Falls are doing well, but populations in the mountain/mountain foothill areas are still rebounding from lower numbers of the past few years. A good windbreaker jacket with multiple layers underneath sets a good baseline. Last winter was fairly mild, which means good winter survival for big game in many areas. There are plenty of opportunities to hunt elk in Montana for a hunter who is willing to put in the work. Bird populations in this area of the region are expected to be slightly below average. been up there on 3 elk hunts. HD 302 has seen strong buck-to-doe ratios but is likely experiencing lower fawn recruitment due to drought. JavaScript is disabled. When you know where youre going, now look into whether or not you will need a special permit, or if that general tag meets all of your needs. Hunters should seek areas with a variety of other abundant food sources like serviceberries, chokecherries and mountain ash. Mule deer numbers here have come down to a point where they were about four years ago. Just about in the middle of the state lies a small mountain range. Big Game Hunting - need help on Elk hunting in MT-district 700--fort peck-cmr - I was rewarded with a rifle permit for bull elk in region 700,701,703. . Maps of the Libby CWD Management Zone are available on the FWP website or at the Kalispell regional office. In contrast, wet conditions this spring and good forage growth could mean wider distribution of elk and other wildlife this hunting season. Expect poorer than average pheasant hunting. They may see some groups of does without any fawnsa continuing short-term impact of drought. If I am successful in drawing a bull tag for Unit 700 in MT next spring, I have an outfitter lined up whom I've spoken to numerous times and have friends referred me to. Elk Hunting in Montana HD 700 - Missouri Breaks-Prairie . Mule deer numbers in HD 329 appear to be holding steady, with some growth over the past 10 years. The elk populations on the north side of the Breaks in region 6 have fallen below elk population objectives, with the exception of unit 690. Grouse hunters headed to Region 6 will likely encountersharptailpopulations similar to the fall of 2021. Near Great Falls, biologist Jake Doggett says that elk are doing well in the Highwood Mountains and Devils Kitchen hunting districts, where numbers remain well above long-term averages. Despite the lack of towering peaks, the rugged terrain can be just as impressive and contain enormous herds of elk. Overall, whitetail numbers observed on spring trend areas averaged 24 percent below 2021 numbers but 9 percent above long-term average. The good news for hunters is that each good year for deer production and survival equals a solid year-class recruited into the population, so Region 7 currently has a good dispersion of age classes with a mix of young, middle-age and older animals. The Missouri Breaks (HD 700) and Custer Forest Elk Management Unit (HDs 702, 704, 705) remain the two "core" elk populations in southeast Montana. While as a whole mule deer numbers are down this year in Region 7, it is important to note that there are areas where numbers are strong. How to find a reputable outfitter and get a tag for that hunt? Permit holders should expect to see good buck numbers but finding a trophy buck may take considerable effort. Hillbillie, I got drawn for the archery hunt in unit 410 which is beside 700. Best bet is to go early as you can. It's important to note that Hunting District 411, along with many other special-permit units in Montana, has way more elk than the state's management plan prescribes. The hunt planner interactive map is a great way to access our block management information, so if youre planning a hunt in a certain area, you can see if there are Block Management Areas available to expand your opportunity. Thank you. I will do that. we should hear in a few weeks if we draw been working on ammo and waiting for weather to get decent here to try the four loads I have to determine what the rifles like best Good luck to you as well. Populations in HD 310 appear to be healthy. Continued concerns about declining native goat herds necessitate this conservative allocation. This year is gonna be even tougher is sounds like because of the lack of vegetation and water due to the drought. Protect our herds: properly dispose of carcasses. ALASKA; . Create a free account to read the rest of this elk hunting note! Much of Northwest Montana experienced a cool, wet spring which can negatively affect brood survival. As the season progresses, winter begins high in the mountains a few weeks before it sets in down in the valleys. The first option is that hunters may turn their general license back into the state for an 80% refund, if done so by August 1st, or a 50% refund before the general season starts. 