Doing the first wilderness pack in Trip to the Bob Marshall wilderness in Montana. This will be a horseback trip with an outfitter for the September 15 start. things I should know ? tips? experiences you want to share?
thanks!
Did it one time and it was a great trip. Beautiful country and at that time had many black bear; that was sometime in the nineties. I was in a drop camp with one bud and did not take game only because I missed a sublimely colored beige black (it was not a grizzly though they are there too).
Over a week's time in early October we had mild temps though we went in on about eight inches of the white stuff. Another buddy in another camp passed on a smallish bull elk but took a nice muley. Their camp had a grizzly visit one night. Horses almost left the Bob.
Overall, it was a great experience aided by the fact that my partner buddy was a great cook and then one evening for entertainment, he performed an unreal act of levitation while in his sleeping bag. The little kangaroo rat that had been raiding our food stash at night decided to share the bag with him. I still don't know how he, while in the bag like a big cocoon, rose off the cot like a giant dirigible. Made a real strange sound too. He didn't like rodents.
for. BTW it's "The Bob", not "the Bobs" This will save you some grief in MT. It is also one of the most spectacular places on earth. "The Rocky's are the only real mountins, all the others are just hills for childern to play on", don't know where it came from but suits them well.-Muddy
muddy
That's the kind of intel I'm looking for. Am looking forward to the scenery and the trip.
And George's-I wish you hadn't mentioned griz! one of the fellows and I have a history of griz. bro griz tried to steal a deer out of the back of a pickup with a topper. Bear left only after I went out in my skins with a lantern. others found that entertaining. . I'll cinch my bag to keep the rodents out! (Lol)
For. My uncle was treed by a griz. just east of Swan Lake Mt.(W.side) in, I think, 1953, I have the newspaper clipping. He was up there for something like 9 hours before she left. Also I hunt gophers out of Augusta and they come out of the east side onto the edge of the plains quite often, ranchers DON'T like em!-Muddy
for. BTW it's "The Bob", not "the Bobs" This will save you some grief in MT. It is also one of the most spectacular places on earth. "The Rocky's are the only real mountins, all the others are just hills for childern to play on", don't know where it came from but suits them well.-Muddy
"The Rockies is the marrow of the earth and the only real mountains. I ain't ever seen em, but my gut tells me the Andies is for children to climb". Del Que (with an E) from Jerimiah Johnson.
Forpest: I just made a trip yesterday to the regional forest (destruction ?) service office and talked with the paper pushers there.
The purpose of my visit was to inquire about any forest use "restrictions" with the enormous outbreak of forest fires here abouts.
Our first high country horse assisted Hunts are due to start about September 12th (17 days or so from now).
As of 1530 hours on August 25th there were no camping or fire restrictions in SW Montana but they were expecting them soon if rain does not appear!?
I hope you have no restrictions up Bob way and you are successful in your Hunt - don't forget your camera.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: I just checked the forest fire web site and there are 26 (twenty six) active uncontained wildfires in western Montana alone!
Varmint
Thanks for the info. The fire stuff can change so quickly that there is no point worrying now. Shorter days and even frost can help. The more we burn today the more good habitat we have in five years. Just wish we could log it,get the wood, and save people's homes.
In the mean time, I will put on my feathers and rattles and see if a bit of booty shaking will improve things!
Fp
Not sure how much the outfitter told you.
Snow is a definite possibility. So are fairly hot temps. Maybe bring a packable fishing rod depending on location.
Most of the country is fairly thick. And steep. I would pick an "all-around" kind of rifle. LR rigs might get a little heavy if you're not using horses all of the time. Griz all over the place. Not as mean as Yellowstone area bears though.
Should be a fun hunt. Where are you going in from?
Packing for WaRm and cold will be a challenge. Especially when going in on a horse. Plan to shoot a new to me .30-06 w/ 150 tax if they shoot. if not, 7 SAUM w/ 140 tax.
Hope griz behaves. Also have deer tag, but have heard that it may not be of much use. Wish one could use predator call as they work well for deer, but not on griz turf!
Going in from Owl creek. Looking forward to getting there, wherever there is!
Packing for WaRm and cold will be a challenge. Especially when going in on a horse. Plan to shoot a new to me .30-06 w/ 150 tax if they shoot. if not, 7 SAUM w/ 140 tax.
Hope griz behaves. Also have deer tag, but have heard that it may not be of much use. Wish one could use predator call as they work well for deer, but not on griz turf!
Going in from Owl creek. Looking forward to getting there, wherever there is!
No, it won't be that hard. The "cold" if it comes will only be down to the 20's probably.
There's deer around. Don't hold out for a big one unless you want to devote a substantial amount of time to it.
Yeah, it won't get super-cold that time of year, but it can snow considerably, though with this year's weather who knows?
A couple friends and I did a drop camp in the mid-1980's, starting on September 15th. We hunted in jeans, flannel shirts and leather boots for the first couple of days, but then it started to snow. By the end we were dressed in wool and rubber-bottomed pacs, hiking through snow up to our shins. Of course, the elk weren't stupid enough to stay that high....
Well guys, plan on early snow! That's would be my luck. How about wind? I'm used to hunting Wyoming, where even if it is warm the wind howls and makes life miserable. Adding and subtracting layers depending on time of day, effort level and exposure. Never have enough for ridge to grassing. And then sometimes the wind blows you over!maybe I won't have to carry sandbags in my back pockets! 😀
It would be very unusual to have high winds in the Bob unless you are on the eastern front side. But even then, high winds would be unusual that early in the season.
If I were putting together clothes for that hunt, I wouldn't make a special attempt to include my windproof clothing.
Blue
That is good news. The bad news is that they just closed the Bob due to fires. One near where will hunt . Will pray for rain!
Blue
That is good news. The bad news is that they just closed the Bob due to fires. One near where will hunt . Will pray for rain!
Most areas got at least an inch of rain last night. You don't say where you're going in at? I enjoy the East side the most -- but it's all great. I can still hear the bugling thru the canvas at night. Absolutely take some lightweight fishing gear. We've had Griz run off the horses at night -- Had a foot of snow fall (in Sept) -- Shot a few bulls -- lots of adventure!!
Best of luck!!
Larry
Great News! Hope they remove the fire ban. We hope to go in Owl creek.looking forward to the adventure - all but griz!