Montana is a great state for hunting elk. It has one of the best general archery seasons in the entire country, and bowhunters have a full six weeks of hunting. Couple that with a lot of public land, and hunters have a great opportunity to get away from the crowds and be successful.

Montana’s over-the-counter areas are perfect for growing older age class bulls. Plus, the majority of the state’s record class bulls have came from general units. Keep in mind, the western half of the state can be very remote and mountains are rugged, but with a long season, hunters can have a solid chance at a trophy bull. In 2014, a giant 444” gross elk was taken on public ground.

People looking to hunt Montana for elk on a general tag should stick to the western portion of the state and put on the miles to gain an edge in the archery and rifle seasons. Eastern Montana continues to produce great elk hunting for those people lucky to draw a tag. Hunters can expect to find 330-360” bull in most areas of the famous Missouri River Breaks if they put their time in, with a few 380” plus bulls pulled from the Breaks each year. This area has the potential for one of the best elk hunts in the state, but this unit also has a lot of private land issues that you will need to navigate.

If you do not tag out in the archery season, you can turn around and hunt for another five weeks with a rifle. Montana is a rarity when it comes to opportunity. Those who want to use their bonus points can apply for some of the best elk hunting that the West has to offer. Herd numbers are not what they used to be, but some hunting districts are producing quality bulls each year.

Mild winters have helped the elk herds in the western part of the state. Wolves have taken a toll on the elk numbers in a lot of regions, but Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks are reporting elk numbers near the long term average. Elk herds remain over objective in all of the Missouri River Breaks hunting districts.

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