14. CWD continues to be present across the Ruby watershed. Sage-grousecounts this spring showed numbers to be at a 10-year low. I drew a limited entry Bull Elk Tag. Biologists will use these wings to identify birds by species and age class juvenile or adult. Just north of Bozeman and Livingston, the Bridger Mountains run north and south. The Missouri River Breaks (MRB) encompasses 17,239 square miles of Fergus, Petroleum, Garfield, Phillips and Valley counties in northeastern Montana. For most hunting districts in this region,elknumbers remain at or near all-time highs. sbschindler 07-Nov-15. Increased hunter opportunity and drought have brought down pronghorn numbers and licenses have been reduced slightly this year, reflecting the lower numbers seen in summer surveys. The miles and minutes will be for the farthest away property. Bull ratios in HD 313 are similar to recent years but remain below historic levels. Some units are brow-tined bull only, meaning you cant shoot cow elk, spike elk, or forked antler elk. This area is located in southern Phillips and Southern Valley, which would be areas 622, 631, and 700. Elk Grove Village Condos For Rent; Evanston Condos For Rent; Glencoe Condos For Rent; . I was not successful in drawing a tag this year but we'll keep trying. Elk distribution will likely change from now through the archery season and again during general rifle season due to changes in vegetation, snow levels and hunting pressure. Best guess is that numbers may remain low until the later portion of general rifle season. White-tailed deerdensities saw a decline following another significant epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) that occurred mainly on the eastern portion of the region in the Culbertson area along the Missouri River. Big Game Combination License (Elk & Deer), Bow and Arrow License (mandatory for all archery hunts), Preference Point Fee for Combination License (optional), Outfitter Preference Point Fee for Combination License (optional but must hunt with an outfitter). Got Terribly busy and missed some time on here! For the 2022 season, changes to the 2022 mountain lion regulations allow for purchase of a general lion license or an unlimited lion license until February 28, 2023. Although there are areas where grass and vegetation still remain green and grasshoppers are abundant, the continued drought conditions are expected to cause habitat quality to decline further over the remaining weeks of summer. Find which one fits your personality the best. These licenses are valid across all of Region 6 to allow hunters to use the license where whitetail numbers may be higher. Surveys conducted in HD 121 resulted in 1,497 elk counted with a calf recruitment rate of 24 calves per 100 cows. Guided for an Outfitter there. the Elk populations are being reduced in the breaks to comply with an outdated elk management plan that was based on landowner tolerance, there is about 1/2 of the elk in the breaks we use to have . Valid in all Region There are 4 OTC hunts in this unit. If you harvest an animal, remove it from the field as quickly as possible. Re: Montana Unit 700. Much of Northwest Montana experienced its third consecutive mild winter last year, benefitingwhite-tailed deer. Near the Sweetgrass Hills, pronghorn have been well under long-term average in previous years but have recovered somewhat and are just slightly below average this year. The bad news is that the low bird numbers, paired with great habitat and grasshoppers everywhere, are going to have what birds are out there spread pretty thinly across the landscape. These ratios are higher than those from the 2020 survey (15 bulls:100 cows and 41 calves:100 cows), but this is likely due to the exceptionally good survey conditions. Due to the high harvest, we may see a lower bull to cow ratio during the 2023 season in the general areas. Phillips and Valley counties in northeastern Montana. Pheasants will generally be found closer to riparian areas and grain sources. Where drought conditions have persisted in the region, hunters will likely find lower juvenile numbers on the landscape and will have to cover more ground and seek out good habitat conditions to be successful. #19. Doggett suggests utilizing the available whitetail B licenses in the mountain foothill areas where the mule deer regulations switched to antlered buck only. . The message here is that the extra windshield time to reach the southeast corner of Region 7 is absolutely worth it, said Melissa Foster, Glendive/Baker biologist. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. While harvest in 2021 was around average, this years lek counts are down compared to 2021. The eastern portions of the region all received better precipitation this year and habitat conditions steadily improved from early May through July. For that matter, any Elk hunting in this Unit at all? Hunters are required to stop at game check stations but stopping at the Libby CWD sampling station is voluntary. Partridge harvest in 2021 was above average in the eastern portions of the region but 60 percent of average in the western portions of the region, which was still a significant improvement over the previous five years. He actually died there on his last hunt. Thanks. A grasshopper outbreak has infested much of the region for the second year in a row. Over the last 20+ years, we've collected hunting research and data,so join Huntin' Fool today and access the best research tools for hunting Elk in Montana including3D Maps, Draw Odds,Consultations,and much more. Hope to hear back from you! Any Body Bow Hunt Elk in Unit 700? Even if youre not after that trophy bull, youre likely to find a legal elk since this area allows you to harvest brow-tined bulls