Bozeman

IDAbowhunter · Feb 22, 2009

Hey guys, I am probably going to be attending Montana State University at Bozeman this next fall. I am an avid bow hunter, and was just looking for some information on the Bozeman are in general. How is the DIY bow hunting for elk? I was looking into the Absarokas Wilderness area, but there is just not a lot of information on it. Obviously I don't want any secret spots, I just want to know how good the hunting is.
Thanks.

Zigga · Feb 22, 2009

It's all good. Just head south of Bozeman and you'll do fine. Forget the Absarokas.

mtmuley · Feb 22, 2009

Brendan Burns has killed some big bulls. He went to school at MSU I think. Writes for Hunting Illustrated, or used to. Maybe he has tips. mtmuley

Bozeman · Feb 22, 2009

Brenden would probably recommend you find some nice private land and you'll shoot some monsters too.

Seriously though if you can hunt and hike you'll have a good time anywhere around Bozeman or any other city in the Southwestern montana.

IDAbowhunter · Feb 22, 2009

Thanks guys. Im really excited to go there. I am determined to get a bull with my bow, and I'm going to do everything in my power to do it... on public land. lol.

Stubaby · Feb 23, 2009

Don't forget your gizz bear spray

mtmuley · Feb 23, 2009

Does Brendan REALLY hunt on private ground? I'm shocked. He does know how to hunt big bulls just the same. mtmuley

Zigga · Feb 23, 2009

Brendan hunts in central Montana on private land. Nice bulls but access is everything. Ask Chuck.

completesportsman · Feb 23, 2009

Brendan was on the cover of Eastmans about a year ago with a great bull, I thought the story said public land.

GO HEELS!

mtmuley · Feb 24, 2009

Zigga, Nuff said. mtmuley

Bozeman · Feb 24, 2009

I give him credit for his accomplishments all the same. It is a whole different ball game on private land though. I have a piece I get to hunt on occasion and I love the opportunity to do it but, it's not like hunting the way most of us have too.

IDAbowhunter · Feb 28, 2009

Ive been looking around a lot and the Lee metcalf wilderness area looks really good... except moonlight basin.

c3 · Mar 1, 2009

I went to school at MSU from 1980 - 85. Met my wife of 25 years there and have been bowhunting every year since. Get a map, throw a dart at it and you'll find elk within 5 miles of there

My favorite places to elk hunt were down the Madison, up Cinnamon creek or the other side by Twin Cabin creek. The Gravelly range between the Ruby and the Madison rivers 20 miles south of Virginia City and the Pioneers west of Elkhorn Hotsprings over by Dillon.

Those descriptions will give you about 300 square miles of elk hunting opportunity. Don't forget you are going to school. That can be the hardest part of living up there

Cheers,
Pete

Zigga · Mar 1, 2009

>Ive been looking around a lot
>and the Lee metcalf wilderness
>area looks really good... except
>moonlight basin.

Moonlight Basin is excellent for elk hunting. You just need to know somebody or throw money around and pollute the landscape with a friggin disgusting house. The Gallatin, Madison, Gravelly and Ruby ranges are all really good. Just not many bulls over 330 and lots of brush heads. I love it here. Property around Turners and other private ranches can have good critters.

IDAbowhunter · Mar 2, 2009

Thanks a lot guys. Ill keep that in mind.

orcat14 · Mar 23, 2009

first of all, great choice of schools! i'm a recent graduate of MSU and loved the place enough to buy a place here after school! there is plenty of good elk country within an hour of bozeman. like anywhere else, areas that are easy access can get crowded during rifle season, but if you get off the roads (and there are plenty of places to do just that) you'll run into elk. there's plenty of country up the gallatin canyon towards big sky and on either side of paradise valley south of livingston. also the madison range west and south of ennis. awesome country too. grab a map, scout around in the summer and have at it. welcome to God's country!

huntinco · Mar 23, 2009

Brendon, has killed some monster bulls on public ground.. So because a guy hunts private it makes them less of a hunter? BS!!!

Justin Richins
R&K Hunting Company Inc.
www.thehuntingcompany.com

spitz · Apr 3, 2009

Just contact Burns or Cabelas, either one will point you in the right direction.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/c...COFMCAEFEIWE?hierarchyId=801&_requestid=53615

Zigga · Apr 4, 2009

Only $12.5k? Nice. Sure it takes skill to hunt elk but private ranches take all the guess work out of finding them. Public versus private is night and day.

huntinco · Apr 5, 2009

So let me get this... Public VS Private. So what your telling me Is, if I had a Henery's deer tag It would be much more harder to locate a mature buck then if I was hunting a private ranch. Whatever!!!

