, I (Montana resident), drew this tag this year and was wondering how the hunt went for you. Western Hunt Company is a big game & upland hunting operation based in Montana & Idaho. We publish book and magazines, along with producing videos, DVDs, and TV programs. Credit: Photo Courtesy Missouri River Country. Based purely on the data and uncertainty going into this years Wyoming mule deer draw this list should probably be blank, however, that does not work well for readers so I will give you the best list possible with the information I have at this time. We cover Units 240, 250, 261, 262, and 270 for Mule Deer Draw Tag Hunters! Antlers on yearling buck white-tailed and mule deer may look similar. In the end we are all in this together, I do not think it is unreasonable for Nonresidents to be afforded 20% of all the hunting licenses in Wyoming.. With a mild winter and wet spring, I really think there could be some gems in these hills for those who hunt hard this fall. The restaurant is open early for breakfast and stays open for a late dinner. Colorado is king of the mule deer, and Eagle County is the king of Colorado mule deer. This hunt unit sits smack dab in the middle of the famed Carbon County, one of the best trophy producing buck counties in the entire country, and this area sits in the best big buck country in the second best big buck county in the state, what more could you ask for? More than 295 ranches are enrolled in the Block Management Program here, which provides licensed sportsmen with free access to about 1.3 million acres of mule and whitetail deer, antelope, and elk habitat. | But then again the world is upside down these days. A very tough spot indeed. One of the region's prime whitetail grounds is the Milk River drainage, a tributary to the Missouri River. An objective level that was recently adjusted downward possibly in an effort to make the situation look not quite so bad. The bowhunting here can be very lucrative. MONTANA STATEWIDE MULE DEER HERD POPULATION ESTIMATES (2010-2018) My wife and I are finally entering a drawing for a mule deer hunt in Montana. Make sure you pay attention to the new regulations as there are a number of changes from 2021. I have been very hard on this hunt in the past, however the recent historical data here is very positive, particularly when compared to everything else currently going wrong in Wyoming. This hunt can be had with only about six or seven points. . The Missouri Breaks also hold modest numbers of whitetails, particularly in creek bottoms containing deciduous cover. The Big Sandy, late hunt is a true wildcard hunt with some very solid big buck potential. For example, in 2019 there were over 1400 applicants with zero points, and one person drew. Years of development and pushing the limits of what is possible in a rifle optic have led up to this moment. It takes some education but they got there and u see good deer in all those QDM areas. These are high country bucks that migrate to lower country to rut low country does which can make for a great hunt if you hunt hard and give yourself plenty of time to cover lots and lots of country. Publisher of Petersen's HUNTING magazine, Kevin Steele is at the Steiner Optics booth with Alberto Corbetta to discuss the Predator 4 and Predator 8. The adventure is big. Our Montana Elk hunts are conducted on private ranches in West Central Montana near Bozeman, Anaconda, Philpsburg and Deer Lodge, Montana. Get our No-BS newsletter to your email box around twice a month. A type 1 BMA is walk-in access with sign up at designated entrances. The largest antelope the author has seen taken by a hunter was downed a couple miles north of Fort Peck Reservoir. This is quite the impressive increase as to qualify to apply for a landowner tag, you have to own or be in contract to own at least 160 acres in that unit. I was able to download 10-mile by 10-mile maps of our hunt area knowing we would be out of cell coverage. Although the thought of the 90/10 proposal could be very difficult to comprehend for most of you at this point, I really do think if it does in fact happen for deer, elk and antelope, I would be very surprised if it happened before the 2024 hunting season. The downside of hunting the rut is that most of the mature bucks are harvested every season while they are more vulnerable as they are out chasing does. In Montana, unit 270 is considered one of the top trophy mule deer units in the state. In 2017, three tags went to nonresidents. Each tag was priced at right around $700/hunter. Restrict a few more units to QDM, that is make a few units similar to how the Boyz East of the Mississippi did it, they know what a mature whitetail is and dont shoot 2 year olds. Best Montana . Our editors have hand-picked these essential pieces of gear to make you a more successful hunter when you hit the game trails this season. Deer move throughout the day, typically to change beds as the shade transitions. In 2019 there were 7,654 resident applicants for about 35 tags. And everything about the pursuit is big. Get up above the ATV trails and leave the mule deer call in the pack. The outstanding success rates and superb trophy quality keep this hunt in high demand. Archers typically find the best success in the cool hours around daylight and sunset. Hunters have a legitimate chance at shooting a B&C pronghorn in all GMUs that have a huntable population. Montana has a lot of