Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting anyone ever hunted with virgil burns at the bob?

have any of you guys ever hunted with virgil and barbara burns at the bob marshall wilderness ranch in montana? if so what were your thoughts? thanks in advance

Yeah, I've been a guest and the last 3 years I've guided for him.
Beautiful country, fair number of animals, some big bulls but very hard to hunt them (most won't put forth the effort to go after them) smae with mulies ( I took a 8x7 196 3/8 gross ). Virgil is a character and Barb a very nice lady. Food is great but I usually do spike camps and miss out on the grub.

If this was possibly truly a once in a lifetime hunt, would you take it here? what about the wolves, much of a problem in that area? and what effort would it take?

once in a liftime...wow....not sure ... Its a great hunt and I love the country but there are better areas for a big bull. Wolves aren't a problem but the griz are pretty bad. You can hunt as easy or hard as you want...sitting slides (best chance to kill something) or spiking and walking through dead fall and snow brush to get to a high bowl. Depends on what a guy wants. I would not want to make that call for you. One other thing Virgil and Barb are very good friends of mine so my take is not totally objective.

i understand and i appreciate your honesty. i don't mind hunting hard. i plan to come on my own and go 1-1 with a guide. just want to make the most of it, may be my only chance. any other areas you would recommend. i have spoken to barbara and we had a very pleasant visit, i have no doubt they are first class and believe i would have a great time which is really the most important, but...i would like a big bull to hang on the wall to top it all off. thanks for all your advice.

I have also heard good things about Cheff's Guest Ranch. I have seen them packing some good bulls out of the Bob but I have no first hand knowledge of them. They ride through Virgil's area to get to some of their camps.

One other thing, any bull you get out of the Bob is a good bull. It is wilderness hunting at its best. You walk or ride horses or mules no vehicles or motel rooms. IMO to take any elk in the wilderness is an accomplishment to be proud of. A wilderness hunt to me is a hunt of a lifetime. Big untamed remote land, frosty mornings, rides to and from camp in the dark, bulls bugling at night, close encounters with griz ( an adrenalin rush that must be experienced to be believed). Man I could go on and on...I love it

for those that do hunt hard what would you suppose the shot opportunity to be? have you harvested a bull from there? lots of big bulls? thanks again.

Best bull I have taken has been a 340 6x6....I have been playing hide and seek with a 390 - 400 monster for the past 3 years. I can get glimpses of him but he stays in timber and I haven't got s shot at him yet. In six years I have taken 5 bulls and 2 mulies and 1 cow. I wouldn't even guess on a shot op %. Some years i have seen elk every where I went and heard them bugling every day then I have had seen them silent and nocturnal and very hard to find but they are there. Again you are in big rough country and their home. I have (knock on wood) so far gotten my hunters atleast a shot but not everyone is that lucky.

Aggie-does your outfit take summer trips into the "Wall"?

Thx

Dober

yeah but I have never done the summer trips. Leaving home for a month a year is all I can manage.

They have a web site? I'd love to take my 9 year old Grandson in there come late July.

I found the site.

Dober

I have never been to the BOB and don't know the outfitter you asked about. But, if this is a once in a lifetime hunt for you I would suggest some prioritizing. What is most important; a wilderness type pack in experience or a big bull. If it's a big bull I'd look for a hunt on private ground.

I have not been with the Burns, but have spent quite a bit of time in the Bob Marshall. There are some good bulls there, however you are usually hunting "heavy" timber and you don't see a lot of elk. The percentage of hunters that shoot good bulls is low. As previously stated, most hunters that go there are not physically prepared to go where you need to go. Hunting in the BOB is a great experience and I would recommend it, but if a big bull is your goal there are better options.

All from the ranch/BOB website that you speak of. $4500-$5500 per hunter. http://www.wildernessranch.com/hunting/index.htm
Looks good! Except hard to tell if these were shot in the 1980s, 1990s or recently?!

Top bull was taken in about 2002 I was on that hunt.
middle pic was taken quite a few years ago thats Virgil on the left
bottom pic was around 2000

Top Bull scored about 380 walked out into a slide about 10:30 in the morning....go figure...lol