Game & Season
The Castle Mountains have abundant big game, including elk, mule and white-tailed deer, moose (migratory), black bear, mountain lion, prairie dog (gopher version), badgers, and antelope. As anywhere, game patterns can vary with pressure, weather, forage and water availability, and other factors. Ultimately, hunting success depends on a combination of these factors, hunter skill, and luck.

The hunting area includes 3600 acres of private land and privately-accessible state land, plus thousands of acres of adjoining National Forest. The ranch has four miles of boundary with the National Forest.

Public access to this area is minimal in archery season and limited during gun season. The normally abundant numbers of elk, deer, and antelope on the ranch combine with the low-impact nature of archery hunting to make the ranch an outstanding bowhunting venue. While game behavior is, of course, more unpredictable during gun season, the combination of animal numbers, hunting space and limited public pressure generally produces excellent gun hunting opportunities.

All hunting will be unguided. We’ll provide you with a plasticized topographical map, annotated with property boundaries and local place names, upon your arrival. We will meet you when you arrive and check you out on the cabin, the map, and the territory. If you want to purchase your own map in advance, the appropriate maps are USGS / USDA FS, 7.5 Minute Series, “Castle Town” Quadrangle (Township 8N 8E, Sections (various portions of) 26, 27, 34, 35, & 36) and “Hamen” Quadrangle (Township 7N 8E, Sections 15 & 16. After booking and lease signing, we’ll be happy to email you a scanned version of our annotated map.

Terrain
Hunting terrain includes heavy timber, open parks, aspen groves, creeks, springs (favorite spots for elk wallows), and alfalfa fields. Average altitude is approximately 6200 feet, and much of the terrain is steep and rugged. Fall weather is unpredictable and can change both drastically and suddenly. We recommend hunters be in top physical condition and always travel in pairs. In addition to extra clothing, hunters should pack, at least, a map, compass or GPS, whistle, water, food, matches and paper, and a first aid kit.

Licensing & Regs
All hunters must have an appropriate hunting license. Since we operate as a "drop camp", each hunter must obtain his or her own hunting license from the state of Montana. The Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks web site provides detailed information on seasons, licensing, bonus points, and special permits, by district. The ranch is in elk and deer districts 452 and 580, and the adjoining National Forest is all in district 452. Both the ranch and adjoining National Forest are in antelope district 491. Normally, districts 452 and 580 have one week of either-sex elk gun hunting, while deer and elk archery hunting are always either-sex.

The ranch is eligible for up to 15 non-resident Landowner Sponsorship Deer Combination licenses. These licenses are allocated in a special drawing. The ranch can expect to receive 6-9 of these "guaranteed" licenses. Hunters or parties, who wish to apply for a Landowner Sponsorship Deer Combination License, must first book a hunt at the Rhynard Ranch. We’ll then mail you a certificate, which must accompany your license application to Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks. Hunters holding one of these licenses may not hold other licenses, and all hunting must occur on ranch property. District regulations, quotas, etc., change from year to year and are published on the MT Fish, Wildlife, & Parks website. You can also phone (1-406-444-2950) or write MT Fish, Wildlife, & Parks website. Their address is PO Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701.

Logistics
If you’re tired of freezing your tail off in a tent, you’ll love the warm ambiance of a hot soak in the tub, electric heat, a woodburning stove, and a comfortable bed after the day’s hunt. Our luxury cabin has all the modern amenities needed to make your stay the most comfortable of your hunting career. While guests provide their own personal and hunting gear, transportation, and food; everything else is provided, including cookware, and both cooking and eating utensils.

Most areas are fairly close to established ranch or Forest Service roads/trails, facilitating game retrieval. Retrieval services may be purchased, for a fee, from nearby residents. The cabin yard has a large, elevated game pole. Game butchering and packing services are available in White Sulphur Springs, Clyde Park, and Livingston. ATV’s and horses are not permitted, with the exception of ATV’s used for game retrieval on established trails only.

The closest commercial airports are in Helena, Bozeman, Great Falls, and Billings. Various Airlines service these cities (see below), each of which has rental car facilities. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are most adaptable to Montana’s rapidly changeable weather conditions, and we recommend their use. Tire chains are a good idea during gun season.

