Elk and Mule Deer Hunts in the Madison Range with Medicine Lake Outfitters.

While most of our guests place their trip emphasis on elk, you can hunt both elk and deer. If you are successful in taking both animals then we will charge a $500. trophy fee on the deer. If you only take one species, whether it be elk or deer, there is no trophy fee.

The muleys rut most of the month of November. During this period bucks can be found by watching the edges of parks for does. Wherever you find a clan of does a buck will be close by.

Our General Season hunt is a full service eight day trip. The first and the last day of the expedition are travel days and there are six full days of hunting in between.

The packtrip from trailhead to camp requires a five to six hour ride by saddle horse. We utilize two pre-set base camps and several spike camps. We will book between four and eight guests per base camp. The guide to hunter ratio is one guide per two hunters.

Medicine Lake Outfitters offers hunts during the “General Season” in country just to the west of Yellowstone Park.

This is a classic mountain wilderness of entrancing beauty and rugged character. Elevations climb from 6,000 to 11,000 feet. Long glacier carved valleys run deep into the range. Above these wind, water and ice have sculpted a spectacular combination of steep craggy peaks, glacial cirques, and expansive alpine plateaus.

Below timberline the north slopes are forested with virgin stands of lodge pole pine, subalpine fir, and spruce. The south slopes tend to be a mix of grassy parks, aspen, and isolated patches of douglas fir.

This rugged, remote country is home to many large herds of elk. The roadless character of the region has allowed a high percentage of the bulls to mature to trophy quality status. Most of the elk our hunters take are 5x5 and 6x6 bulls.

We use a variety of different hunting strategies. Early mornings and evenings we hunt the edges of open parks that elk regularly use for feeding and night bedding. When we have snow, we will simply ride the wildlife travel lanes until we cut fresh tracks, then dismount and still hunt into the game’s bedding or feeding area. Elk choose day bedding areas on benches that offer good visibility, security cover and thermal protection. As a rule, when bedded they tend to direct their attention downslope. A careful still hunt from above often rewards a hunter with a good shot at a surprised bull.

Our General Season hunts have consistently provided hunter opportunity for elk in the 70% to 80% range.

It should be emphasized that what we are offering is a western backcountry Hunting Experience. There are no guarantees on a “fair chase” hunt. Elk are a free roaming and wide ranging animal. The country they flourish in is tough. Hunting experience, physical conditioning, preparation, shooting ability, horse handling skills, not to mention weather and hunting pressure, are all elements that will affect your hunt one way or the other.