or antlerless with your general tag. You are safest if you use artificial scents, but you can also use scents certified by the Responsible Hunting Scent Association. Overall, elk numbers should be similar to last year. Overall, upland bird numbers are trending higher than 2021 but still remain below the long-term average across the region as populations are still recovering from the harsh winter of 2017/2018. With room to spread out, its important to know how the elk tend to migrate around through the area. The first step is to determine where you would like to hunt. Antlerless whitetail licenses will now be allocated similar to antlerless mule deer licenses. Create a free account to read the rest of this terrain note! Buck-to-doe ratios remain good, averaging 39 bucks per 100 does in the region. The Canoe Gulch check station near Libby is no longer in operation and has been replaced by the Libby CWD sampling station located on the south end of Libby (mile marker 35 on Hwy 2). For more information, visitfwp.mt.gov. PO Box 250 It is a great opportunity for a hunter with a lot of time as it gives you over 12 weeks to hunt throughout the archery, rifle, and muzzleloader season dates. Shoulder seasons are in place for several districts in the Livingston area. Poor recruitment last year, little available habitat and some severe late snowstorms have had an effect on birds. Guided Elk Hunting in Northeast Montana. Our world class archery elk hunts are one of the most exciting hunts you can experience. When choosing a place to hunt, hunters should first consider their target species. Travel and hunt in groups whenever possible. I'm also curious about elk behavior there in general. Successful hunters in Region 1 are required to submit a premolar tooth, the sex of the harvested bear, bear management unit number and general location of the harvest within 10 days of harvest. That district now has an antlered buck regulation throughout. Elk numbers in the western Little Belts and eastern Big Belts have increased the most, despite the liberal hunting regulations that have been in place there for some time, said biologist Jay Kolbe. Gray partridge is almost always the least numerous of our game birds in the region, and as a result, are unevenly distributed on the landscape. Elevation ranges are based on weather stations in or near the unit. HunterShooter58 # 16423964 09/11/21. Other Species in Unit Elk, Mountain Lion , . Hunters need to be aware of the Libby CWD Management Zone (MZ) and its boundaries, which includesportions ofHDs 100, 103 and 104. HD 301 populations are holding steady but are also experiencing low fawn recruitment this year. . FWP biologists will be collecting wings from hunter-harvested sage-grouse, mountain grouse and gray partridge, also known as Hungarian partridge, in several areas of southwest Montana. Create a free account to read the rest of this access note! A man's Gotta Do What a Man's Gotta Do! The Snowy Mountains arent quite as impressive as some of the nearby ranges, but they still jut up from the prairie in sharp contrast to the surrounding landscape. The 2021 elk survey in the Bears Paw area was above the 2019 survey and over twice the 15-year average. Hunting opportunity will be similar to last year, but much reduced from a few years back. Many districts require a permit or B license, awarded through the statewide application process earlier this year. Upland game bird numbers in Region 2 are generally looking pretty good for the 2022 fall season. Time and distance from 700 N Larrabee St Unit 1702. As a non-resident, however, your odds (without buying extra points) of drawing a tag land you right around 70%. In general,pronghornpopulations have been slowly increasing the past 10 years across the region from historic lows in 2011. White-tailed deer continue to expand in hunting districts in the Dillon area, but harvest opportunity will remain almost exclusively on private lands. The landowner draw takes place before the regular draw. Biologists will set quotas on an annual basis; the licenses will first be available through the drawing process (deadline: June 1 each year). Not all weather elements are available within the unit. 700 East 51st Street . Its expected that hunters will observe fewer mule deer than they have over the past two years, but harvest opportunities will continue this season. License/Permit Type. Buck-to-doe and fawn-to-doe ratios are well below average. Hunters who come upon a wing collection barrel while traveling from a hunt are asked to putonly onewing from each harvested bird into the barrel. You are using an out of date browser. Get a free account to view the details! While drought conditions statewide have shown some improvement, some areas of Region 4 still remain in the highest category of drought found anywhere in Montana, and bird numbers in these areas reflect that fact and remain very low. I hunted east of the there about five years ago in unit 410 so pretty familiar with the landscape, just looking at some potential areas to camp, access and hunt should I draw the archery tag. Fire danger remains high throughout the region, so be aware of fire restrictions, road and campground closures, and other regulations that may go into effect to reduce wildfires. I'll be up