Highwood Mountains MONTANA Deer and Elk Hunting

[WAmuleyHunter]

Hey guys, i got a question for you Montana guys or anyone else for that matter that may be able to help me out. Ive been going to Montana for the past 12 years and hunting iwth my dad on a couple ranches, one in Cascade, and one in Lewistown. These guys have turned into very good friends. We always put in for, well atleast i have been putting in for the landowner tags. So i can only hunt on one ranch. Well this year i put in with my dad for the Big Game Combo and we both got it. So i am very excited to be able to go on my first real Elk hunt, and to be able for dad and i to hunt together. We are researching and trying to use our contacts for different areas to hunt, we kind of want to find a couple new areas for mule deer. And maybe elk, but mostly muleys. We definintly know how to hunt, and how hunting on ranches and that stuff works. We are farmers ourselves over here in Washington. So my question is for a little help on possibly the Highwoods, what is your opinion on this muley herd, and i believe the elk is permit only. Also any other ideas for places to go, tresspass fees, ranches stuff like that would be really appreciative. We arent just about killing an animal, we just really like the experience of Montana and seeing all the animals, and if we find an animal that we like then that is just icing on the cake. Thank you guys so much for your help, myself and my father really appreciate it. Let me know if there is anything i can do for one of you in the future.

thank you
Garrett

 

[badlandcat]

Garrett
i live in Great Falls and hunt the highwoods a little. the public land is greatly overhunted, to bad to there is great bloodlines, but the bucks rarely live past 3 years. there is some good deer on the private land, but getting on is a different story. what size of bucks are you looking for?

 

[WAmuleyHunter]

Badlandcat-thanks for the reply. Ya i have heard and seen some of the deer that come off the private land of the highwoods and thats what got me all excited about them. To be honest we are looking for some nice quality bucks. I know its montana and we arent looking for 30inchers or nothing at all. But we are looking for trophy animals i guess you could say. Mature muleys, 24 inches plus i guess. Wouldnt turn down a really nice whitey, something in the 150inches i suppose. But again it all depends.

thanks
Garrett

 

[berto]

ditto what badlandcat said, and best of luck getting on the private ranches around the hwoods where only very few of the bucks get a chance to grow up.

if i was you and had an "in" with a ranch in the big belt mtns near cascade, i would stick with that.

finding a good muley in montana is waaaay harder than finding a needle in a haystack. i know what i am talking about because my passion is hunting for a big muley. i work my tail off to get what i get, but then again, i hunt public land almost 100% of the time so that goes without saying.

good luck to you.

 

[cleaner]

Right on, Berto. I've got a friend that hunts out Cascade way and he kills some dandy mulies out there. Last year a 29" 6x6 with 6" bases. Elk is also very good out that way. It's been very slim pickin's in the Highwoods for the last decade. Every time I go out there, either public or private land, it's always overrun with out-of-towners, airmen, big $$$ hunters and 4-wheelers. I'd stick with the Cascade area for mulies and elk, and put Lewistown on the list for a big whitey. Lewistown way would also serve up a dandy bull elk, if you've got a decent spot.

Also, the Belt, Judith or Snowy mountain ranges would get you a better "Montana" experience.

Just my .03.