Montana Big Game Hunting

Montana Hunting

Montana has a reputation of being the pre-eminent hunting destination in the western states.  Out here, our days are long and so is our season.  Our early and general season back country hunts are based from semi-permanent tent camps far from a trailhead.  This gets us a long way from anyone and anywhere, indeed into the heart of elk and mule deer country.  The early rifle season opens in mid-September and runs through the third week of October.  We provide general season Montana big game hunts from the end of October through early November.   The elk and mule deer herds overlap in these rugged areas, so we hunt either species from each camp.  Additionally, we also have good populations of black bear and wolf which are more opportunistic.   Towards the end of the general season we offer mule deer and big horn sheep hunts on public lands west of our ranch.  These are great migration hunts to close out the season.  Whichever hunt and season suits you best, you will find the Montana big game hunting opportunities in this area will be a very special hunting experience.

Early Season Wilderness Hunts

The early rifle hunts is typically the earliest rifle opener for big game in the US.  Our early rifle hunts are based from wilderness camps are deep in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in elk and mule deer hunting district 151.  This is the headwaters of the Middle Fork of the Flathead River west of the Continental Divide.  Though guided hunts are the most popular, we do have the option of providing limited services in unguided hunts as well in the early rifle season. 

The early rifle season opens in mid-September and generally overlaps the elk rut. The mule deer bucks summer in the Middle Fork country, and we have equal opportunity for elk and mule deer hunting in any of the early season Montana big game hunts.  The mule deer tend to be in bachelor herds higher up on the ridges and mountainsides as the deer rut doesn't start until much later in November.  In our early camps we also have hunting opportunities for black bear or wolf as we can see these animals opportunistically in the general area.

General Season Wilderness Hunts

Our general season wilderness hunts are in the shadow of Glacier National Park just east of the continental divide.  In this area you will find classic later season bull elk hunting and mule deer buck hunting.  The elk typically are moving into bachelor herds and the mule deer are starting to move down from the high country as they gather in herds.  We still have opportunities for black bear through the end of October and wolf through the season.  

Late Season Mule Deer Hunts

Our late season mule deer hunts take place on the National Forest lands of Rocky Mountain Front just west of Choteau.  These are day-hunts (meaning we do not set up camps). The area west of Choteau is the last stop on the migration route for the mule deer as the move from the mountains to the prairie to winter each year. The mule deer bucks are starting to gather with the does and the deer rut starts towards the end of November.