there the back end of Sept. and into October. S. Elk hunting in Montana? It may not display this or other websites correctly. Wing collection barrels are blue and will be in various locations during the sage-grouse hunting season, from Sept. 1 to 30. If hunters want to be successful, scouting and understanding wolf behavior is important. Pronghorn populations in HDs 340 (formerly 341), 350 and 370 are stable to increasing. OtoPro SoundGear Hearing Protection Review, By Torin Miller, OtoPro SoundGear Phantom and Impulse Review, Vortex Razor HD 4000 GB Rangefinder Review, Toric UHD 2.5-15x44mm FFP Hunt Series Riflescope Review, Hunting Big Mule Deer after Mid-October with Cliff Gray. The center of the region, Phillips and Valley counties, saw marginally improved conditions this hatching season and were briefly out of drought status in July. Toggle between terrain, satellite, and topographic views, The ability to filter OTC units by residency and manner/sex, 1st choice license applications and licenses drawn, Draw odds for resident and nonresident applicants, Harvest stats by hunt_code, manner, season, sex, type, Average # of days between precip or snow event, Probability of other weather events (thunder, hail, etc) by by month. Conditions in much of southeast Montana are considerably better than last year at this time, when the landscape was ravaged by drought. In the central and western portion of the region, where sage-grouse habitat exists, adult numbers were slightly above average in Valley County, but below average in all areas to the west. Following last summers catastrophic Robertson Draw fire, many elk shifted distribution to adjacent hunting districts. The Tendoy elk management unit (HDs 300, 302 and 328) continued to exceed management objectives after the 2019 hunting season, and long-term data trends indicate a stable population. You are using an out of date browser. Create a free account to read the rest of this deer hunting note! Some areas with dense concentrations of grizzly bears are very accessible to hunters, especially during the archery season. This often-overlooked hunting area keeps the crowds to a minimum, but the elk herds are dazzlingly high in numbers. In HD 556, overall pronghorn numbers remain well below long-term average, so this upcoming hunting season will be a bit more challenging than in previous years. If huckleberry crops fail in large areas of northwestern Montana, black bears may move down into lower elevations and riparian areas where they are more accessible to hunters. As in other years, hunter success will be influenced by snowfall during the hunting season. Buck-to-doe and fawn-to-doe ratios remain below average. With room to spread out, it's important to know how the elk tend to migrate around through the area. Mule deer populations in HD 331 have seen growth over the past decade. Hunters holding a Libby CWD Management Zone Either-Sex White-Tailed Deer B License (199-20) are reminded that the license is only valid in the Libby CWD Management Zone, an area approximately 10 miles in radius around Libby, and only including parts of hunting districts (HDs) 100, 103 or 104. Back toward the middle of the state, just south of the Little Belt Mountains, the Little Belt Cattle Company occupies 8,000 acres of prime elk country. This can help you make casual noise to alert bears to your presence, and it may also increase your chances survival in the event of a bear attack. Elevation ranges are based on weather stations in or near the unit. Calf recruitment here was observed to be a little lower than average, likely due to effects of drought, but populations are still above objective going into this hunting season. See the hunting regulations or FWPsHunt Planner Mapfor more information. From about 2012-2020, mule deer numbers had been increasing in southeast Montana, a result of mild winters and good spring/summer moisture. All of the regions, however, have their pros and their cons. Overall,black bearnumbers appear to be steady in northwest Montana. Observed Elk Objective o Objective for observed elk by survey unit Objective Status o Below, Within, or Above the objective range Objective Status (Percent) o Within objective range . Hunters will receive information and a map of that does locations and history after returning the collar. Expect decent antler growth this year due to good growing conditions this spring. Also valid on private Check for current or recent wildfires in this area. Hey, just following up on this thread to see how you did? There is also an area in HD 103 that requires a permit to hunt mule deer (HD 103-50). Back in 2020, there were 345 bull elk harvested from this district; 55% of those bulls were 6-points or larger. Resident or non-resident hunters longing for a special permit, on that allows you to shoot a bull elk in a unit that otherwise is antlerless only, the time to start looking is also before April 1st. White-tailed deer populations are considered strong, but pronghorn numbers are mixed, and in many areas, they have still not completely recovered from the tough winter of 2017/18. In some areas, hunting districts were combined or reconfigured to create fewer, larger districts. Consult with Hunters Who Have Hunted in Your Unit, Join Now! Elk Hunting in Montana HD 