Welcome to Ford Creek Guest Ranch & Outfitters – Montana’s Leading Big Game Hunting Destination

We describe the hunting terrain in our area as “open country with scattered timber”. Game is found up close (40 yards) and at longer ranges (300 yards) but may be shot beyond that distance, so that is why the low power scopes are suggested with an option to dial them up at longer ranges and higher power. Over the years we have literally lost hundreds of super high-quality bulls and bucks when hunters have inadvertently used high power scopes and could not find their target at close range!  Our professional guides share their years of hunting knowledge with our guests to provide each hunter with excellent advice well in advance of pulling the trigger. Trophy wild game animals simply don’t allow for human mistakes… they are super intelligent and don’t stick around long when they see you or you miss. So, shoot your rifle a lot at the range before you get to Montana, practice and know how your gun shoots at 40 yards to 400 yards.

We will be using two modes of transportation to reach our hunting areas, 4-wheel drive vehicles and our seasoned  mountain horses. The hunting area from the guest ranch is vast and is located on the Lewis and Clark National Forest. 7 large mountain drainages are the focus of our hunting area. They point north and east toward the Sun River Game Range and select private properties where approximately 3,500 elk (plus or minus) spend the winter and early spring. Your hunt is a migration hunt for elk and deer combined.

Our hunting areas are 422 and 424. There are 7 major hunting districts in Montana. The 400 series have the most elk in them out of the 7 districts so our areas offer a good chance for spot and stalk hunting. It is not rare to see herds of 100 plus elk. Backcountry winter weather encourages the elk to start their migration out of the Rocky Mountain Wildernesses on their way to winter range. The most common sightings of elk numbers are in groups of one to twelve.

You will be hunting the Lewis and Clark National Forest and it is as much wilderness as the Wilderness is. Weather can change 10 times a day in October and November. So, bring outdoor hunting clothing that will keep you warm and dry, plan on changing weather.

Each hunter must shoot his or her own game animal. Absolutely no shooting for other hunters in camp!

Every hunter must read the entire booklet of Montana Hunting Regulations and understand the regulations. PROOF OF SEX must be left on and attached to all harvested big game animals. If you cut off PROOF OF SEX you risk the chance of your trophy being confiscated by Montana FWP law enforcement. Your Montana Big Game license must be attached to the carcass of the harvested animal following the kill.

On days we hunt by vehicle you will use your rented/private vehicle to drive to and from hunting areas with your professional guide, parking your vehicle and hunting slowly on foot. We will be using guest ranch vehicles along with your vehicle. We do not expect you to transport any game in your rental or private vehicle back to the guest ranch after it is downed. We use Ford Creek trucks, trailers and livestock to retrieve your elk and deer from the kill sites when game cannot easily be dragged to a vehicle access point. We supply saddle horses when departing from the guest ranch to hunting destinations available from the guest ranch. For hunters who are in good physical condition we may walk right from the guest ranch, rather than ride saddle horses depending on the hunting conditions and location of the game. It is not uncommon for our hunters to shoot game in close proximity to the guest ranch on the nearby open grassy hillsides. That is a key reason we do not fire rifles on our rifle range during the hunting season, so make sure your gun is sighted in prior to arriving at Ford Creek Guest Ranch and Outfitters.