Non Resident Montana Elk?

[apapro]

Anyone here willing to help a Saskatchewan Farm Boy out with an elk hunt? I can get non - res tags online right now but only for general season......never hunted Montana before.

Only interested in a legit / legal hunt. Not sure if this is do-able, not sure if you need a class - c license or not....just putting some feelers out there. Areas would be the around Kalispell.

Maybe there is a reference or 2 for an outfitter?

Looking like the end of October before I could get away to do this.

If your willing to help or have info PM me here.

If this breeches the forums rules...please delete.

Thanks
apapro

 

[Dr. Vette]

If you're looking at Montana, Google a wolf distribution map.

Once you look at it, avoid wolf areas like the plague. Having been elk hunting in Montana 3 times as a nonresident that is the #1 piece of advice I can give you.

 

[apapro]

Never would have thought of that! Thanks

 

[Dr. Vette]

We used the same outfitter out of Emigrant, MT in 2007 and 2009. Great people, nice outfit, and the guide has become a friend of mine. However, even between those 2 years we noticed a decline in elk, and saw wolves as well. In Aug 2010, Oct '12 and Oct '14 I've been through Yellowstone, and 2007 still was the year with the most elk.

In 2012 we went with a different outfitter in the Crazy Mountains. It allegedly doesn't have wolves, but walking down the mountain one day Dad, hunting partner and guide had one run off a cow elk kill right in front of them.

Best of luck!

 

[sask boy]

Hi apapro, I have not seen your posts until now sorry :wink:. What part of Saskatchewan are you are from? I have stayed in contact with a young fellow who was the smith at the local gun shop and he has moved back home to Montana. I could talk with him and see if he could help you out regarding your hunt.
I know that Jace has mentioned a number of times that the wolves have really taken out a lot of Elk in certain areas.
Just PM me if you like.
PS. Glad to see another lad from Saskatchewan on the forum...

Blessings,
Dan

 

[apapro]

Thanks for the replays guys....work has turned for the worst! Going to have to postpone the hunt for another year!

 

[wildgene]

Thanks for the replays guys....work has turned for the worst! Going to have to postpone the hunt for another year!

...well, the silver lining is you have some time to research, gather intel, contact some area guides, check their references, areas they hunt (which go from full-blown wilderness pack trips to shooting from the back porch/ barn), harvest reports, success rates, drawing odds, etc.etc.etc...

http://www.montanaoutfitters.org/

...no lack of outfitters in the Kalispell/ Whitefish/ Columbia Falls area, but w/i a couple hrs. drive or less there's Seely Lk./ Condon, Polson, Olney/ Eureka, Libby/ Troy, Plains/ Thompson Falls, you might want to contact the Confederated Salish Tribes & see if they offer anything on tribal lands...

...while "The Bob" gets all the press, the country to the west of Kalispell ain't bad for shooting elk, or whitetail, mule deer, or bear, either. The area west of Ashley/ Talley Lks. over to Koocanusa res., the Fisher, Thompson Rivers, Thompson/ Macgregor Lks., Meadow & Bar-Z Pks, Silver butte Fisher River are all possibilities...