Nope population isn’t growing in Montana not even by one. Just kidding I think that R Hunter numbers increasing is a key into this equation. But heck more r tags sold means more money.
2020 Montana deer recap
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TheJason
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There is no law against voicing stupidity, and this forum is no exception.
However, I did see some "ethical, honest, upstanding sportsmen shooting at a good (180 plus) mule deer on a parcel of BLM at 7-800 yds, disgusting. quote
That there is something I have never seen in sw mt. The last 180 plus buck I shot at in sw mt was in 1986. In a nutshell it explains the migration of res. and non res. hunters from west to east. Every time that the eastern guys talk about mule deer hunting, they shoot themselves in the foot.
That there is something I have never seen in sw mt. The last 180 plus buck I shot at in sw mt was in 1986. In a nutshell it explains the migration of res. and non res. hunters from west to east. Every time that the eastern guys talk about mule deer hunting, they shoot themselves in the foot.
8andcounting
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you must live in IPAville
Nemont
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All I know is that there were hordes of people in places where there never used to be and many of them were driving vehicles with Montana plates with county numbers like 7, 4, 2, 3, 6 etc. I mean WAY more than even Washington plates which are very common in most areas. The migration of resident hunters from west to east is gaining momentum it seems. I am not griping just observing, it's a free country and your license is good so go for it.
Nemont
Nemont
TheJason
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While I’m drinking my IPA, I’m able to cognitively entertain the numerous factors that come into play in regards to Montana’s declining quality of mule deer hunting. Assigning a single factor to it, such as R or NR hunters is close minded at best.
T
timmy
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Hunter distribution has changed and that isn’t being addressed nor will it in the foreseeable future.
Eric Albus
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Eastern Montana should be a pick your Region/Area/Weapon hunt right now, along with no rut hunting.
I agree with nemont, more in state western Mt hunters than ever, and more Wa. hunters than I've ever seen.
It bothers me to see the trailer loads of dead mule deer does, and fork horns, the takers leaving nothing behind but gut piles. I'm sure that will raise a hackle or two, because I forgot that some of you stayed in a motel for a night, bought some pizza, beer, and fueled up before heading back to pine trees and ski slopes.
Timmy, I am hooping with the new Gov. that these things will be addressed.
I agree with nemont, more in state western Mt hunters than ever, and more Wa. hunters than I've ever seen.
It bothers me to see the trailer loads of dead mule deer does, and fork horns, the takers leaving nothing behind but gut piles. I'm sure that will raise a hackle or two, because I forgot that some of you stayed in a motel for a night, bought some pizza, beer, and fueled up before heading back to pine trees and ski slopes.
Timmy, I am hooping with the new Gov. that these things will be addressed.
EYJONAS!
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The only thing thats gonna change the outlook on Mule Deer is eliminating the 11 week season and taking the rut hunt out of it on a general license. Pretty simple, they are not going to do that though.
There's tons of ways to still offer "opportunity" to hunt it just may not be with your 6.5CM on November 24th with a general tag.
There's tons of ways to still offer "opportunity" to hunt it just may not be with your 6.5CM on November 24th with a general tag.
ShootsManyBullets
Well-known member
Why drive 1,000 miles to shoot a forky or a doe? Can do that pretty much anywhere
And I tried to buy pizza but they wouldn't sell us any even though they had an hour before they closed. Now I'm really done.
Ok, that is all I can take. I haven't seen enough deer to fill a trailer all year. I am planning a hunt.
180 plus sounds realistic. That is an upgrade.
Just so I know the rules..... Leave the does and fork horns where I find them. Check
Leave more than a gut pile. Check
Bring my own beer. Check.
I won't need ski pants. Check
Keep all shots under 7-800 yards. Check
Bring propane because pine trees are scarce. Check
Get some of those specialty plates to obscure county. Check
Coyotes ... Shoot / don't shoot? What specifically do I need for coyote hunting gear to avoid being accused of poaching?
