September Archery- Western WA or MT?

[TheDudeAbides]

Hey

Wanted to pick everyone's brains on my hunting options for next season.  I have OTC elk tags for both MT and WA.  I have not had luck with getting an elk in either state after 3 years of hunting.  My father in-law moved to MT 7 years ago.  He was an avid deer hunter in his home state of Indiana. While he has hunted for elk in Montana, after 7 years I don't think he has even had a close call with an elk.  So i don't think he has cracked the code on Western hunting yet and I have reservations on his plan. We are planning a Montana trip in September for Archery Elk. He is pushing for us to drive around the Blackfoot Clearwater Area and bugle in September. He says he has scene elk in that area and we just need to call them in.  I think Elk will still be up high in that Bob Marshall in September.  After a few relatively dismal trips out there I'm trying to verify his plan.  He is open to backpacking, but health problems and a fear of bears (grizzly)  will probably stop us getting anywhere deep.  Everything i read about the Bob Marshall wilderness is you need to get deep.  I work in a seasonal business that has me non-stop from late September - February.  I have to be very intentional with how i spend my time during hunting season because it's so limited. While i want to hunt with my father in-law, I want to spend that time in a way that provides us both with opportunity.  Does driving around Blackfoot Clearwater area make sense in September?  If not, any suggestions on where we might want to consider an Elk Archery hunt in September in MT? Am I better off shooting for a late season rifle hunt with him in Deerlodge and scrapping the archery Idea?  thanks for any advice!

[BULLBLASTER]

Resident elk tag in wa and a resident elk Tag in montana?

[buckfvr]

Resident elk tag in wa and a resident elk Tag in montana?

 

[mburrows]

Lol im gonna pretend I didnt read that because its illegal to have resident tags in both states

[Jonathan_S]

I would hunt the area I knew better, with a legally held tag 

Not sure on your circumstances of having two resident tags but I wouldn't risk it.

[Karl Blanchard]

Hey

Wanted to pick everyone's brains on my hunting options for next season.  I have resident elk tags for both MT and WA.  I have not had luck with getting an elk in either state after 3 years of hunting.  My father in-law moved to MT 7 years ago.  He was an avid deer hunter in his home state of Indiana. While he has hunted for elk in Montana, after 7 years I don't think he has even had a close call with an elk.  So i don't think he has cracked the code on Western hunting yet and I have reservations on his plan. We are planning a Montana trip in September for Archery Elk. He is pushing for us to drive around the Blackfoot Clearwater Area and bugle in September. He says he has scene elk in that area and we just need to call them in.  I think Elk will still be up high in that Bob Marshall in September.  After a few relatively dismal trips out there I'm trying to verify his plan.  He is open to backpacking, but health problems and a fear of bears (grizzly)  will probably stop us getting anywhere deep.  Everything i read about the Bob Marshall wilderness is you need to get deep.  I work in a seasonal business that has me non-stop from late September - February.  I have to be very intentional with how i spend my time during hunting season because it's so limited. While i want to hunt with my father in-law, I want to spend that time in a way that provides us both with opportunity.  Does driving around Blackfoot Clearwater area make sense in September?  If not, any suggestions on where we might want to consider an Elk Archery hunt in September in MT? Am I better off shooting for a late season rifle hunt with him in Deerlodge and scrapping the archery Idea?  thanks for any advice!

MT elk is a tough nut to crack. Lots of elk live and die on private in that state but there is an insane amount of elk to be had on public as well. Keep at it and it will happen.

As for the 2 residency's......they WILL catch you and they won't be kind.

[WapitiTalk1]

Lol im gonna pretend I didnt read that because its illegal to have resident tags in both states

Not if you’re AD military (maybe the OP is?). 

[Stein]

If he hasn't been in contact with an elk in 7 years, I would probably try something new. 

MT has several options for NRs other than the typical process where you enter the draw so the OP may have a tag that way and misspoke about it being a resident tag.

