Elk hunting- Welcome Creek Wilderness

[6mm Remington]

This is a small wilderness area but where I parked my truck to begin hunting is only 48 miles from my doorstep! The Welcome Creek Wilderness is just a little over 28,000 acres in size. On Friday last I was up there by myself. The hunting was not so good but as always I had a good time taking my Martin Hunter bow for a walk! As you can tell by some of the pictures the pine beetles have been causing Montana a lot of grief as well as many other areas.

 

[6mm Remington]

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Looking down towards Rock Creek to the east. The open hillsides across Rock Creek hold some tremendous bighorn sheep. They got hit hard by pneumonia last year in several locations across Montana though!
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Today my son Jeff and I went a little further east to another location about 20 air miles away. WE called in a spike bull only about 30 minutes out of the truck. He was at 35-40 yards and stood there for several minutes. If he had been a she or had slightly larger antlers (brow tine bulls required) he would have been in big trouble. My son the shot he is would have drilled him. Another good day though.

 

[JD338]

Beautiful country! Good luck with your hunt.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

Nothing like a day in the mountains to wash away the cares of the world. Beautiful pictures there.

 

[6mm Remington]

I wonder if that Martin would shoot Partitions or Accubonds?

 

[Elkman]

6mm

Beautiful country, looks like a nice spot apparently not known by all!!!! I was thinking your bark beetle problem is not near as bad as I have seen in other pictures/areas. Good luck on an an elk. 13 days for me

 

[hardpan]

6mm,
best of luck to you. I am just 6 days away from guiding hunts. Exciting, but can be really a lot of work at times.

Nice country!
Hardpan

 

[257 Ackley]

6mm Remington -
How close is this part of Rock Creek to Phillipsburg? I have hunted the area West of P-burg for elk on a friends' ranch and the sheep population on his ranch was unbelievable. I forgot about hunting elk one day and watched a herd of sheep from about 100 yards for a half day. The rams were going at it full tilt!!! Talk about a show :grin:

 

[6mm Remington]

257 Ackley: Sounds like you were in Rock Creek or near Rock Creek when you were hunting your friends ranch. From where I was at, it's about 30 miles away from Phillipsburg. The portion I mention in the picture with the open mountainsides is the Lower Rock Creek area. If a person drove up Rock Creek to the South, about 20 miles would put you in the area you were probably watching the sheep. There are some nice ones in there for sure. As I said though, disease really took a hit on several herds in the state last year so it will be four of five years before they bounce back. I have a guy I know who took a lower Rock Creek sheep about 8 years ago and it is gorgeous. It is just over 16" bases, 43" on both sides, and flares out like an Argali ram! All you say when you see it is WOW! :shock:

 

[Guy Miner]

That's some good looking country. Spent a little time goofing off around Phillipsburg a couple of summers ago. Enjoyed the area.

You're right about the danged beetles... Quite a problem here in Washington as well. Destroying forests...

 

[SJB358]

Awesome pictures 6mm! That looks like some great country. Scotty

 

[257 Ackley]

6mm- I know what you mean about nice rams in this area. My friend's dad guides hunters on his ranch for sheep and has a replica of the number 3 scored ram that was taken on his ranch hanging on the wall. I didn't see any rams close to that size while there, but did see two that were really nice full-curl rams.

There was a bioligist with a federal wildlife program from the state of Washington that was trying to trap wolves to tag in 2006 while we were hunting there. She was trying to figure out what packs from the Bitterroot National Forest area had moved into that part of the country. Sounds like the problem with wolves is getting worse in this area as well.

 

[sask boy]

That is some beautiful country. God sure can make some masterpieces :wink:


Blessing,
Dan