NW montana elk and deer ?

[6Xsix]

I moved to kalispell about 6 mo ago from idaho. just wondering if anyone can tell me any good elk or deer locations close to kalispell (without telling me about their honey holes, i know how that goes.) or possible if any serious hunter is looking for a serious hunting partner. archey, rifle, or both

 

[Randy11]

i know of alot of good whitetail coutry near you, but cant really help you with muleys and elk, shoot me a pm.

 

[drahthaar]

You are now in one of the top counties for whitetails in the west, every direction.
About the only answers you are gonna get from folks come in four basic categories, West of Town, North Fork, South Fork, or The Swan. There are good bulls and bucks whereever you go, it is just hard to hunt, especially for elk. But if you came from northern Idaho the steep country and brush shouldn't be too daunting, you will be right at home. West of Town is the easiest to hunt, hence the crowds, but you go really far west and you get into more steep brushy crap. I don't hunt the Swan, so I couldn't tell you much. I hunt Eureka, North Fork and South Fork. Eureka, tons of game all types, no trophy bulls. North Fork, pig mulies, a not a lot of elk. South Fork(which includes the Bob), more elk, some nice mulies, lots of g-bears in North Fork and South Fork.
I would just put some miles on your truck and legs this summer and see what is too your liking.

 

[ismith]

What drahthaar said! Ill just add that there are some monster whitetails in the swan as well as some really big mulies and decent elk too. Expect really brushy country. Get away from the roads and you will do fine. Id also like to add that the wolf creek hiway has some great hunting of all three species. My best advice is to get out and check some country out. If you can afford a black bear tag pick on up and go for it.
ismith

 

[6Xsix]

thanks guys, no not from northern idaho, my idaho hunting consisted of all the same area down by brownlee and hells canyon area so the steep county i am very much use to and prefer it for general hunting, the brush though no that will take some getting use to. thanks.

 

[6Xsix]

Randy i am a new user to this site and haven't figured out how to pm from this site yet i will once i figure it out

 

[kilowatt]

Brock,
Look up at Randy's post above yours and you will see some icons there opposite his name. The "double envelope" is his E-Mail, the "single envelope" is his PM and the icon with a "head" is his name profile if ALL OF THIS INFO IN ACTIVATED.

Brian

 

[old_man_of_the_hills]

You are going to find out three things pretty quickly:

1. Many people in NW MT hunt elk somewhere else (SW MT, etc) for a week or so in the first part of rifle season. The elk in the Kalispell area are tough to come by, not because of the numbers so much, but the fact that in most places you could actually kill your bull with a bayonet and save on bullets.

2. You are in whitetail heaven, so if you like to hunt them, start celebrating

3. IT WILL LIKELY RAIN ALL FALL...which really sucks

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This is my post

I've just pissed in my pants.......and nobody can do anything about it.

 

[drahthaar]

Bayonet!!!! That is so true and so funny. He is NOT kidding. What I usually hear from people who don't really know what true brush is(alder, false huckleberry, yew brush, devils club), is when we get off a trail after a bugling bull, all you can hear is "Are @#*&@#^%! kidding me, I can't see $#!&". Half the time you can't see your own thighs.

 

[ismith]

Oh so very true!
ismith

 

[groundhog]

This is a little ways from you but you might try up around Noxon for good bow hunting for Elk. It is thick and steep, like the guys said but decent numbers of Elk and Whitetails. My brother and I have had good success by jumping on forest service trails and covering alot of ground and calling.
We generally don't leave the trail until we get an answer. It is just to thick. My last bull I had to spend the better part of an hour to clear a spot big enough to clean and quarter the bull! Thick stuff but odds are your shot will be under twenty yards! Good Luck to you!