country and lot of mule deer. Drawing a long-awaited tagor lucking out with a lotto-like winin a coveted area can be the second biggest hunting thrill of the year for most hunters. Best Montana Scouting And Scenery 2020 Galleries. Add to this bad news the fact that many nonresident applicants are getting very, very nervous, to say the least, given the possibility of the proposed 90/10 license allocation change becoming a reality. Historically, the bucks are actually larger in this region than they are in Region G, however they are harder to get to and there are less of them. 5 Best E-Bikes for the Outdoors Jace Bauserman Recent Videos Steiner Optics Predator Series Introducing the Burris Veracity PH Gear Taurus Raging Hunter Streamlight Pro Tac 2.0 Gear Streamlight Bear Trap Gear Beretta A300 Ultima Turkey Gear Ascendant from Rock River Arms Gear HEVI-Shot Turkey Loads Gear CZ 600 Series Trail Rifle Gear If the weather hits just right this hunt can produce some very big bucks held up in the sagebrush waiting for the rut to begin. So youre probably wondering, how is it possible that zero nonresidents drew this tag in 2018? ABOUT; OUR HUNTS. The sound of a bugling bull elk or the sight of two monster 6x6s fighting for mountain dominance is a memory that will stay with a hunter for a lifetime. He said it might take only one point to draw a tag in the first rifle season, and some might draw with zero points. Ord, holds a fair number of mule deer and receives little pressure because of . A Muley Doe decoy is a must in Unit 76.The situation in Unit 76 is representative of several OTC mule deer units in Idaho. My best MT bucks came from heavily timbered units that have limited glassing opportunities. Snow cover is more likely at this time, making deer more visible. Neither of us had ever hunted this area before or knew any landowners. They further broke that number down into each region as follows: region 1 with 6,055; region 2 with 9,551; region 3 with 43,025; region 4 with 58,082; region 5 with 32,103; region 6 with 67,994; and region 7 with 77,140. I know the 380 bull tag in Montana is a prime example. Rifle deer hunts are conducted throughout the two week controlled season. Hunter success here can be a bit spotty with an average of 57% success but if a hunter is in good shape and hunts hard, a big buck could be possible here. Our Best Mule Deer Hunts Hunting big mule deer bucks in the rut is a great hunt to consider. So that is 7 permits skimmed off the top immediately for residents. Each fall, hunters from all over the country, and around the world, set their sights on the mountains, valleys, and wide-open spaces of the West in search of adventure, camaraderie, a world-class trophy, and the opportunity to fill the freezer with lean protein. This showed us what private, BLM, BMA and State lands were. In units 250, 261, 262, & 270 the State only issues a limited number of tags . March 24, 2020 The ranch is located within the Ochoco Unit and is home to a several stable mule deer herds. Muleys can be spotted from roads (very early morning is the best time to glass) and stalked, offering a relatively easy hunt. Mike Ornoski has bowhunted in Arizona for more than 35 years. Due to this fact, many of those folks hunting elk shot mule deer, as well. So unfair and biased. The Green River Lakes hunt is a bit more of a long-shot for big bucks, but I just have a bit of a hunch that given the type of country in this area there could be some big bucks this fall to mine out of here for someone who hunts hard. Be ready to glass all day. Complete trip planning materials are available on the Missouri River Country website. If you are looking to harvest the buck of a lifetime, this is your unit and we are your outfitter. 22. Clark "Bart" Bartkowski's mule deer hunt of a lifetime happened this year after drawing one of the coveted mule deer permits for the East Fork of the Bitterroot. Whitetail deer are also native to Missouri River Country. 1 Hunter - 1 Guide. Elk hunting is a tradition shared by thousands of hunters each fall. Looking at maps sent to us by the state we found what looked to be really large areas of BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) that were accessible by vehicle. The Region H hunt can be a very good hunt on the right year for really good bucks. The good news is many Western states have huge mule deer herds and produce phenomenal bucks. Please call us to match you up with the best hunt to fit your specific needs and budget! So overall, the Montana mule deer population is up 36.9% the past seven years. Its name is derived from having large ears that resemble that of a mule's. The best thing about Montana Whitetails is that Keith and Bob are bowhunters and understand the quarry and the strategy to harvest big bucks. This is an action packed hunt during the rut. There are few secrets on premium LE units. So far, Wyoming is looking in great shape from the winter and into spring where the weather has been very wet and cool. This hunt should take about five or six points to draw this year with a random draw of about 10% for those with less than five points. It can take six or more points to draw a tag for the rifle season, but the area offers abundant public land, including BLM, state wildlife areas, and National Forest Service property. - Dan Alleman D.D.S., Camphill, PA. Subscriber Services. Although they evolved to live and thrive in broadly