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Anyone out there hunt in unit 340 of Montana for moose? Area 340 is from Dillon to Virgina city to Whitehall to Butte.(basically) Interested in moose concentrations / locations and the ability to call them in during the rut. I will be hunting from 23 Sept to 9 Oct. Any help yould be greatly appreciated. Chris | ||
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Junior I have hunted that area alot and there is a pretty good population of moose there. There are not any really huge moose but alot of respectable bulls. I have never been lucky enough to draw a permit so I have have not hunted moose there but I see them quite often while hunting elk or deer. Moose are spread out throughout the area (it a big area) but I have seen the most in and around Red mountain. The key to finding moose there is time time and more time. Get up somewhere high where you got a good view and watch the countryside. If you haven't found a moose in a few hours then move to a new spot and do it again and again and again. If you keep at it every day you will find the moose. I have not tried calling a moose in because I have never had a permit to hunt one in this area, however, I have accidentally called a couple in while calling for elk so I don't see any reason why it would not work. Are you camping or staying in town? If you provide me with a little more info on what you are planning I will see if I can come up with more info. Russ | |||
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Junior: Your area is no where near Virginia City - don't go there! Your area is in the shape of a triangle from Dillon to Whitehall - from Whitehall to Butte - from Butte to Dillon. I just had lunch with one of my main Hunting partners and that reminded me of one of the "Moose" he saw in your area killed by a car! Not unusual you say! Try this! The guy driving the car was getting a blow job from his step sister as they were driving down Highway 2 (the back road into Butte from Waterloo/Silver Star) and the car left the road became airborne and landed on top of a two year old Bull Moose in the middle of a creek/willow thicket!!! Everyone died, the Moose and the step sister but the suckee lived through the ordeal! My friend pulled him out of the car and out of the swamp! Anyway that stretch of Highway 2 from the top of the pass down towards Butte has lots of Moose in it! Even though I live at the bottom of the triangle of your area I don't Hunt it much except for Coyotes, Fox and Ground Squirrels! I will do some intel for you and see if I can get a line on a Bull (? - do you have a Bull tag or a cow tag?). Also when you get to the bottom of the hill on Highway 2 look for the large memorial to the two year old Bull Moose that was killt by the flying car! Several of the local folks had considered the poor Moose a pet and there is a nice memorial to him where he was killt by the flying car! It would be funny if it weren't so tragic! I nearly hit a large Cow Moose one early morning as she was crossing I-15 13 miles north of Dillon! It was black out and she was black and slowly crossing the freeway from west to east! I was lucky that morning! I was fly fishing Poindexter Slough in late January two winters ago and a monster Bull Moose charged by me at 20 MPH! Scared me so bad I almost pisst myself! Then I was yelling at my fishing partner as the Moose was headed right at him (he was in his camo Goose Hunting outfit as he fished!) but the wind was howling and he could not hear me! The Moose hit the water not 6 feet from him and my partner nearly shit his pants! This Moose moves in to this area in late season and is at the VERY southern corner of your traingle shaped area! I fly fished this area this past February and saw tracks but no Moose in person! If he's there he would be an easy one at the end of the season! Like I say I will do some intel for you but I Hunt Elk to the west of your area and Whitetails to the east of your area so its not my number one go to place except for fishing and Varminting! Also this - if you miss the first week of the Hunting season you WILL be cutting your chances of success by at least 50%! If it were me and my tag I would be there on Septemebr 15th WITH BELLS ON! That is the start and some say the height of the Moose rut! The Game Department starts the Moose season AFTER much of the Moose rutting is done and the females are P.G.! There are probably only 50 or 60 adult men that have Hunted Moose in your area that are alive today, so trying to find someone that has been there and done that is going to be a rarity - especially on an obscure web site like this one! You would do well to contact the Game Department and ask for the addresses of recent men (most folks put in their grandmothers, mothers, sons, daughters and the like for these tags - then they HELP them Hunt if you get my drift!). In other words many of the recipients of Moose tags are Hunting their first ever head of Big Game!!! Anyway get an address and write a letter or two if you are interested in first hand information. Best of luck to ya! Hold into the wind VarmintGuy | |||
