2018 montana deer hunt

[timmy]

I don’t necessarily get greenhorn and I have no problem with people that are proud of their rutted up muley, however you repeatedly talk about how good we have it and how Montana is a great place for mule deer. But at the end of the day you hunted “good” private hard for 10 days and this is the best you could come up with. It’s a true testament to how bad it is here and it’s only going to get worse. 4 tags and this was the best on good private. I realize it’s not a hunter problem but a management problem but this is not good mule deer hunting.

 

[timmy]

Seen a lot of 2.5 year old bucks in region 6 but really lacked on any older age class of deer or 1.5 (last years cohort). Total change from 2017, looks like the winter did a fair number on the herd.

Last winter was awful. Winter kills young and old. 3.5 and 4.5 year old bucks aren’t old.

 

[8andcounting]

I don’t necessarily get greenhorn and I have no problem with people that are proud of their rutted up muley, however you repeatedly talk about how good we have it and how Montana is a great place for mule deer. But at the end of the day you hunted “good” private hard for 10 days and this is the best you could come up with. It’s a true testament to how bad it is here and it’s only going to get worse. 4 tags and this was the best on good private. I realize it’s not a hunter problem but a management problem but this is not good mule deer hunting.

Agree with you somewhat but I never said I didn't see better - in fact I could have shot several bigger bucks all 22-25" but thin horned with good forks , up and comers . All 4 of us could have tagged out on 22-24" 4 pointers . We chose not to cuz those bucks have good genetics . No it wasn't beat I could come up with I took it last day cuz it's got bad genetics .

 

[8andcounting]

I did alright though..... here's my 2018 montana buck.

Nice photo . And no offense but I let atleast 4 bucks that big go . That to me is a deer shot 2 years too soon . Not ripping on u ripely it truly is nice deer but those are the bucks that should be passed on

 

[belly-deep]

nice photo . And no offense but i let atleast 4 bucks that big go . That to me is a deer shot 2 years too soon . Not ripping on u ripely it truly is nice deer but those are the bucks that should be passed on

tff

 

[LopeHunter]

Hey man I'm not that guy that shot "your sons deer" in SE montana few years back . I hunt a private ranch and there's some much bigger racked bucks but this one is one I decided to take . Just simply posted a pic and quick story . Which less and less people do cuz they catch crap from people greenhorn .

Congrats on the buck. Sounds like was an adventure for you with some buddies and that is what we will all look back on with a smile down the road. You stepped into the ring with a tag and ethically hunted taking your punches and delivering a few.

Did you have one of the tags for a Montana deer hunt where is managed for trophy hunting where a hunter might draw the tag only once or twice in a lifetime? I ask because then the age, sex and deer species you shoot or do not shoot could really make a difference. On the other hand, if this is an opportunity hunt ...well, in that case any enlightenment I toss out about how I would use the tag you had is akin to me driving the exact speed limit on the roadway to help all the other drivers grasp how perfect the world would be if we all agreed to drive the speed limit. Change starts right on my bumper. I am sure if I drive like that just a few more times then many, many more drivers will now realize what I have known. The world will be better for it. I predict many drivers will wave and me and signal, "By golly, you are right and I was so wrong until you explained so clearly the error of my ways."

 

[The Hedgehog]

Hey man I'm not that guy that shot "your sons deer" in SE montana few years back . I hunt a private ranch and there's some much bigger racked bucks

You must be referring to this comment I made about a hunt years ago. It wasn’t “my son’s deer”. I was only trying to describe the pressure in one of the hiking only areas - nearly as far as you can get from a road in the entire Custer forest.

I personally can't imagine spending the time and money to hunt deer out of state, to visit the Custer area. I suppose everybody's idea of a quality experience is different. I gave up there in 2001, but did shoot a deer while elk hunting in 2011. Had my son there in November of 2013 and visited the same place you did mn taxidermist. Hiked 2 miles into a hiking only area on a weekday and saw 7 other hunters that morning, one of which shot a deer my son was prone, aiming at. Fun times. If your bag is hunting with crowds, and hoping for a top end buck that's around 5 years from his prime, maybe it's a top pick. Just being honest. It was great in the 90s.

For what it’s worth - the hunters who killed the deer were from Washington and very nice guys. Also the deer was about triple the age of the buck you shot and had antlers in a whole nuther league.

Have seen pics of your annual MT dinks. Glad you’re easily satisfied. Wish you could only hunt in October.

 

[tjones]

Nice photo . And no offense but I let atleast 4 bucks that big go . That to me is a deer shot 2 years too soon . Not ripping on u ripely it truly is nice deer but those are the bucks that should be passed on

Double down belly’s “tiff”!

 

[The Hedgehog]

The Prince of Dinkness

 

[The Hedgehog]

8dinks&counting

 

[mn taxidermist]

Greenhorn I’m tired of you ripping on everyone who shoots a deer in Montana that’s not up to your standards. I hunted there this year and didn’t post pictures because of trophy hunters telling me I should have waited for a bigger one. If you think SE montana is poor hunting don’t go to there. The rest of us happen to enjoy our time there.

 

[MTTW]

I wish you all would just quit shooting bucks.

#maninthemirror

 

[tjones]

I know GH can take care of himself but just an FYI mn taxi you have missed a whole lot of back story on this one.

 

[timmy]

Me too . I knew it wasn't a great winter but I was surprised just how bad the numbers were . We hunted hard had decent weather and we were there during peak rut so if there was lots of deer we would have seen them . Numbers down big time . I spent 2 days on some blm that's usually pretty good and it was tough to even find a track much less a deer

2017 sounded like a great year curious if you got the big mature deer you were looking for in 2017?

 

[The Hedgehog]

9dinks&counting
10dinks&counting

 

[timmy]

it was a banner year - 2017.

Haha! Good to start the morning with a laugh.

 

[Nameless Range]

That's a fine buck 8andCounting and 10 days is a good effort. Seems for those who remember a good-old-days that others do not, it's "dinks" or tag soup in Montana for the most part.

 

[Elite7]

Congrats on you buck! I don't care what you and GH have fueded over in the past, no reason to post a response in someone elses thread if theres nothing good to say. I am hoping to make a trip to Montana in the next year or two and will gladly shoot these representative deer.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Greenhorn I’m tired of you ripping on everyone who shoots a deer in Montana that’s not up to your standards. I hunted there this year and didn’t post pictures because of trophy hunters telling me I should have waited for a bigger one. If you think SE montana is poor hunting don’t go to there. The rest of us happen to enjoy our time there.

I wouldn't/haven't poked fun at anybody other than those who claim the hunting is "good" and couldn't use some major overhauls. I'm no stranger to shooting dinks myself, and have used several of the well oiled excuses for it.

Elite7 - bring all your friends and stack them up. It will be a dinklear explosion.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Poking fun at the size of somebody's critter, so funny. Many take offense to it like they would had you slandered their mother or wife. Man up guys. Nameless Range's epic dink hunt coverage is about as fine as they get. Best deer hunt story of the year here, even funner to read than Bambistew's giant 200 point Colorado monster.

The ones that get the most butt hurt are the same guys who preach that they are not a “trophy hunter”.