Rifle Elk-Deer Combo

General season rifle elk/deer combination hunts are conducted from my base camp in Montana HD590. My area is located at the southern end of the Bull Mountains. HD 590 is a “limited entry” trophy bull elk rifle hunting unit. “Limited entry” rifle hunting and private land ranches allow bull elk in this unit to mature to world class proportions. A bull scoring 431B&C official has been taken in this unit and one of my clients harvested a 403P&Y official gross typical. HD 590 rifle Special Either Sex Elk  Permits must be applied for through the lottery system. The prerequisite is a general elk/deer combo license that must be applied for by March 15. This license is obtained through the Montana General Drawing. The “trophy bull permit” is applied for after you receive your elk tag and must be done prior to June 1. The chances of being drawn is usually a little less than 25%. Success in the drawing allows a client the opportunity to hunt the “bull of a lifetime”. A bull in excess of 350B&C would be the object of the hunt. The first step in the process of applying for one of these permits is to book a Deer Hunt during the General Rifle season. Second, apply for the General Big Game Combo license, this would then allow you to put in for the Special Either Sex Elk Permit. If unsuccessful, we would hunt for a trophy buck mule deer. If successful, we would focus on a trophy bull and take a mule deer during the course of the hunt. Generally, the bull is hunted during the same time period that the deer hunt is booked. I do, however, hold a couple slots on my opening hunt for those clients that are able to come early after the permit is drawn. If a Special Either Sex Elk  Permit is drawn, the cost of the elk/deer combination hunt is the cost of the deer hunt plus an additional $3,500. If a special either sex elk permit IS NOT drawn and you wish to hunt antlerless elk, the cost of the antlerless elk/deer combination hunt is the cost of the deer hunt plus an additional $1000. The $1000 is payable by October 1, 2012 when the balance of the deer hunt is due. There are no refunds on any hunt payments. Results of the special permit drawings are posted in early August.