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VarmitGuy & MtElkHunter Thanks for the information. I'm originally from Bozeman, joined the Marine Corps after college and kept my home of record in MT. Hunt most years (minus Iraq, Somalia ect) here in Montana. Drew the Bull tag for the moose this year but most of my hunting has been in the Gallatin / Madison valley as well as the Jordan / Miles City areas. I believe in the "get the tag first" mentality and worry about everything else afterwards. Back in Bozeman for the Labor day weekend (scouting trip / day of upland birds and maybe a day on the yellowstone) Spoke with the Game wardens in Dillon and tried the one in Whitehall..No luck yet. I've got the name of a rancher that may allow access plus a ranch on the Block management program hopefully lined up. Took my Bighorn Sheep off public land though and I'd like to try to take the Moose on public land as well. My hunting partner happens to be a warden for the MT Fish and Game in Miles City and he is coming with me to hunt. We will be camping while we hunt. Probably starting around Dillon / Big Hole river valley / SE of Glen area and then work our way North. I'd like to be on the hunt come Sept 15th however the Marine Corps has me TAD to the East Coast until the 22nd. Flying back on the evening of the 22nd. I've blocked 2, two week blocks to hunt, but not living here requires that I obtain as much intell as I can about the area. Then hunt like a mad man. I just have not spent much time around there previously and am looking for as much info as I can get my hands onto. Thanks for the help and the story of the moose kiliing car. Chris | |||
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Chris: Have you considered going A.W.O.L. for a few days prior to your leave? Just kidding keep your record clean in that regard. Most of my main men are in the woods scouting, Hunting Elk or otherwise disposed of this holiday time! I did get one report from the person in Montana I trust the most for good intel! He says the wooded area JUST ABOVE (upstream and uphill) of Hell's Canyon (in the east Pioneers) just south of Silver Star ALWAYS puts out a couple of Moose each year! Again we are dealing with a small cadre of folks that have actually Hunted there in your area and I am searching for one diligently! I was out yesterday Grouse/Varmint Hunting and saw a total of 7 Moose for the day. Unfortunately they were just south of your area and no sign of rutting yet (thats good news considering your later arrival). Even on this warmish day they were eating willow tips most all day! All the Bulls still had all their velvet on their antlers. We saw 4 Moose in one short stretch of willow bottom and two 3 1/2 year old Bulls were actually feeding right by each other! It got down to 29 degrees here last night so its beginning to cool off. West Yellowstone nearly broke a record low last night at 20 degrees! I will re-double my efforts to get you some intel ASAP. I just now got a return call from a friend who tells me that you should take the Birch Creek exit off of I-15 go east a few hundred yards. Then go north on that gravel road to the huge willow patch (1/2 mile north). My friend says normally there is a Bull Moose in that patch chasing the Cow Moose that is almost always in there during rutting time! He also relays to me that the stretch of the Big Hole River that runs from I-15 east to Twin Bridges always has Moose in there. But much of this stretch is privately held with varying tresspass rules. My friend says that Moose Hunters he feels would be much more welcome than Deer Hunters in this area. Again most of my spies are out and about but I will get back to you when info comes in. The Taxidermist in Silver Star (Steve Rhodes 406-287-3303) is a pretty standup guy (20 year pilgrim to Montana from West Virginia) and he is an avid early season scouter and archer in your area. His counsel can be depended on! And he specializes in Elk, Mt. Goat, Moose and other large heads and full body mounts! I would call him before anyone else in your area. Hold into the wind VarmintGuy | |||
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VarmitGuy, Thanks for the intell... I could use all the info I can get. I am getting a bit ansy with the season opening day only a week away. Have been in Savannah this week, head back to CA for a week and then back to VA for a week. The week in VA will be hard knowing that I should be in MT hunting Moose. I guess I'm looking for sightings from guys that are hunting elk, or just passing by the area as well. The area that you speak of with the Big Hole off the I-15 has a good size ranch that is on the Block management program which should help. I also have a lead on another rancher that hopefully will allow moose hunters. Thanks for the lead also on Steve Rhodes. Hopefully I'll be able to post a few pictures of a decent moose on AR in a few weeks. thanks again for all the information. Chris | |||
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I also have some people watching for moose. As I get reports in I will let you know. Russ | |||
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Thanks Russ 12 days and counting..... | |||
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Chris I know 2 people who have had bull permits in the highlands. I talked to one of them today and he got his bull high up on "camp" creek. "camp" creek is accessable from a road out of the town of Melrose. I talked to another guy who was in the area this weekend deer hunting and he saw one moose (cow) in the area called "moose town". "moose town" is only 1 or 1 miles from "camp" creek so it is looking good so far. Later Russ | |||