[BULLBLASTER]

If he hasn't been in contact with an elk in 7 years, I would probably try something new. 

MT has several options for NRs other than the typical process where you enter the draw so the OP may have a tag that way and misspoke about it being a resident tag.

I was thinking they had more programs like that in montana. Hopefully its just a semantics error and all on the up and up.

[TheDudeAbides]

Hey

Sorry, It's all on the up and up.  I bought the OTC non-resident combo tag for Montana.  I updated my post to reflect.  I can pursue rifle later into the season there if it comes down to it, but my preference is archery.  I guess what i'm getting at  is, I can hunt both areas during the same time.  I'm more familiar with the western Cascades, but I would think Elk hunting in Montana is better.  With that being said, it's been super hard to hunt the area without local experience   Also my preference is to spend time with my father in-law, but I don't want to get absolutely skunked and spend my season scouting instead of hunting.  thanks for the advice again

[buckfvr]

IF they are talking and IF you can road around to listen to a few different areas/drainages in the middle of the night and stay with them until you can move on them, then ya, that can work.  Driving around during the day, less likely.

[idaho guy]

IF they are talking and IF you can road around to listen to a few different areas/drainages in the middle of the night and stay with them until you can move on them, then ya, that can work.  Driving around during the day, less likely.

 

  will probably work at twilight or dark just to get one located. I wouldn’t try and tackle the bob based on your circumstances you will find elk in the other area. I would do some scouting this summer or at least your father in law look for rut activity from last year. I hunted that area As resident a long time ago we always got in elk during archery. I love this site seems like everyone jumps to conclusions like having 2 resident tags  They do have a native non resident tag and come home to hunt tags my wife and I can get so there’s other options outside the non resident draws. Western fish and game sites I think are interconnected now anyways. 1 season with 2 different resident tags in different states and they would be knocking on your door that year. Go with your father in law plan but sounds like you need to do more scouting before season that area holds elk for sure

[Stein]

If you want the best odds, Bob isn't on the list.  It's a great place and a wonderful trip, but for the level of effort it's not going to be in the top 10 or 20 list of places to go.  It's more of a destination trip for guys who like riding horses, hiring guides and having a bucket list scenery and experience trip.  The elk densities are actually pretty low compared to a lot of ground that is easier to get to.

Like your old man, I'm not a big fan of brown bears, especially since I hunt solo a bunch with a family back home.  Bears are spreading out for sure, but there is info out there for places with a low probability of running into one and good elk numbers.  Dig around and you can find an area to try out.

Opening weekends and weekends in general are busy, but midweek you can have a bunch of ground to yourself.  MT has LONG seasons which provides great opportunities.

[MAVsled]

the best elk country in MT has GRIZZ. So better brush up on your bear awareness.
no GRIZZ in western WA.

for 3 years, I used to archery hunt September in NW Montana. Thick timbered, high ground areas NW, NE of Kalispell.
one time, wind in my face, I came around a turn in the hiking trail and GRIZZ @ 70 yards!
thank goodness a bluff charge that stopped 20 yards away, then off she-grizz went back to her cubs. She covered the 50+ yards incredibly fast!
Shaking, trembling, watched her go back, occasionally looking back at me.
I was left with just wet pants.

Another time, backpacked in 3 miles. After a long hunt day, We returned to camp at dusk.
Only to find a Grizz ripped apart our dome backpack tents....and ALL food, cook gear etc, hung in the trees 100 yards away.
Tents, sleeping bags shredded, down fill blowin all over the place. It even rolled the rocks on the fire pit. Must have been one pissed off bear.
That was a long night, spent with fire next to rock face uphill a few hundred yards away. At dawn, we hiked the hell out of there.
I've never gone back to MT.

and this was all back in the late 1980's. Grizz Bear population much higher now.

[grousetracker]

I would go montana just to hunt with my dad, seek a new area if you haven't had chances elsewhere. P.S. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE HUNTING POLICES POSTS!