I don't want to step on any toes.
antlerradar
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Don't get your hopes up too much. I did 7+ miles in the bottom of Poker Jim yesterday. For those of you that don't know the area this is the middle of the biggest and most remote roadless ground on the Custer. It was down right pathetic. Two inches of two day old snow and I never saw a deer. Only cut tracks of one group of five or six does and fawns and a group of what looked to be three small bucks. At least the buck/doe ratio is looking good.
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You trying to talk me down off 180? I don't know, Eric has me all psyched up.
BuzzH
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Speaking of takers...can you provide an economic breakdown of how much money the outfitters in Montana contribute to the MTFWP? Not your clients...the OUTFITTERS.
How about the outfitters that don't live in Montana and take their money back to the place they live? They contribute much to the State?
How about the guides they employ that also aren't residents and take their money home? Good for Montana?
An outfitter whining about the "takers"...hypocrisy defined.
hearteater
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There’s a prominent hunting personality that runs an outfit in Montana who does not live in Montana. I believe his name rhymes with hemi warren. Nothing personal against him I like his stuff but Buzz is right.
antlerradar
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Wouldn't be that hard to keep more of the outfitting money in the state. One of the reasons outfitters and guides come to MT is because they can without interfering with their operations in their home state. How can you blame an outfitter from around Sheridan or Gillette. Hunt the first half of Oct in WY and then jump across the boarder and hunt in MT until the end of Nov. Sounds like a money maker to me. Just one of the advantages of having the long Nov general season.
antlerradar
Well-known member
Gust giving the other side of the coin. It is a weighted coin now days.
Likely would have seen more if I had been scouting and not working, hiking the ridges instead of riding up the bottoms. Still Just a handful of tracks in 7 miles, more miles if you added in what I back tracked. Not good and this is not a place pounded by road hunters but some of the most remote in eastern Montana. The place has just about hit the rock bottom @BuzzH talks about. The key to getting a big deer in SE Montana today is not getting into the back country, but hunting right on the edge of private and hoping that a good one makes a mistake and steps across the line. Thirty years ago I would get up early and hike into a place like Poker Jim in the dark just so I could be at a good glassing point at daylight. Not any more. Now I get up early just so I am the first one to the access point of a often less than a half section of public. If this sounds like the type of hunting you would enjoy by all means pack up your stuff and come east.
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Actually, it sounds real familiar. I hunt places that I have hunted for pushing 50 years. Mule deer populations have always ebbed and flowed, but for the last 10 years it has been steady decline. Areas where I used to see 50 or more deer in a day of hunting on foot, I now feel lucky to see a hand full. About 1/2 of my hunting days I see zero.
I tend to shoot the first bull I see to put meat in the freezer and free up time to hunt deer. I killed a bull the first few days of season this year and hunted fairly hard the rest of the season. I have long been accustomed to seeing few good bucks, but now I am having to try to enjoy seeing close to no game.
It is kind of taking the wind out of my sails. It is sad to look at expanses of winter range that used to hold hundreds to a thousand mule deer that now hold 1 or 2 dozen. Some ranches that used to be known for great mule deer hunting now shoot zero mule deer, and have nothing to show for it.
FWP likes to act like it is a big mystery. Mystery my ass!
D
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Not 50, but a good 20+ for me...seeing exactly the same thing. It's getting really hard to justify a deer tag, and as an nr native I even get them half price. I can't say for sure that I've bought my last, but it's likely.
MTelkHuntress
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This statement seems to apply to other species as well sadly.
I got my first mule deer this year, it's the only one I've ever had an opportunity at and I just happened to see him come off private on to public.
I don't tend to hunt units where I can take mule deer, but I find it odd that I never saw a mule deer buck in these limited entry units. Normally I'll see some really nice bucks in the backcountry but I didnt see a single one this year. What's really odd is the private property I have to drive through normally has quite a few mule deer, but this year I maybe saw a total of 6. It was always kind of fun after a "bad" day of hunting to be driving home and stop to just look at the bucks, but there were none to see this year.
