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There are a few places in the Little Belts you can hike into to get away from people, but if it is any where near a road it can be like downtown Great Falls.

Man, that sucks.

I've only camped down there in the summer. Kids love it.


Travis

That sounds really similar to the breaks, constand wind shifts as well as super high pressured elk!

No joke...

I'd rather hunt pressured Elk in Montana's hot spots than spend a bunch of time camping with my bow closer to home.

I'm going to direct this question to those who have hunted the Little Belts. If I go into one of the non motorized / less accesible areas, and spend 7 days hunting hard, what can I expect? I can easily get 5 miles or better from any access points.

I realize nowhere is a slam dunk on public land, but for myself and the couple guys I hunt with, all married and have kids, out of state elk hunts represent not only a significant financial investment, but also an opportunity to provide for the families; which is why I have become so adamant about researching the best probable areas. We also dont mind the peace and quite of no cell phone service and the glow of a stove lit outfitter tent...

I am open to any and all suggestions.

I wish I still had the picture of a lady who shot a monster bull in the Little Belts last season. Her husband went walking looking for elk while she stayed at the pick-up. Out walks this huge 6pt which she quickly dumps. There are big elk there, but not a lot. If you can get away from the roads (every one says at least 1 mile, but I would say double that) you should have a reasonable shot at undisturbed elk.

I am telling you this not as a great elk hunter, because I am not. This is from the results of people I know who take horses back to get their elk. The lady is an anomally, but those stories seem to happen every year. At least to other people.

Are the big belts as bad as the Little Belts as far as ATV use?

95% of the elk in the Belts are found on private land. I've seen as many as 800 head in a herd. That leaves very few on Forest Service land. As far as big bulls, when you look over 800 head during the rut and the biggest bull in there is about a 290 class, that tells you about the quality of elk in the Belts also. I go to the western part of the state now and just drive on by the Belts. They for the most part are a waste of time.

That puts things in perspective. Not having big bulls isnt the deal breaker but when the majority of the herd is on Private, thats the kicker for me.

Yeah, I don't hunt general tags and hold out for big bulls. If its legal, I shoot it. I suppose this is a side affect of only elk hunting 1 week per year / every other year and liking to eat elk meat. I can get a few miles from any road, just dont want to hike my arse off to find no elk and quads where they aren't suppose to be. 95% seemslike an awful high number given the square miles in this range, but then again, who am I to say? I've never hunted it. After 8 straight days of hiking the gravellys and not having one legitimate shot at an elk; and seeing only 1 cow at over a mile, there has to be a more productive area to try. Or, maybe I am just that unlucky.

8 days in the gravellys...I saw more wolves than elk.

The biologist estimates 4,500 head in the little belt region. This means that each percentage represents 45 elk. So, there are only 225 elk on public land in the little belts.....Given the annual harvest stats, every single elk on public land, plus a few are killed evey year.

Bullschit.

BS would be my guess too, but haven't hunted the Little Belts for a while.

Have seen enough illegal ATV's and their trails in the Big Belts to know there should be a season on 'em.

Don't get me wrong, private land is a safer bet.

I worked in the Little Belts for several summers and have friends that shoot public land bulls out of there every year. I am confident in saying that if a guy is willing to work, and drop off into some hellholes, the elk are there.

I would also like to see open season on ATVs. I'm fairly confident a 223 would work just fine on them, though a Barnes TSX might be a good idea for maximum penetration.

I hear you guys there, nothing in elk hunting, not even wolves..well,maybe wolves, is more frustrating than hiking for hours, only to hear quads roaring up the "closed" trail behind you. What I have found: guys on quads are notoriously lazy and often act like frightened baby chipmunks at the thought of getting too far from them. If there was a season on quads, I would have a lapua.

prairie goat, thanks for the advice, good to hear something positive for once.

A lot of the Little Belts is covered in roads, but plenty of it is nasty and timber choked, where the ATVs cannot play.

Always lots to learn about MT elk hunting on the internet.

Ain't that the truth...