Montana is one of the most DIY-friendly elk states in the West. Nonresidents can hunt any public land, including wilderness, without a guide, and the general elk license covers most of the state. That freedom also means a lot of competition on public land. Here is how the three main ways to hunt compare.

The three options at a glance

	DIY	Drop camp	Fully guided
Who finds the elk	You	You	Your guide
Camp and gear	You bring everything	Outfitter provides camp, you bring personal gear	Outfitter provides everything
Getting in and out	You hike or drive in	Outfitter packs you in and out by horse or mule	Outfitter handles it
Packing out an elk	You	Outfitter, usually at the end of the hunt	Outfitter
Typical cost (beyond license)	Lowest	Middle	Highest, often $5,000–$12,000
Best for	Experienced, fit hunters with time to scout	Backcountry access without the logistics	First-timers, short trips, or private-land bulls

DIY: hunting on your own

Pros: It costs the least, your general license lets you move between districts, and Montana’s long seasons give you time. Block Management opens a lot of private land to free public hunting.

Cons: Public land near roads gets crowded, especially on the general season opener. Elk move to private land or deep timber under pressure. You handle everything, including getting several hundred pounds of meat out.

DIY works best if you:

• Can scout ahead of time, in person or with maps
• Are willing to hike several miles past trailheads
• Have a plan, and a partner, for packing out an elk
• Can hunt late in the season, when snow helps

Drop camp: the middle ground

An outfitter packs you and a set-up camp into the backcountry, often in a wilderness area like the Bob Marshall, Scapegoat, or Absaroka-Beartooth, and comes back to pack you and your elk out. Some Montana outfitters also offer “unguided” camps where a cook and packer stay in camp but you hunt on your own.

Pros: Deep backcountry access without carrying a camp, at a fraction of the cost of a guided hunt.

Cons: You still have to find the elk. Weather or injury far from the trailhead is a real risk, and meat care is your job until the packer comes.

Ask before you book a drop camp:

• What’s in camp: tent, stove, cots, cooking gear, food?
• How far from the trailhead, and how many other hunters use the area?
• How often do you check on camp, and how do you pack out elk?
• What success have past drop camp hunters had?

Fully guided: the highest odds

A guide scouts before the season, knows where elk go when pressure starts, calls during the rut, and handles field care and pack-out. In Montana, many of the best guided hunts are on private ranches where elk escape public land pressure, while wilderness outfitters run traditional horseback camps.

Pros: The best odds, private land access, and a much easier trip.

Cons: The cost, and the need to book early. Outfitters often fill a year or more ahead.

A Montana bonus: If you book with a licensed outfitter, you can buy a second $100 preference point when you apply for your combination license. A license drawn with that extra point is only valid when hunting with an outfitter.

Questions to ask any Montana elk outfitter

1. Are you licensed? Montana outfitters must be licensed by the state, and guides must work for a licensed outfitter. Ask for the outfitter license number.
2. Do you have a permit for the land you hunt? Outfitters on national forest land need a U.S. Forest Service special use permit.
3. Private or public land? If private, how many acres, and how many other hunters use it?
4. Which districts and seasons do you guide? Do any need a special elk permit?
5. What were your success and opportunity rates the last few years?
6. How many hunters per guide?
7. What’s included? Lodging, meals, meat care, airport pickup, and whether your license is included.
8. What’s your refund policy if I don’t draw?
9. Can I talk to past clients?

So which should you choose?

• First elk hunt, limited time, or want a private-land bull? Go guided.
• Experienced and want to get into the backcountry? A drop camp.
• Have time to scout and want the lowest cost? DIY, ideally late in the season or deep in wilderness.

Related: How Montana draw points work · Draw odds by unit · Montana Elk Hunting Guide · Cost of a Montana elk hunt · Season dates

Outfitter and license rules are from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks for 2026. Confirm the current requirements in the FWP regulations before you book.