Meomako

Going on my first ever elk huntthis fall in Montana. We'll be hunting unit 448 in Lewis & Clark National Forest. Anybody out there with any good "war stories" on this unit? What should I expect; anything you can tell me so I don't show up completely in the blind[:'(].
This is a guided hunt but would still like to hear anything about the area from someone familiar with it.
Thanks

BareBack Jack

Meomako,
I live less than 30 minutes from this area.It has elk,and yes they are hunted hard.Right in the middle is the Judith River game range(area 420 )this is where most of the elk migrate to,on this side of the mountain.The terrain is rough in places but the area mostly consits of timbered hills and steep canyons with lots of water and springs,with clearings and meadows.The last 7 days of the season is either-sex and this is when most of the pressure comes,since it is a ATV trailed area you will see alot of 4-wheelers and Pick-ups.You can have success,I have taken 2 cows in this area,and I have a freind who shoots a bull every year in this area.Most of the hunters drive the roads and look for tracks,if you get away from the roads and weather is good,snow and cold.It should be a fine trip.
The bulls in this area usally don't get to big,but their is always a few.Every year a few lucky hunters shoot a decent bull,300-350 class animal.
You have taken alot of guess work out by hiring a outfitter,I don't know who you are hunting with but some have private land leases and you can get into some good elk hunting anytime.
Their is some good deer hunting there also,so I hope this helps.Area 448 is a big area and I hunt on the NE side.
Anymore help or ? just ask BBJ

Speedgoat

As Jack has said, most elk head for the game range when the snow gets deep in the back country. The outfitters hunt the middle fork of the judith, and the sand point area, which had a good burn a few years back, With a little more open timber. The burn was in the Southwest part of 448, i have done some hunting in both the area jack has mentioned, and the sandpoint area. A buddy took a 340 bull from the game range about 3 years back. I have also taken a couple elk there, i have seen bulls, but no real monsters. Keep your eyes open for a good muley buck. Here's a question for ya jack. where'd green mountain ever get it's name, you can look on a map, it'll show bear gulch, but no green mountain to the
East of it?

BareBack Jack

I don't know speedgoat,cause thats where the sun shines?
I know where Green mountain is and Bear Gulch,aculy I can see the backside of Geen Mountain out my window,I have a good veiw of Reed Hill and Red hill,also the top of Baldy.
I have a buddy who hunts the Bear gulch,Etin Springs area,his dad used to outfit in there in the 50's and 60's.
I usaly hunt up Lost Fork and Wood Chopper,then late in the season I head for the Twin Sisters over in 418.

Meomako

Thanks guys
The outfitter I'm hunting with hunts the Lost Fork of the Judith River drainage. It's a two hour horse back pack in so hopefully we'll be away from the crowds. It's an elk/mule deer combo hunt the first week of the season. I'm sure it'll be a great experience and hopefully see a few animals and maybe take one, don't need a trophy but would like to put a good bull down. Who knows, maybe I'll see you out there BB.
Thanks again

BareBack Jack

Meomako my I ask who your outfitter is ?

Meomako

Hey BB
I sent you an email with my outfitters name. Scared of what I might hear about them on an open forum ().

Speedgoat

meomako,
Lost fork is some good country, you should do well. You wanted a story about the area. 2 years ago i was hunting whitetails by Ackley lake, jack knows where that is, good, flat, wide open country with whitetails and antelope, not a tree in sight, lots of wheat stubble fields in between the snowy and little belt mountains, you can see all the mountains jack refers to in the distance, including the twin sisters. i heard lots of shooting to the south all day long, pretty steady, and moving from east to west which i thought to be kind of funny, anyway, later in the afternoon my buddy and i took a ride in that direction to see what all the commotion was all about. I was looking out the window as a drove, scanning the countryside for deer. when i see a small herd of elk bedded down in a wheat stubble field. Imagine my surprise, the bunch had a small bull in with it, i had filled my tag with a nice bull on opening day a couple weekends before, so i just sat watching them(this was not elk country). Eventually a game warden wandered by and stopped. seems a large herd of elk, 500 head or so migrated from one mountain range ta the other a little early, The area is open to elk, so there was quite a commotion going on for a few days. The elk herd took a pounding, with some large mature bulls taken out of the bunch. I guess it's rare, but happens ever now and then. They had to run the gauntlet of about 20 miles or so to make the mountains to the West.Elk have a pretty tough time hiding in winter wheat stubble fields, they kind of stick out like a sore thumb.

BareBack Jack

I remember that,turned into a big deal.From what I hear they do that fairly often,depending on feed and what not(that is cross).