Bozeman – 1.5 hours – Delta, United, Northwest, Horizon

Helena – 1.5 hours – Delta, Northwest, Horizon, Big Sky

Great Falls – 2.5 hours – Delta, Northwest, Horizon, Big Sky

Billings – 2.5-3 hours – Delta, United, Northwest, Horizon, Big Sky

Delta | United | Northwest | Big Sky | Horizon

Rates & Schedule
Half of the lease fee and a signed lease agreement are due at time of reservation. There are no refunds. However, persons who fail to draw a tag may receive a refund before 30 April of the current year; or, credit their down payment to the following year. Prices may vary from year to year. The remaining half of the fee, along with a refundable $500 security deposit, is due 30 days before arrival. Payment must be by personal check or bank check.

"I can’t comment enough on the excellent accommodations you’ve built. We really enjoyed the hunt…I saw at least four whitetails that would make the Pope and Young record books – missed one of them.”  --Wisconsin Bowhunter

With the exception of the first and last weeks of both archery and gun season, check-in is any time on Sunday and checkout is before 10 AM the following Saturday. Check-in and checkout times may vary slightly due to scheduling constraints, but will always be specified and accepted by guests before arrival. Rates and hunting schedules are shown below. Non-hunters who accompany at least two paying hunters pay a reduced rate of $900. We lease to only one group per week. Minimum group size is two hunters.  A single hunter may be accompanied by a non-hunter (total of two persons), but the non-hunter must pay the "hunter" rate.

Big Game Rates
Groups of 2-3: $1,700 per person per week
Groups of 4 or more: $1,500 per person per week (must have at least 4 hunters)
Rates subject to change without notice. Published rates at time of down payment apply

Prairie Dog Rates
$150 per person per day. "Summer Recreation" cabin pricing applies for lodging fee.

The state of Montana charges a daily $5.60 tax for this property lease.  These taxes will be withheld from the security deposit refund, unless paid separately. 

Big Game Hunt Dates

2008 Archery:
opening day -- Sept. 6, 2008;
closing day -- Oct. 19, 2008
Note 1: NET = not earlier than, NLT = not later than
Note 2: * = extra day in this week

2008 Rifle:
opening day ­ Oct. 26, 2008;
closing day ­ Nov. 30, 2008
Note 1: NET = not earlier than, NLT = not later than
Note 2: * = extra day in this week

Hunt dates may change, if MT Fish, Wildlife, & Parks implements changes to the big game season. MT Fish, Wildlife, & Parks can decide to make such changes at any time before the season begins.

Booking Policy
Bookings are on a first come, first served basis. However, since some parties are unsuccessful in the draw, vacancies generally develop after the draw date (April 15). Therefore, in cases where a party’s wanted week has already been booked, we allow the party to book a different week (so they’re guaranteed a booking if they draw), as well as the second and third position for the week they originally wanted. Or, if there are no first positions available, a party may book the second or third position for two separate weeks. Thus, if a party wants the first week of bow season, but another party is already penciled in for that week, they can book the first position for some other week and ALSO book the second position for the first week. Then, if the party that holds the first position for the first week fails to draw, but the second party does draw, the second party can take the first week and vacate the week they held first position in, leaving it for any party in line behind them for that week.

References
We provide references, upon request. However, to avoid over-burdening our references, we ask that you not request their contact information until you are in the advanced stages of your hunt selection process. We and our references greatly appreciate your cooperation.

Click below for a hunt video from Rhynard Ranch!
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"We had an awesome time hunting at the Rhynard Ranch.  The accommodations were great and the elk were outstanding!  We can't wait to make a return trip!" --MINNESOTA BOWHUNTER

Mike, thanks for the opportunity to hunt on such a fine ranch. The elk herd population is more than sufficient and with a little patience and determination any hunter can be successful. We found out first hand on the second day of our hunt --- I harvested my bull around 7:45 AM and Ricky harvested his bull later that day around 6 PM. As for the accommodations, they are just like being at home with the exception of our families not being there! In the future I plan to bring my family so they can experience the same things that Ricky and I have been fortunate enough to experience. Can't wait 'til the next draw! Good Hunting, Texas gun hunter