Anyone boat hunted the upper Missouri River In November?

[huntnnw]

Looking to plan a trip over in November and looking for some info on water levels for anyone who has experience on the river that time of year. Mainly is there any big fluctuations in flow if boat is beached and wake up to it being 10 yards from the river  just unsure on hitting a new river and what to expect.

[JWBINX]

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark might have some suggestions.

[Sakko300wsm]

Should be able to find it on the USGS site and look at history of levels

[snit]

In late November 2021, I talked to a couple of different groups (2 outfits taking out one night) and they both were running outboard pumps, fyi. One wasn't interested in chatting much, but the other group was a bit more engaging. Group #2 mentioned that the broad flats and stained/murky water hid the gravel bars and that pumps were the way to go...of which I'd agree. I could see a weather dip changing up the plan too if an Arctic Blast came through and tightened everything up. I'd have a plan B...

[300rum]

I can't imagine being on that river that time of year unless you have a lot experience with that place.  I am a risk taker but that place can eat you up quick. 

[Karl Blanchard]

Last 4th of July weekend we kayaked the 62 miles from Judith landing to James Kipp state park to scout it for a return trip in Nov with the big boat. We concluded it would be iffy. I'd say the average depth for that stretch was 4ft deep and many places I was dragging bottom. From what I gather the main channel is easier to navigate in Nov but I've also seen that stretch ice up over night. As others have mentioned have a plan B. Last year we would have had to scrap a boat trip anyways as the highest temp we say that week was 5° and the river was definitely a no go. A backpack camp and a jetski is the way to go I think

[time2hunt]

Make sure you clean or take off your boots off before getting back into the boat. Ive heard of plugged bilge pumps due to that nasty muck/clay and then boat take on water due to winter storms and sink


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[huntnnw]

Thanks for the replies . I have a inboard jet. Fairly light boat.

[dvolmer]

Thanks for the replies . I have a inboard jet. Fairly light boat.

you would probably be ok as long as it doesn’t freeze over with the jet boat.  Way cool area but the hunting quality has come down in the last 10 years. Used to be 22-24 inch wide 4 points to be easily had. Not so much anymore. But the trip and the float are un-forgettable

[Karl Blanchard]

Thanks for the replies . I have a inboard jet. Fairly light boat.

you would probably be ok as long as it doesn’t freeze over with the jet boat.  Way cool area but the hunting quality has come down in the last 10 years. Used to be 22-24 inch wide 4 points to be easily had. Not so much anymore. But the trip and the float are un-forgettable

Do it in July in a kayak and you'd wish you could forget it

[huntnnw]

 

[Jonathan_S]

Thanks for the replies . I have a inboard jet. Fairly light boat.

you would probably be ok as long as it doesn’t freeze over with the jet boat.  Way cool area but the hunting quality has come down in the last 10 years. Used to be 22-24 inch wide 4 points to be easily had. Not so much anymore. But the trip and the float are un-forgettable

Do it in July in a kayak and you'd wish you could forget it

Biting flies, slow/meandering/nowhere soon current, heat, humidity, burning sun, thunder/lightning, nearly no fish, terrible campsites. What's not to love?

[tonymoe]

I floated it 50 river miles on my raft a few years back. hell of a good time, I've always wanted to go back, but haven't gotten a chance due to other hunts. throw me a pm and I'll give you all the info I have

Tony

[2MANY]

Where the river begins out of a spring, I stood on each side of it recently.

[big wood]

Be careful!!!  I used to do it from 88 to 95. I was practically raised on a boat in the ocean from Oregon to Alaska every summer  till I was about 18. Been in super rough water in my life I can assure you. That in mind I have never been more scared than in that lake in late november

[bigmacc]

Dang, I wish great grandpa was around. He did it a couple times with J.Oc , they were pretty close when they shot on trap teams. Grandpa had him up in Alaska a few times to fish and hunt Caribou and Jack brought him hunting a few times. If I remember right, one of those trips was in that turf. Everyone that knows the stories are gone unfortunately.  :'( :'(

What I do know is there was some pretty good 8mm film of grandma, grandpa and Jack killing some pretty nice bucks in there. That was along time ago. I remember watching them on our wreck room wall!

[bigmacc]

Checking with some family, if I find out something I will pm.👍

[bigmacc]

Checking with some family, if I find out something I will pm.👍

Nope, grandpa and Jack actually only hunted twice together, Caribou in Alaska and a mule deer trip in Idaho. I’m told it was guided by Jack after he caught his share and more of salmon up on the King Salmon. A source told me that Jack may have been suffering from “salmon poisoning”🤣😆🤣. I guess they caught and released over a hundred. 1930,s ? It’s when grandma and grandpa were running canaries up on Kodiak. Grandpa had guys(Eskimo) that would take him around the island and the mainland to fish. The King Salmon was one of his favorites. It was shortly after when grandma spotted the record Kodiak up around Olga Bay, she let Bill and Morris know and the rest is history. Morris Talifson was my great grandmas cousin.

[pickardjw]

We were planning on boat hunting the first week of November but had to push to the second week. Word from others is that late October is usually fine, but if you start seeing ice in the river it's time to head out. First of November that's more likely, and by second week of November it's sketchy at best.

Buddy ran his prop motor and was fine up until a certain point. PM me if you'd like to know the upper boundary he told me.

[Stein]

I grew up on the Missouri, you could see it from our back deck.  No way I would be on the river in November.  We hunt deer in the rut not too far from where you are looking at and last year it was 5 degrees for a couple days before warming up to 15.  Zero margin for error.

I have always wanted to do that hunt and was looking at floating it to avoid the motor/prop/swamped/iced in/etc issues but I just can't put myself on the river that late in the year.  I would love to do it with a smoke pole, maybe someday close to the opener or with a bow.