different environments, the two species are remarkably adaptive. Bummer for sure, Thanks Guy, Hope all is well with you and the family. Edward Wright: This was 20 years ago when coyotes in my home state hit epidemic proportions. This place has it all, comfortable camp, good guiding, good food and Shield River trout fishing, it's just a great week. There are seven different hunting districts within our area; these include units 204, 240, 260, 261, 262, 250, and 270. sitting, and still hunting can be effective, but the best way is to use a vehicle to cover as much country as possible in the mornings and evenings. Nevada, Washoe County114 pronghorn in B&C records 14. I think it might be time for a class action law suit against the State of Wyoming on tag allocation. For nonresidents the statistics are even worse. We put in for General tags as well as purchasing the extra preference point that is offered when applying. Thx Guy, New Mexico, Socorro County117 pronghorn in B&C records 13. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Some of Lewis' most poetic lines were reserved for their surroundings in Montana where he wrote, "As we passed on it seemed as if those scenes of visionary enchantment would never have an end.". Unlike our other hunts, we dont provide lodging and meals. This is also a decent application choice for a lower point holder, as the 400-tag quota does put enough tags into the random portion of the draw to be worth a shot at about 5%. I lost count at 450 phone call attempts to register the morning the 2 we really wanted became available. In Montana, Region 3 in the southwest corner of the state covers nearly 12 million acres, more than half of which is public land managed by the BLM or Forest Service. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; As a result of last year's chronic wasting disease management hunt for white-tailed deer in southwest Montana, biologists observed a 50-percent reduction in white-tailed deer numbers in the Ruby watershed between Sheridan and Twin Bridges, where CWD prevalence was highest. If 10% are allocated to the nonresident draw, that means four tags maximum (rounded down) go to nonresidents. The Montana application deadline for deer is April 1, 2022. We ended up hunting the type 1 BMAs for 6 of the 7 days hunted. There needs to be some serious adjustments to the hunting seasons in this unit. Eastmans Publishing, Inc. is a holding company engaged in publishing. 262-00-B: F ANY G 100% 0 ArchEquip, shotgun . The permit is known as 270-50. This hunt unit sits smack dab in the middle of the famed Carbon County, one of the best trophy producing buck counties in the entire country, and this area sits in the best big buck country in the second best big buck county in the state, what more could you ask for? The prairie deer hunts consist of four four-day seasons, which take place Wednesdays through Saturdays in November. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; Area 60-1, The Pole Mountain, on forest hunt, is probably the definition of a sleeper hunt unit. This is a very limited, late season hunt with hunt dates during most of the month of November. As for general-season units, Jones suggested hunters take a look at Pine Valley in the southwest corner of the state, the four Oquirrh/Stansbury units west of Salt Lake City, and Zion on the southern border. amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; It's not the same question as asking what is the best Colorado OTC archery unit. I am currently applying for those myself. With a mild winter and wet spring, I really think there could be some gems in these hills for those who hunt hard this fall. With plenty of deer, a good buck here can be a tough endeavor, but they are here if you know where to look. Area 128 near Dubois has November hunt dates and limited tags, and units 101 and 102 of the Southwest Desert country have solid deer numbers and great vehicle access. This is a very limited, late season hunt with hunt dates during most of the month of November. is the caliber that currently holds one of the long range distance records for . Southeast Montana Rifle Mule Deer. We chose Montana for a few different reasons, none of which could be overshadowed by the convenience of having their lottery run by mid-April. And it has been increasing every year. 2 Hunters - 1 Guide. Most of the state is managed to maximize hunter opportunity each fall. Mule deer numbers are very good here and some of the more remote canyons harbor giant bucks. This hunt unit sits smack dab in the middle of the famed Carbon County, one of the best trophy producing buck counties in the entire country, and this area sits in the best big buck country in the second best big buck county in the state, what more could you ask for? Eastmans and Huntinfool have that covered. The biggest typical mule deer shot in Montana last year came from 270 and the unit produces 160-inch bucks for hunters who are patient and hunt the higher clearings and meadows. Temperatures can be quite warm in September and early October, rendering elk inactive during the day, however, hunters seeking a varied experience find plenty to do at midday. So put on your sweatband and grab your stress ball, were going to take a look at the hard numbers. The .300 Remington Ultra Mag. amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; . Draw units will typically take a number of years and points to draw a tag and have more trophy class deer. Writers Note: This Montana mule deer on the cover was taken at 502 yards. Archery: Sept. 2 - Oct. 15 Youth, deer only: Oct. 19 - Oct. 20 General: Oct. 21 - Nov. 26 Shoulder seasons: Aug. 15 - Feb. 15, varying dates before and/or after the archery and general seasons Muzzleloader: Dec. 9 - 17 This would be a great opportunity to bring youth out on a hunt for a reasonable price. 