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Joined: Feb 2004
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,105 |
The elk are most likely scattered all along that east side of the valley this time of year.
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Joined: Nov 2007
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Awesome work George that’s fantastic!
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,026
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2009
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Yes, the jumping-off point is a place on East Mill Creek Rd (east of the YS River) near Pray, Mt. and then straight east further up into the Custer Gallatin Nat’l Forest only about 25 mi as the crow flies from YS Park.
I've hunted and killed elk in that area George... Brad, as you know it’s a beautiful area and game-rich including wolves and Grizzlys. If there is a thing that saddens me about the West, it’s that every beautiful, desirable spot to live in (including the Paradise Valley), is chopped up by hobbyists. Some with multi-million dollar homes but many with run-down homes-to-shacks with near junk-yard appeal. Nice bull! Sounds like you had a fun hunt, and overall had the Montana experience. The junk pile in Paradise Valley that always makes me laugh is the collection of broken down trailer houses just outside Chico Hot Springs. It's an utter mess and looks like a bomb went off, but kind of makes me happy to think of all the well to do sorts having to look at it every time they drive by for their spa experience. its getting cleaned up...….slowly but surely ……..bob
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
3-7-77
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 270
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2016
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George it appears you're one of the few to harvest a bull in region 3, let alone an elk. Just read that elk harvests are down in region 3 and in region 5 presumably due to warmer weather. I'm really hoping this latest round of storms and cold temps get them moving around, especially down. Region 3 elk harvest remains slowRegion 5 check stations see more hunters, lower harvest than in 2017
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of SMART???
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,105
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,105 |
Yeah, the snow in that pic was gone by evening replaced by rain or drizzle over the next four days.
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,061
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Congrats! Beautiful bull and stunning scenery.
Just because I am wandering around doesn't mean I am lost.
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Outstanding! It sounds like you had a fine experience with the outfitters, and I'm glad to learn that there are still a good number of elk in the area. You did well!
I was a little surprised that the altitude was relatively modest where you found them. I'm pretty ignorant of such things, but down here in NM where I expect to do most of my hunting (at my age), we live at 6800 feet. NM does have much higher mountains, but being acclimated really makes it more pleasant.
Some say that we are actually in the golden age of elk hunting, in that there are more than in past decades. OTOH, some areas seem to have very sparse herds this year. I'm guessing that the various conservation efforts, both good and bad, have a lot to do with the variations.
Were you out there for the entire time of your booked hunt? Did the weather vary much?
Norman Solberg
International lawyer, lately for 25 years in Japan, now working on trusts in the US, the 3rd greatest tax haven. NRA Life Member for over 50 years, NRA Endowment (2014), Patron (2016).
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,105
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,105 |
Yes, we were out there for six days. The weather was damp — mostly drizzling or outright rain — and not my idea of elk-hunting weather running into the first week of November at that elevation but the upside was it was pretty quiet moving about. But then so is dry snow. 🙂. I love elk hunting in fresh, dry snow...but I’m not complaining.
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,352
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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George, Congrats! You've done well in Montana. And great looking rifle as well. Good luck if you get out pheasant hunting the rest of this year.
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Joined: Feb 2011
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Campfire Ranger
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Molon Labe
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Joined: Jul 2007
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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George,
I missed this earlier - congrats on a fine animal!
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/X0n16mr.png) WWP53D
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,336
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Posts: 2,336 |
Well done and congrats on the table fair. Thanks for posting the pics.
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