Presented by Rob Arnaud

Montana Hunting Company

Boone and Crockett Score

Front Tooth for cementum analysis

A GOOD photo

Harvest Weight

339 2/8 B&C

8.5 years 339 B&C

7.5 years

324 B&C

8.5 years 341 6/8 B&C

9.5 years

2.5 years

220 B&C

3.5 years

254 7/8 B&C

4.5 years

270 B&C

5.5 years

296 B&C

6.5 years

327B&C 7.5 years

358 B&C

8.5 years

346 3/8 B&C

9.5 years

362 7/8 B&C

What does your data say?

o How old are your elk? Mature bull elk = 7 years of age

o What’s their gross Boone and Crockett scores?

• Scores peak at 8.5 years of age

o Are you harvesting the appropriate age of elk?

• Are you over harvesting?

• Would you be better off cutting back on numbers of hunters, increasing

Boone and Crockett scores and charging more?

o Meld this information with your ground and flight data

• Do you have enough bulls/elk to achieve goals?

• Do you have to many cows? – reducing cow elk can narrow bull/cow

ratios and increase fecundity

o Are you priced equitably with other outfitters in the West?

• Are you selling a $5,000 hunt when it should be an $7,500 hunt?

Balance your harvest management with your habitat

management

Hunting needs to pay for the AUM’s used by elk

o Land owner’s tolerance for game increases when they are paying

their way

o Convert elk to AUM’s multiply by numbers on ranch and convert to

dollar amount

• 3 Elk = 1 AUM

• 1 AUM = $20-$35 per month

• Example: 100 Elk = 33 AUM’s x 12 months = 396 AUM x $20 = $7,920

• That is the forage consumed by elk herd and they should pay for their own

feed.

Geographic Size and Location of Property (Limitations)

o Ranch is too small to affect ages of harvested elk

• Can you take more elk or should you take less?

• Landowner and neighbor consideration of quality

Habitat Enhancement Strategies

o Consider leaving second crop alfalfa for food source for elk

o Consider leaving sanctuary areas on the ranch for elk security

and/or road management

o Work with landowner on cattle rotation

o Work with silviculturalists on timber management

Best survey helicopter

Second best survey fixed wing

Third best ground census

You need to balance survey method with budget. On smaller

properties, a ground census may be adequate. Get flight data

from FWP.

Be consistent with methods and time and fashion.

Keeping accurate records and data will pay dividends!

Land owner appreciation – usually translates into long term

leases

Scientific analysis helps make good decision

Helps educate guides on age class of animal to be targeted

for hunting

Clients can make informed decisions = happy hunters