Anyone ever float-hunt the Missouri Breaks?

[bobcat]

I looked at the map on the Montana FW&P site. I don't think the area along the river outside of the wildlife refuge is actually shaded green as if it was wilderness. Maybe look to the west where there are actual wilderness areas and see what the shading looks like there. It will probably be a more obvious, darker shade of green.

[Pathfinder101]

OK, you are right Bobcat.  I zoomed in and I guess the green shading probably depicts something else.  The word that I thought was "Wilderness" was actually "Wild and Scenic River", designating the river, not the land surrounding it. 

[bobcat]

Pathfinder,

I think I figured out what is causing your confusion. You are in "topographic" mode and therefore the shaded green areas are simply wooded areas. Switch it over to "highway map" and you'll no longer see the green shading. I looked at the Bob Marshall Wilderness and it's shown as a definite dark green. Also in the upper tool bar on the right it will help if you change it from "L" (Low Image Quality) to "H" (High Image Quality.)

[Pathfinder101]

Pathfinder,

I think I figured out what is causing your confusion. You are in "topographic" mode and therefore the shaded green areas are simply wooded areas. Switch it over to "highway map" and you'll no longer see the green shading. I looked at the Bob Marshall Wilderness and it's shown as a definite dark green. Also in the upper tool bar on the right it will help if you change it from "L" (Low Image Quality) to "H" (High Image Quality.)

Yup.  That's what I was doing.  I guess this is all my fault for never using Montana's map software until AFTER I got drawn for the tag.   THanks for the help.

I think they have authority to change the seasons within the refuge.  Can't remember for sure, but I know they have more authority than one would think.

Lots of big bucks come from up there.  Never been.  I was supposed to go in 2007, but had back surgery instead.  Montana did send me back 90% of my money for the medical refund.  Gracious for that part.

Now you have got me worried whacker.  I was planning to hunt the last week of the season, but what if they close it on me...

[whacker1]

Don't worry about them closing it.  They leave a phone number in the game regs somewhere for the CMR wildlife refuge if you want to call and ask questions.  i remember calling them. 

FYI - from what I remember from friends - you don't want to be there the last week of the season.  I think the success typically takes place earlier in the rut.  Just what I have heard from a few friends that have had some success over the last few years. 

[Pathfinder101]

OK, cool.  Thanks for the tip.  I also put in for Antelope in 530, and the draw success there is pretty good, so I may be making a double trip.  I think Antelope ends 10 NOV, so maybe I'll go and hunt goats for the last few days of the season, then move over to the breaks and hunt deer.

[Bigshooter]

I have not read this years regs, but the last few years the CMR area closed in mid november.

[buckhorn2]

Fort Peck can get just like the ocean in a hurry and the later in the season it can get real cold. Drifting the river and hunting the islands can produce some nice whitetail and glassing the rims there are nice muledeer.  The part of the river we were on was by winiferd and I think we put in around the robinson bridge it is after the resevoir sp. anyway I think it was in fergus county or 417. We had an 18 foot boat and jet motor but I remember how cold it was in the mornings but we were there the last week of the season. if you go left at wineiferd you drop down to the river and there is a real nice boat ramp that hunters go up and down the river from.

[Pathfinder101]

I have not read this years regs, but the last few years the CMR area closed in mid november.

The regs say that those units will be open til the 29th, but an earlier post said the CM Russell can close them earlier if they want. 

Fort Peck can get just like the ocean in a hurry and the later in the season it can get real cold. Drifting the river and hunting the islands can produce some nice whitetail and glassing the rims there are nice muledeer.  The part of the river we were on was by winiferd and I think we put in around the robinson bridge it is after the resevoir sp. anyway I think it was in fergus county or 417. We had an 18 foot boat and jet motor but I remember how cold it was in the mornings but we were there the last week of the season. if you go left at wineiferd you drop down to the river and there is a real nice boat ramp that hunters go up and down the river from.

When you hunted that stretch, did you have any access/provate land issues?  Is that public?  (I am about to go check the map regarding the float you just mentioned).