16 years worth of buying points all for 1.5% better odds than someone with zero points. This is a very solid hunt in my opinion for the meager three or four point spend. Montana Rivers and Ridges Outfitter has access to over 1.5 million acres of land to hunt elk, deer, and other big game animals within the Bitterroot National Forest. This is an action packed hunt during the rut. She said it currently takes six preference points to be guaranteed a pronghorn tag in the draw in Area 73 but added the state allots 25 percent of the total quota in each area to a random drawing of all applicants who chose the area as their first choice. This is a very solid hunt in my opinion for only one or two preference points. One change that took place for 2022 is a handful of mule deer units that used to be unlimited went to general. This hunt is one of only two limited quota hunts inside the Region G zone where 15 lucky applicants will hunt for big rut staged high country deer during the final two weeks of the month of October. Elk may be the marquee quarry in the mind of many visiting hunters, but northeastern Montana also boasts outstanding opportunities for mule and whitetail deer. Petersen's HUNTING Publisher, Kevin Steele is in the CZ booth with Dylan Rice at SHOT Show to talk about CZ 600 Series Trail rifle. View more information on other big game hunts we have to offer, right here! Get unlimited access to over ten years of historical drawing and harvest data for over 1,700+ hunt units. rifle hunting western hunting Wyoming, Hunt mule deer with Ike and Guy Eastman during an October snowstorm. Sand Hill country GMUs 31, 32, and 33 in the southeast corner of the state also are capable of producing B&C bucks. Our Memberships Include The Most Accurate Draw Odds Available, Join Now! Toprut has always been the most reliable data that I use to make calculated moves for my hunt portfolio. Yikes! Kevin Steele from Petersen's HUNTING speaks to Jordan Egli of Burris Optics about the all-new Veracity PH Riflescope. Maps for Montana Deer, Elk, and Mountain Lion Hunting Districts Select a hunting unit from the dropdown menu or click a unit on the map below. Montana has 7 hunt districts that break down into smaller units in each district. Cross your fingers for big bucks and good opportunities for the future. Give a Gift Mule deer hunters should plan to go high in the mountains for the best opportunity at bigger bucks. The average deer we take in this unit scores around 180 inches gross. The Top Mule Deer Hunts and Facts to Know in Colorado. If you have zero points you have a .004% chance of drawing a tag. Publisher, Kevin Steele is with Brett Marquardt from Streamlight Inc. discussing the new Streamlight Pro Tac 2.0, the latest edition in the Pro Tac series. Post-season 2019 counts in the Pioneer Mountains elk . With such a variety in habitat and easy access to abundant public land, a mule deer hunt can be as challenging as you want to make it. If you have any questions about the mule deer hunting or how to apply feel free to contact us. My advice is to pick a unit near where you will live, and learn it. And thats just what can be done by driving in a pickup. WTF!! . Warm weather was more to blame than anything else; however, this could point to a potential bumper crop of sorts for mature bucks this year. The answer is landowners. Solitude, exceptional scenery and superb access to public lands make Montana's Missouri River Country a true hidden gem and one of the most hunter-friendly destinations in America. If awarded we are going to try to stay on the eastern side of the state due to the drive from Louisiana.. . Just a thought. The downside is there are unlimited permission slips and limit to how many hunters have access each day. This year we would have limited time and left the idea of the Elk/Combo out of the equation. 380 is a joke. Kali Parmley of Gun Dog Magazine talks to George Thompson from Benelli USA about the new features from the Benelli line in 2023. Our editors have hand-picked these essential pieces of gear to make you a more successful hunter when you hit the game trails this season. I fully expect 10 preference points to be a requirement to hunt here with 100% surety. mtmuley Sep 25, 2013 #6 A good friend with the same luck in the lottery as me decided we were tired of waiting, we need to go hunting. The rugged "breaks" along the Missouri contain dense stands of ponderosa pines and junipers. If I could recommend one vital piece of gear that greatly helped us out on our hunt it would be the use of OnX Hunt! 406-342-5475 tlp@rangeweb.net . Wyoming. Montana made a lot of changes to the deer regulations, with goal being to simplify them. $5,900/Hunter. Each party can sign up for, at most, 3 consecutive days of hunting on that property. We have personally guided hunters to some of the largest bucks killed in the unit each year. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Montana has 7 hunt districts that break down into smaller units in each district. PS I from Nevada. . | 28-Oct-08. Mule Deer- Limited Entry Units 87 & 89 - Worldwide Trophy Adventures. 