Montana Rifle Season Opener this weekend!

[mjhowe]

Greetings!

Well this Sunday it all starts again! I will be on Fort Peck Reservoir with my boat and my rifle! I know it sounds funny, but we will be using the boat to access the farthest reaches, set up our wall tents and chase the elk and the mulies for two weeks!

Probobly will even get some fishing in...make that most definately will get some fishing in!!! Too long a trip to spend all that time and not do SOME fishing in what is an incredible fishery.

I would love to hear from anyone that has been there within the last week or two or anyone who has been there at this time of year, any year! What is the ticket for walleye and small mouth fishing right now?

Oh, yeah, and where are the elk???

I ll let everybody know in detail what I find while I am there!

Be safe this weekend,

[harvey lee]

I elk hunted along the river down stream from Fort peck in the Charles M Russel wildlife refuge a few years ago. Of course one needs the tag to hunt the refuge. We saw many elk usually along the river edge watering in the early evenings.

We also fished the river for eyes and didnt do too bad. IF I remember right we did ok on cranks casting to points and trolling but I just dont remember what color.

Where we fished and elk hunted was to the west of Fort Peck a few miles and then we went south approx 15 miles or so across the Page & Whitmann land and cattle companies land and then to a landing that was very steep down to it. From there we went downstream another 20 minutes ride by boat to a little spot and camped for two weeks.

Good luck. It sure is nice country to hunt in. I'm planning a deer archery trip there for next fall and cannot wait for it. We will be hunting the MIlk river area just west of Glasgow.

[DonBo]

I am leaving in two weeks for my first ever mule deer hunt in the Powder River area. Saw some huge bucks here a couple years ago on an antelope hunt. Could not be more excited.

[DeanoB]

I grew up in Great Falls... we used to hit the coulees, or river breaks with good success, just walk along the top looking down, or find a good vantage point and sit with good binocs and glass alot. Find your animal and stalk on them, get within 300 yds usually and put a good shot with the rifle. I never took an elk, friends did, but we saw them this way, find muleys and whitetails also. The rattlers should be underground by now, but if it gets hot in the afternoon, keep your eyes open. The boat idea is good, spend some time glassing up the breaks, you could find animals this way, then land, and stalk them, check the regs first. I assume you aren't paying for a guide, and thats ok, you should at least see animals hunting the breaks and coulees, and have a shot. Good luck, i am hoping to get back there and hunt next year.

[CAJ]

Don't count on the rattlers being in the Den. A freind of mine just got his Elk last weekend, and the snakes were out sunning themselves during the warm part of the day. He got a 6x6. Saw a lot of Elk in area 631. Good luck to all. Said the Mulies were thick where they were. CAJ