[Pathfinder101]

Buckhorn,
I just checked the map, and that is the area I was hoping to hit (the float you mentioned).  I am worried that the banks of the river on both sides are private. 

[bigdave]

I've floated 150 some odd miles of the missouri from fort benton down to the james kipp bridge. The wildlife refuge starts downriver from the james kipp bridge. We were just floating for pleasure. The section between coal banks landing and judith landing is the most scenic. Google the "white cliffs of the missouri for pics. I've floated the badlands section once and it was HOT HOT HOT in july and very buggy with black flies. I pulled off the river one afternoon cause it was soo hot and I fell asleep in the shade of the only tree I'd seen for miles. When I woke up I was surroundeed by about 20 head of Black angus cattle that were not going to let me keep them from the shade. I didn't see many mulies just a few whiteys and some mt sheep. The scenic section is a great family float with the only real danger being snakes and wind.
If memory serves, there is a strip of land along both sides of the river corridor that is public.

[Pathfinder101]

Thanks Big Dave.  Turns out this public/private land on the Breaks questions has turned out to be more of a mystery than I thought...

[andrew_12gauge]

as was stated before fort peck can get nasty in a hurry make sure you have a good sized boat if you do go out on fort peck, my dad, grandpa, and I almost lost a 16 foot glasstron out there on fort peck in 2002 it was a scary boat ride and we were up in one of the bays that was "protected" from the wind, we went out across the bay(stupidest decision ever) and it got really bad on the way back across there were rollers comin over the front of the boat and ever piece of gear and clothing we had with us was soaked by the time we got back to the launch. we talked to a game warden out there who said they usually lose a few boats out there on fort peck every hunting season. oh and all we saw was a little 2 point buck that spotted us from about 500 yards and the last we saw he was a mile away and still goin full bore but i dont think we were in the right area, it sounds like you have to get out on the main channel of the lake to find the big boys

[buckhorn2]

It was over ten years ago when we made this trip but there was public land there then. We hunted for years with ranchers that had property there and if you want I can mail you there name and they have huge tracks of land and own down by the river and allow hunting there through the block managment. There are some huge bulls on there property but is a drawing for the permit but if you draw they allow hunting.

[Pathfinder101]

as was stated before fort peck can get nasty in a hurry make sure you have a good sized boat if you do go out on fort peck, my dad, grandpa, and I almost lost a 16 foot glasstron out there on fort peck in 2002 it was a scary boat ride and we were up in one of the bays that was "protected" from the wind, we went out across the bay(stupidest decision ever) and it got really bad on the way back across there were rollers comin over the front of the boat and ever piece of gear and clothing we had with us was soaked by the time we got back to the launch. we talked to a game warden out there who said they usually lose a few boats out there on fort peck every hunting season. oh and all we saw was a little 2 point buck that spotted us from about 500 yards and the last we saw he was a mile away and still goin full bore but i dont think we were in the right area, it sounds like you have to get out on the main channel of the lake to find the big boys

Thanks for the warning Andrew.  What kind of boat would you recommend to hunt Peck effectively?  Sounds like more than a one man operation. 

It was over ten years ago when we made this trip but there was public land there then. We hunted for years with ranchers that had property there and if you want I can mail you there name and they have huge tracks of land and own down by the river and allow hunting there through the block managment. There are some huge bulls on there property but is a drawing for the permit but if you draw they allow hunting.

Buckhorn, I didn't draw the big game combo, I drew Deer A, so I will only be deer hunting.  I know there are 2 kinds of Block Management in Montana, the kind you sign in for, and the kind you have to call ahead and make a reservation for.  I would love to get those property owner's information, since the official Block Management list doesn't come out until August.  I was thinking of doing the float trip, but that was mostly to get away from the crowds.  If I can hunt Block Management land in the Breaks that won't be overrun by hunters, that would be just as good (maybe better from the sounds of it).  I am primarily after a mule deer (of course I don't think I have it in me to pass up a big whitey.. ).