2022 MONTANA RIVERS AND RIDGES OUTFITTER LLC. Montana mule deer herds are showing a small improvement in quality, but herds are stable to declining in most areas of the state. They also tend to offer less public hunting ground. Resident applicants for this permit are increasing 300-1000 per year proving that the popularity hasnt waned. All Petersen's Hunting subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This county should have its own chapter in the record books with over 100 B&C entries for mule deer. Learn how your comment data is processed. Landowners already have such a big advantage over the average hunter! Obviously these are the funds that are used to fund the States road system, educational system, law enforcement, health system and the like. For some hunters, pursuing elk, mule deer, and pronghorn in the western United States is a future dream; for others its a yearly routine. My partner passed on a good deer the first day and we spent the majority of the rest of our hunt trying to find that deer. Alcazar recommended units 7 and 8 in the north-central part of the state, near the Wyoming border, for hunters looking for areas with lots of public land and good potential for trophies. This is with roughly 1000 nonresident applicants every year. This has already been seen in the recently completed Wyoming elk draw where many areas saw huge gains in point creep with possibly even more to come for next year. Landowner preference is completely unfair and steals tags from the average hunter. 7 Comments Also, having a SOLID pair of binoculars is very important for finding mule deer. Hours of looking at Google Earth do not come close to physically being there. Wyoming likely is the first state that comes to mind when hunters think of pronghorn hunting. Colorado unit 57, which includes areas 57, 58, and 581 northwest of Canon City, produces quality pronghorn bucks, Alcazar said. During the rut large bucks appear in an effort to pass on their genes to receptive does. As a general rule, elk density also increases from east to west. My partner got through and signed us up for a 2nd one giving us only 1 day on that particular ranch. These tags aren't easy to draw but it's worth the wait. 15% of the 45 permits are guaranteed to resident and nonresident landowners alike. Learn how your comment data is processed. We also develop and sell products such as apparel, hats and artwork. Hard-charging hunters, however, can take to the Missouri Breaks, hiking for miles in wild country in search of a trophy buck. Max points are a must to apply for this hunt. This proposal would remove half of the nonresident licenses from every quota in every area in the state for the future. ELK HUNTS; . Book your next hunt in Wyoming with expert hunting guides at R & K Hunting today. Pheasant season spans the entire general rifle season for deer and elk. Hunting the last week of October tends to be the best bet for the biggest bucks. I'm not going out on a limb and making any bold predictions, but the science is adding up. This hunt is very accessible and roaded with lots of open hillsides and meadows to glass up bucks feeding on the edges. Kevin Steele stops by the Taurus booth to speak with Cody Osborn about the all new Raging Hunter platform from Taurus International. Deer hunting can be good at any time during the season, but the last half of November is favored by many resident hunters. The first to die off and probably the first to rebound, or at least we hope. I know that is a lot of doom and gloom for area 270 especially if you are a nonresident. This hunt should take about five or six points to draw this year with a random draw of about 10% for those with less than five points. Kali Parmley, Editor-in-chief of Bakccountry Hunter speaks with Bret Maffet of Franchi Firearms to discuss the all new Momentum All Terrain Elite. All antelope hunting in Montana is conducted on a draw-only basis. DESIGNED BY: ROCKY RIDGE DIGITAL ADVERTISING. Then you have the nonresident landowners who get thrown into the nonresident pool but get guaranteed preference of at least 15% of the tags over the rest of the nonresidents. $100/Day. The more popular areas for whitetail are along the river systems and large agricultural areas throughout the eastern part of the state. The Region H hunt can be a very good hunt on the right year for really good bucks. 15% of the 45 permits are guaranteed to resident and nonresident landowners alike. Elk thrive amidst this cover. Long season dates and hunting deer in the rut will always make for a fun hunt, but dont expect to see many mature mule deer bucks on the landscape in the general units. In some places their range overlaps with mule deer, in others they are mostly separate from their long-eared cousins. Utah took advantage of a combination of favorable weather, aggressive habitat management, and strict regulations to increase its mule deer population by as much as 100,000 from 2008 to 2016, pushing the size of the herd past 380,000 animals. Max points will be required for a chance at this hunt and nearly every hunter (89%) on this hunt walks away with a buck by the end of the season. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Our area has a very impressive Mule Deer population, which leads to a very high success rate of 4 X 4 bucks.