Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Montana Northern Breaks elk suggestions

I have a permit for a unit on the north side of the Missouri/CMR (as a few of you know) and am having a bit of internal debate on a few things. First off, deals with time for and timing of the hunt. As it stands, I will be able to take 10 days off of work for this hunt; total time will depend on how many weekends I include in that. This hunt opens the same day as deer (which I also have a tag for) and cow elk. For folks with experience in this country, is it important to be there for the opener? The guy I drew with may not be going until the second week of November due to a new baby. Last bull tag I had it was strongly suggested that one be there for the opener, is that a case for this part of Montana?

Keep in mind it's going to take me two long days to get to the unit. If I am to be there for the opener, how advisable is it to show up a few days before and scout or would you just be ready to go the first day of the hunt? I have done some e-scouting and talked to more than a couple of folks familiar with the unit so I do have some idea of where I want to be. Just not sure if I should or need to burn a few days up scouting?

I have just a touch of familiarity with the type of country having hunted deer west of this unit more than a decade ago. On that trip a small snow shower that melted the next day give me a glimpse at what the gumbo can be like... I have a UTV that I can trailer out with me. Is it worth it dragging that thing the 1300mi out for the benefit it would give? Aside from the gumbo, are the roads in this country as such that a UTV would open up options vs just a truck?

Thanks a bunch for any and all help!

Pointer,
Your UTV will need to be street legal to operate it on the CMR, and you cant take it anywhere you cant take a truck. On the scouting part I would have camp set up two days before season and spend a day scouting where you want to be opening morning.

Name of the game is cover ground, the elk could be anywhere. Keep in mind bow hunters have been working them for several weeks.

Hunting elk on the CMR is a rare and wonderful opportunity, good luck and post pic's.

Do you have a boat?

I would be there at least 3 days early, try to find your bull before the opener and camp on him. What unit you draw? Good luck

Thanks for the info/suggestions! I will see if my IN registration meets the licensing criteria for CMR, but right now I'm leaning on not taking it. Still haven't decided on how early to get there. I can make an argument for either being there early or not...

I do not have or have access to a boat.

Jud- 621

My advice is ask miller if he has a boat and UTV you can borrow...

Look north....way north.

Send me a PM

I know he has a boat, but it's a single man/single dog paddle affair... If he has a UTV I'd be shocked!!

I was hoping you'd see this. PM sent.

Copy you got my tag... grin

Luck and post some pics when your done.

I hope to have some pics to post. Elk have a very good knack of giving me the slip...

Pointer: First off - quit your job!
It is EXTREMELY rare for a non-resident to get this coveted tag (maximum of five total per year for Rifle Hunting?)!
Hunt the whole season from October 21st through November 26th - if need be.
If you can't quit your job, then Hunt the first 10 days of the season and if you don't harvest a Bull then definitely go home quit your job and come back to Hunt the last 10 days.
I have been stuck (unable to drive a vehicle!) in the gumbo of the Breaks country probably 12 times since I began Hunting there in the 1960's!
Once October we were unable to move for 6 days straight.
Bring a good weather radio and pay attention to temps and rain forecasts.
I have Hunted this area and recommend not bringing the UTV - get an extra spare tire for your 4x4 Hunting vehicle and comfortable hiking boots.
My Elk Hunting partner and I once had a total of 4 flat tires in a little over 2 weeks of Hunting - including two on his camp trailer and two on his 10 ply truck tires!
On another Hunt in this area we believe we set a world record for a small truck towing job (at $644.00!) when a motor mount broke and the radiator gotten eaten by the fan.
One day scouting if time is limited then HUNT HARD!
Are you tent camping?
Motel staying?
Camp trailer?
Best of luck to you on this wonderful tag!
And drive careful on your way out.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: Do not overlook the extreme S.E. corner of your unit!

Pointer, I am not an elk hunter but have been running around parts of that country for the last 25 years. Mostly east of your draw though.


If it rains we try not to be caught too far from the gravel. And gravel can be hard to find in that country!


I've never used an ATV/UTV for hunting the Breaks. I wouldn't drag one along on your drive.


And as I was reading I assumed you had a cow tag... You lucky fuucker!


I would most certainly try and scout for a few days. It might actually be best to have equal scout/hunt time.

But that's only if you're trying to get a 'big' bull.


Good luck!

There will be a lot of pressure from day one on. Camps everywhere with people holding cow and deer tags mostly. Tons of big bulls will be down on Slippery Anne, lots of small ones will be fairly easy to find. I'd come early and try to find a good one before the hunt starts. If it rains while you're here, travel in your pickup won't be happening until it dries out some. Try to camp close enough that you can walk to where you'll be hunting if you're not bringing your ATV. Pressure will be the worst down along the water where it can be accessed from the road. Virtually nobody allows access to private unless you pay, with the exception of the land that the hippies bought to put buffalo on. I think you can reserve time to hunt there. If you have the cash, an access fee might put a big one in the freezer most easily. It's going to be tough going having never hunted the area and minimal knowledge of where the elk are this year/week/day. $1k or so might get you into some good ground and a solid idea of what's there and where to look.

Thanks for all the advice/info!!

Sam- I know how lucky I was in the draw, which is why I've been very hesitant to post up the unit. Haters being haters... Especially since I'll be lucky to shoot a small bull.

Ranger- The Block Management, BLM, and CMR will have to do for access. I won't, nor am I currently capable, of spitting out $1k for a trespass fee. Thanks for the heads up to check out access to APR lands.

Varmint- Can't quit my job. I'll have to get this done in one trip. I'll be tent camping from the truck with everything I need to backpack into an area and stay for a few days if need be.

How’d ya do pointer?

We filled all our tags (2 bulls, 2 bucks), with none of them being big. Best bull we saw my buddy found after he had filled his tag and helped another tag holder shoot it. All in all it was a good trip and we were happy with the critters we got considering it was our first time in the area and our short time frame.

It was much harder to find elk than we expected considering how hard the tag is to draw. I think it could have been the archery pressure coupled with the weather. LOTS of wind. If we ever draw that tag again, we'll not be going for the opener, but a bit later...

My bull
DSCN2274 by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr

His bull
IMG_2631 by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr

My buck
IMG_2603 by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr

His buck
IMG_2657 by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr

The "one that got away"...
IMG_2638 by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr

Oh, boy!

Nice work!

Nothing wrong with that!!! Looks like a damn good trip!! Gratsk

It was fun! He's from ID and I live in IN, so we try to get together for a hunt somewhere every year. This was the hunt this year. Very, very neat country!