302 - Tendoys . While providing additional opportunity on a general elk license, spike bull harvest remains a small portion of the overall bull harvest and has not shown to have a measurable impact on the ratio of bulls to cows. Spring crowing surveys that measure the roosterpheasantpopulations in the eastern third of the region showed populations around average or slightly above average, with populations in the western third of the region well below average. I'm not sure what to expect as far as elk goes. Search our database forMontana Elk opportunities. Any advice on Montana Unit 700-20. would be greatly appreciated. Plan your Montana big game hunt with an interactive unit boundary map. That broke the 900 unit into a bunch of different units. Theres a lot of cut up private/public boundaries in the unit, but your access to the private through the outfitter will increase your odds. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Some areas of HD 331 were affected by the Alder Creek Fire last year, which means reduced forage and cover in some areas and enhanced forage in others. Antlerless permits have been removed and replaced in some places with B licenses. A ranch like Elk Creek Adventures. . However, they . Know Thy Self! Apr 13, 2016. Its the hunters responsibility to know where they are at all times, and what the rules are for that area. In recent years, FWP has detected CWD in white-tailed deer, mule deer and moose in the Libby area. LPT. In most cases, elk populations throughout the Little Belt, Castle and eastern Big Belt Mountains area are at the high end of the range observed in recent times. Walk walk walk. They are typically associated with agricultural and private lands at lower elevations, where permission is required for access. FWP biologists have seen slight growth in the population over the past year, but theyve also seen very low fawn production this summer due to extreme drought conditions over the past two years. Get unlimited access to over ten years of historical drawing and harvest data for over 1,700+ hunt units. In addition to the following hunting forecast, FWP provides online information about hunting access, including our popular Block Management Program. Elk should be in good weight and condition going into the fall after a wet spring and early summer. Similar to mule deer, whitetail fawn recruitment this spring was below average at 44 fawns per 100 adults. See all stats but the last 2 years with a free account! The landowner you book from may have horses or ATVs you can use, but sometimes it comes down to quartering the animal and packing meat out in a backpack. Taking weather and habitat conditions into consideration, overall hunting success for upland birds is predicted to be below average, although still very dependent on hunter effort. Check for current or recent wildfires in this area. Manyduskyandruffed grousewere detected during the spring breeding season. FWP biologists use this age information, along with the sex of the bear, to manage bear populations in Montana. I Learned a long time ago to Separate My Want's from My Needs! Fawn recruitment appears to be very low in HDs 300 and 301, which is likely related to last years drought. InHDs 502, 525, 555, 575 and 580, spring surveys showed mule deer numbers in these districts were similar to the previous year. Adult survival, particularly that of older-aged females, appears to drive population changes in mountain goats. Based on spring survey data,sage-grousepopulations are in decent shape in Region 6. Surveys suggest that pronghorn across many of Doggetts hunting districts are still recovering from the tough winters of 2017 and 2018 and also recent drought conditions. Are you an outfitter, hunting guide, game processor or local hotel? Mountain grouse: dusky, ruffed and Franklins. Based on weather station data, spring temperatures tended to be below average, precipitation was near or slightly below average, and nesting habitat considered fair to good. Elk - Unit 705. Archery: Sept. 2 - Oct. 15 Youth, deer only: Oct. 19 - Oct. 20 General: Oct. 21 - Nov. 26 Shoulder seasons: Aug. 15 - Feb. 15, varying dates before and/or after the archery and general seasons Muzzleloader: Dec. 9 - 17 The Missouri Breaks (HD 700) and Custer Forest Elk Management Unit (HDs 702, 704, 705) remain the two coreelkpopulations in southeast Montana. Montana has always been a good place to hunt elk, especially if you are a bowhunter as the season runs into the middle of October. 909 W Montana St Unit 406 has 5 parks within 1.2 miles, including Oz Park, Notebaert Nature Museum, and Wrightwood Park. Hunting is limited to a few hunters who received a license through a special drawing. Do you have any points built up, preference or bonus? Apr 25, 2017 #3 Oldbig New member. For more information on deer, elk and pronghorn numbers and hunting opportunities in western Montana, check out past editions of the FWP Region 2 Wildlife Quarterly, available online atfwp.mt.gov/r2-wildlife-quarterlies. Holders may not hunt antlered elk in This license will be sold over the counter on a first-come, first-served basis, one per hunter, and is only available to those who hold a valid 007-20 and/or 007-30 pronghorn license. 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