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Junior: I am thrilled that MtElkHunter has some contact with actual people that have Hunted your area for Moose. That is gonna help A LOT! All I can find are Elk and Cougar Hunters that occassionally see Moose in your area. I am still looking for more intel. We are headed up into our Moose area this coming Thursday (September 14th) and will be on site of a large Bulls former haunts (rut is starting up good now and he may have moved recently?). The opener is the 15th and hopefully my partner will bring to bag a nifty Bull soon thereafter. By the way my friend has been offered $800.00 (American!) for his Moose hide! I mean the whole pelt (hide) from lips to ankles! Keep that in mind if you can get your Moose into the truck "whole"! Again best of luck in your Moose venture! Hold into the wind VarmintGuy | |||
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Damn!!!! It's too bad I live in the area just north of the highlands.... just out side of your area because I had a nice bull moose in my back yard last night just at dark... Oh well I will keep looking for you.... | |||
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Junior, I suggest you look for the following sign...when you see this...  you are in the right spot. LoL Best of luck, Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Mike, Your right, I'd be in right place for moose, but I'm pretty sure that I'd be a few miles out of MT.  | |||
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MtElkHunter, Just spook his ass a little father south in 9 days...  | |||
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that's actually a monster shiras Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Junior I have been talking to several people who have been to the highlands in the last week and some moose have been spotted. There does not appear to be any one spot, they are scattered throughout the area. Are you going to be hunting alone? If so have you thought about what you are going to do if when you get your moose down. When I got my moose there was just two of us and we had some problems handling the critter because they are big! Mike is right that is a dandy moose. If you see one like that don't even think.... Shoot!!! | |||
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MtElk Hunter, Ther eshould / will be 2 of hunting initially. I have the availability to bring in horses after a kill if necessary or ATV or a few other people / friends to help pack out if necessary. I have 1/4'd out eldk and other game out of the missouri breaks county so getting the animal out of the back county can be done its just a matter of how and how long...I'll be flying back into Bozeman Friday night and on site bye Saturday night. Just have to decide where it is that I want to start off at. I'm starting to sean towards the southeast corner of the area to start off. Anyway, if you guys get any hot tips my cell phone is 310.625.0986 thanks for the help. Chris | |||
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Chris I PM'ed you with my phone. If you need help give me a call. I will also keep looking and asking people and if I find anything I will let you know. Russ | |||
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I don't care who you are, that's some crazy chit right there!...  | |||
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Dang... Wish I'd have seen this earlier before he left. I used to do quite a bit of grouse hunting in the Highlands when I was in School in Butte. There was one spot that I always saw either moose or fresh sign. Good luck to you hope you nail a nice one! | |||
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Ivan Send me a PM with the location you know about. I have been looking for a moose for Chris and have his cell number. If I find a good one I will call him and hopefully he can get on it. Russ | |||
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It's all over Boys!  The Moose now resides in my freezer. Passed out jerky at work today. Unfortunately I have 2 pictures off my camera phone as I loss my digital camera to the 9th Street bridge and yellowstone river intersection in Livingston 2 days after I killed the moose. Not that big but the butcher stated that it will probably be the best piece of meat that he cuts on all year (nice to hear) The one stat that I do have is that the liver weighed 12 pounds. | |||
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That great!!! That week you were hunting I got out a few times to see if I could find one and found some cows but no good bulls. Where did you get him? What butcher did you use? It would be great to hear a little more about the hunt. Russ | |||
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Sorry but I have to ask..... How did you loose your camera???? That has to be a good story... | |||
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Junior: Congrats and please post details of your Hunt! Good for you! Hold into the wind VarmintGuy | |||
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