Hunting Montana

brokentine1 · Jun 1, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Jun-01-11 AT 04:43PM (MST)[p] I have just landed a job that is having me relocate to Montana. I have hunted elk and deer but only in the southern part of the state and I will be living in Great Falls and was Just curious how the hunting is around there or should I plan on driving. How are the little Belts?

As I have read in other threads I might be considered online scouting but I assure you I am not asking the GPS location of your hunting spot just how the general area around Great falls is.

Thanks,

www.brokentine.blogspot.com

RUTTNBUCKS · Jun 1, 2011

I would say that based on my experience that you can find success any where if you are willing to put the time into developing and area. As for elk numbers I know of several guys that love hunting that area and have good success but it does mean alot of work any time you are learning a new area! Where are you coming from? Good luck.

Randy11 · Jun 1, 2011

I've never hunted the little belts, but at one point I did a bunch on research on them when I was trying to move over there. Everything I heard is lots of elk, but lots of pressure too. Not a ton of trophy potential either.

If you're an archery hunter, there's lots of good areas that are permit only, but easy draws for archery season.

Lots of good deer hunting in the area as well.

Great Falls is a cool area. Wouldn't be the first choice if I was moving here, but I could definitely get by there.

Good luck!

brokentine1 · Jun 2, 2011

Thanks guys that is was what I was wondering. I am moving from Utah the end of July. I know Great falls is not the the first choice of a lot of people but that is where I landed this job and it is still Montana so I am way excited!

www.brokentine.blogspot.com

NONYAMT · Jun 3, 2011

Anywhere in Mt is better than Ut

lvelk · Jun 4, 2011

Have you ever hunted Utah?

Shotgun59 · Jun 5, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Jun-05-11 AT 12:31PM (MST)[p]lvelk,

Nonya may or may not have hunted Utardia but I did for many years and his statement is correct.

Yes, UT is managed for trophy elk and your chances at a trophy may be better if you do get a tag but MT is still better than ANYWHERE in UT for more reasons than just being able to kill a trophy.

Have you ever hunted MT?

lvelk · Jun 5, 2011

Yes, for roughly 30 years (i was born and raised in Montana). I have hunted both and i would not make a blanket statement like that.

NONYAMT · Jun 5, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Jun-05-11 AT 07:36PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jun-05-11 AT 07:36?PM (MST)

Yes and I never will again,the whole situation is freekin outrageous,the way the state runs the hunting would make me embarrassed to be a Utard.I cant believe there isnt a group in UT trying to do something about they way the F&G there is destroying the sport.

lvelk · Jun 5, 2011

Fair enough, I don't know their management issues, but they have some awesome country and absolute monsters roaming the state.

Shotgun59 · Jun 5, 2011

lvelk,

Their issue is they manage for people other than jo blow hunter.

for example CWMU's have no real regulatory arm ie..dwr has no power over them and should. A select few CWMU's abuse hunters. I was lied to on one and told I needed to pay money.
and the other complained and almost did not allow me to hunt. pretty bad when this was 2 out of 2 hunts for me.

for example they change their deer management every other day..I hunted when you could hunt statewide, then it was units, then you chose your weapon, then all hunts started on saturdays, then they moved the muzzy hunt, then they got rid of "High Counrty Hunts", then they oversold southern/southeast units by over 13,000, then they drew all units, then they allowed any deer with a bow, then they did not...ect... this was over a 5 year period. My god man.

Montana changed very little over the past 10 years...and I kill a deer every year...hhhhhhmmmmmm

Yes, Utard has done well with managing elk for trophies for Don Peay and the select few that draw that once in a lifetime tag.

I still remember when DP was a normal jo blow but that man has some power now..

every year I see more and more washington and utah hunters in MT, and my god did utah hunters invade western wyoming when I was there hunting deer.

I dont mind out of staters but jesus if it is so great in UT why come to MT.