Justin Richins
R&K Hunting Company Inc.
www.thehuntingcompany.com

Zigga · Apr 5, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Apr-05-09 AT 09:26PM (MST)[p]>So let me get this... Public
>VS Private. So what
>your telling me Is, if
>I had a Henery's deer
>tag It would be much
>more harder to locate a
>mature buck then if I
>was hunting a private ranch.
>Whatever!!!
>
>
>
>Justin Richins
>R&K Hunting Company Inc.
>www.thehuntingcompany.com

This post started with "Bozeman". Now we're comparing apples to oranges. I know nothing of Henery's deer, in fact I don't even know who Henery is....never met him. Would he mind if you had his tag? There is great hunting around Bozeman and even better if you can get on a private ranch. Not sure how we even got this far. Someone thought that Brendan(?) shot his elk around Bozeman and I know for a fact he didn't if we are talking about the same guy. Brendan has killed some nice bulls in the Bearpaws and the actual ranch owner was posting here for a while and talked about Brendan's bull, not to mention what the story said. Don't know how Henery's tag was brought into this so I hope that clears it up. Too lazy to read the above posts but around Bozeman, public land is harder to take trophy animals than on a lot of private ranches. Apparently that is not the case if you have Henery's deer tag. I enjoy public land hunting versus private for many reasons and I've hunted both plenty.

The $12,500 price tag should remove all the confusion about public versus private.

spitz · Apr 5, 2009

Justin;

I clicked on your link and instantly saw that your company has 1.2 million acres of private land hunting to offer. I've hunted both public and private property as well and have nothing against either.

HOwever, if private land hunting is as tough as or tougher than public land hunting why would it be the theme of your business? Are you trying to draw your clientele away from an easier hunt to pay you for something that is harder to do?

hatrick · Apr 9, 2009

I have hunted both public and private and have taken bulls on both- If I had the money to pay $12,500 and it was a harder hunt then that would be great....but then again the harder the hunt the more satisfing for me. I'm just glad I have the opportunities many people can only dream of. WE are all so blessed to be living in America....even in these more difficult times-Hatrick

berto · Apr 9, 2009

Bozeman, Zigga, and Spitz,

i am 100% in agreement with you guys...you guys crack me up! some people will never admit private land hunting is nothing like public land hunting...the two are and never will be any more comparable than are night and day

thanks for the laughs.

huntinco · Apr 9, 2009

Funny, funny, funny... Limited entry public land units hold the best mule deer and elk hunting in the west period...

thanks for the laughs.

Justin Richins
R&K Hunting Company Inc.
www.thehuntingcompany.com

4100fps · Apr 9, 2009

Unless you consider hunting limited entry private lands.

I wanted to take a scalp,but the kill was not mine.

Zigga · Apr 10, 2009

Limited entry private lands = HEAVEN

Actually I like public lands for their wildness. I don't like seeing cow pies, cattle trails, livestock, overgrazed areas, watertanks, etc. There are trade-offs but when you want a guaranteed shot, go with private everytime. Except if you have Henerys tag of course.

GSH · Apr 12, 2009

Huntinco, Are you into politics? You managed to NOT answer the question at all!??

live2huntmuleys · Apr 13, 2009

huntinco do you even know what you are talking about?? You cannot compare the Henries to hunting general season anywhere in MT. I also gradutated from MSU and have spent a lot of time hunting around Bozeman. IDAbowhunter you are going to have a blast.

The majority of the area around Bozeman is OTC elk tags, meaning everyone and their brother will have them and the major access points get hit hard. As a resident you pay the twenty some dollars for an elk tag and it is good in most of the state. You see a lot of the "well my roomate wanted to take me hunitng so here I am up taylor's fork looking for elk". You will see a lot of hunter's but if you are willing to work hard there are a lot of elk out there. Other than the ones getting hammered by the wolves. Try and find that area between the day hikers and the horse traffic and you will do fine.

Best of Luck

SPAZ · Apr 16, 2009

Check out the special introductory rate on this one...

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/c...biggame/elk/elk_nevada_08.jsp?hierarchyId=401

I'm most attracted to the physical requirement ratings. I'm tired of packing raghorn bulls out of steep places on my back. I need to find a higher paying job or start buttering up to the right people..