BKC

AK JEFF
The property that I'm hunting is 500 acres with a 250 acre meadow surrounded by a horseshoe of mountainstating at about 3500ft above sea level up to 10k ASL the jeep will get us up to the right of the horseshoe to about 5K ASL and there is a gate we stop the jeep and then hike to the top and we can glass
all sides of the mountain depend where we are and then hunt our way down at night and we also canpack backfurther in the back country which is BLM land and their friends land last year they took 9 bulls out of this area my buddy that owns the cabin is 62 and has grown up in this area so I hope he can get us on the elk.I'm not worrying about the deer because we will be there right in the rut according to my friend any way the last week I can alwaysfill the freezer with a doe....lolwe have 10 days start to finish 16 hour dive each way i figure 8 days of hunting. Andwe still haven't heard about our antelope tags in Wyoming yet it couldbe a busy summer and fall

AK Jeff

Sounds like you have a game plan, but I personally wouldn't bother with the jeep. 500 acres might seem like a lot if you're from back east, but under the Big Sky that's nothing. My family owns a couple thousand acres in Montana and that still isn't very big. A 6k foot climb will get your hear rate up, but it isn't that bad. I'd leave the wheels at home and oil up your hiking boots and I'd be willing to bet your success rate will go up considerably.

Here's a picture of the bull my Dad shot last year:

AK Jeff

Here's another picture that'll help keep you up at night. It's a crappy picture because I snapped it through a spotting scope. My father-in-law and I were glassing these 21 bulls from a hill right next to his ranch house. It's a rough job, but somebody has to do it.

BKC

AK Jeff
we have over 25 k to hunt onnot 500 sorry i did not make that clearon and I'm not from back east I went to college in the rockies and have hunted a lot in all western the states but Montana and live in Calif. I killed the biggest bull in eastern Oregon Mt Emily just out side of Lagrande 5 miles and the biggest mule deer was in Nevada outside of Elkoas far as the jeepyou don't understand the way this ranch is set up but if you did you would understand the plan I don't think I asked you what part of the state areyouin

beech18

BKC, Sounds like you have it figured out. If you've done other elk hunts and hunted all the western states but Montana, Montana is no differnt. If your a good elk hunter elsewhereyou'll do fine in Montana, esp since you have an inside lead on private property.Have fun.

AK Jeff

25,000 acres makes a bit of a difference. Good luck.

AK Jeff

BKC

AK Jeff
those are very impressive pictures I thought you said your folks have 20K acres I asked before what part of the state north east, south east, and I also notice that you dad was wearing orange isMontana one of the states you have to use so many inches of orange while hunting I have not received my regs yetone more thing it looks like your father took the scope to the eye in the picture it look like he is bleeding. If it's a birthmark I not beingoffensive. But I know how that is 2 years ago I bought a new gun and was out hunting Ishot a small northernCalif alfalfa buck on the last day of the season and pow kick back and 4 stitch's

beech18

Montanahas orange required during the rifle season.

BKC

Beech18
How much orange a hat a vest or a full coat like AK JEFFs father was wearing. Calif only makes you wear orange if you are hunting pheasant on a club and all ithas to be is a hatin the wild no orange. the last time I hunted Oregon no orange Nevada ether Idaho no

beech18

Dont need a orangehat, ive been checked many times nearwhere i liveand my orangevest or coat has never caused any issues with the local wardens here in Montana. i too have hunted states with no orange requirements and its nice with out putting a vest on or making sure your coat is orange.