NONYAMT · Jun 6, 2011

Dont forget how the make the season so damn short the competiton is ridiculous,that SE unit USED to be a fun hunt for a NON RES,never again.

matt4695 · Jul 2, 2011

My wife is from Great Falls and were actually here for the 4th of July weekend. We live in Idaho at the time. We were up in the little belts today. Looks like it would be great hunting, lots of thick lodge pole forests (which would be tough hunting). I've always wanted to draw the Highwooods elk tag. I"ve got 1 more year left in school and we will be trying to move back to the state. Lots of great hunting in Monanta.

Hof · Aug 22, 2011

Great Falls is a very good place to live as an outdoorsman. As long as you enjoy big game, upland, waterfowl, predator hunting and as much fishing as you can handle (within 1.5 hrs.) I am stationed down in Utah for now... but I will be back in less than 2 weeks with the stick and string!

brokentine1 · Aug 22, 2011

I have been up here for about a month now and have been putting some time in learning some different areas . So far I am really liking it!

www.brokentine.blogspot.com

Stubaby · Aug 22, 2011

Hey welcome to MT. I am from Ogden, but have been in Billings for 5 years now. It was supposed to be a 2 year stint, but I'm glad it has been longer and I don't see me going back anytime soon. You are in the same boat as I was in 2006. I moved here in July and I am an outside rep and it killed me to travel the state my first hunting season here and not be able to have a tag due to residency.

Utah is cool, but there is a reason MT can have the longer seasons than UT can. Nonya makes good points, but he doesn't make them in ways that aren't abbrassive to some. I belive that MT would have the same problems UT has if they had the people to space ratio UT has.

Think about it...Mt is almost twice as big as Utah. Also, MT has 1/4 the population UT has. That means that MT has 8 times the open space per person that Utah has. Look at the numbers. If Montana had almost 8 million people than trust me there would be way shorter hunting seasons.

Think of the added car deaths to deer with that many more people on the road. Think of all the winter range that would be lost. Not only that...think if UT had as many whitetails as MT has to spread the people out.

Think about all the elk n Mt that are locked up by private ranches esp in the eastern part of the state. At least in Utah if you draw a good tag you can hunt almost all the unit on public land or at least have access. Most areas that have good elk east of Bozeman esp durring the rifle hunt is private and the land owners only let you on if you have 5k to give them,

I have a relative that is a game warden in Ut and he have this conversation all the time. Plus, the rate that the wolves, blue tongue, and 9ft snow banks from Havre to Miles City like last year take thier toll....it's just a matter of time here, too.

"That's a special feeling, Lloyd"

Shotgun59 · Aug 28, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Aug-28-11 AT 05:35PM (MST)[p]Stubaby makes some good points but lets add colorado to the mix

Colorado-104000 sq miles-5 million people-density 48 per sq mi
Utah-84000 sq miles-2.7 million people-density-27 per sq mi
Montana-147000 sq miles-almost 1 million people-6 per sq mi

so colorado is around 20% larger than utah but double the population. Look at their deer herds. arguably the best or one of the best in the united states. They also have fantastic elk oportunities. To me this just further supports my opinion that utah does not properly manage big game.

Montana is not perfect and granted they have more land to hunt and less people to hunt it but i think there are more factors than just population. I am by no means a manager but I have opinions.
In my opinion Montana should reduce doe tags and mule deer tags in some areas. I think with some limits on mule deer tags in areas such as the breaks it could be fantastic trophy hunting after a few short years. But montana is about opportunity hunting not trophy hunting and I am okay with that.

Utah has some great limited entry deer units the problem is in your life you will probably only get to hunt them once, maybe twice. The general deer units to me just suck. You usually did not pass up a buck becuase it was usually the only one you would see.

one last note.

a few short years ago colordo had struggling deer herds. they cut their deer tags in half and this made drastic improvements. Maybe utah shoud do something similar.

Waterdogs · Aug 29, 2011

How much of Colorado is private property? I think that has quit a bit to do with it and good management. One of the units in Idaho went to 2 points only and the deer have done great on my friends ranch where very few 2 point are harvested and the deer get a chance to grow because it is far enough away that most will not drive that far to shoot a two point. Idaho has very poor management of our game. They give out to many extra doe tags and cow Elk tags and are trying to sell hunter opportunities. Glorified camping trips I call it.