Bitterroot Mule Deer 261/270

[mtmuley]

My apologies. It appears you are correct. 30” of deductions. Crazy. This why the net scoring system means absolutely nothing to me.

I don't care about score. That is a great buck. mtmuley

 

[Ought Six]

I started applying for this tag 8 years ago after reading this article (gotta love the internet). Didn't really start hunting MD till 2012 and they've quickly become my favorite animal to pursue. Feel fortunate to be holding this tag this year, but fully understand it isn't what it used to be.

https://mtstandard.com/hunt-of-a-li...cle_abead885-39fc-5b85-a4d7-c159defc4a9d.html

I've made some questionable decisions on general tags...Shot deer I would of passed if I took a better look and passed deer I kind of regret passing. I need to get better at judging deer before I make another bad decision.

Passed this one up in 2023 when I was dead set on finding a special caliber deer. I'm guessing he would of broke 160, saw him two seasons in a row and thought i'd try and give him another year. Hunted it hard this year and never turned him up.
View attachment 326220View attachment 326222
Here's a 159 (gross) I was happy to shoot back in 2021. Didn't have a ton of weather that year and the hunting was tough. He was really narrow, like 19" inside spread, good front forks crabby backs and decent mass. I cut his track way back in a hell hole, tracked him for an hour, finally caught him on his feet in the dark timber.
View attachment 326221
In 2020 I found this guy tending some does...We got in on him and I opted to pass, my buddy thought I was a fool and I kind of agree with him now. I took my eyes off the spotter for a second and look over and he's got the gun on him with one in the chamber and says, "so you're sure you don't want him...BOOM!" A respectable mid 160's deer with a couple unique features.

View attachment 326224View attachment 326225View attachment 326226
I don't feel like I need to fill this tag but also would be happy with a respectable buck. I think the shift in baseline for what is "big" is a very real thing. I've seen enough big deer on guys walls that I know I haven't seen but maybe one truly nice deer on the hoof. Kind of just want to get a few days into the hunt before I make my mind up on the deer I'd be looking for. I'd be willing to give up rut hunting in a heartbeat for better quality hunting in Montana, that being said I'm going to enjoy seeing numbers and rut activity on this hunt. I'm not the slightest bit interested in blasting a 200" yard deer.

Great deer and good luck with the tag! I look forward to seeing how the hunt goes.

 

[SwaggyD]

Just how they get recorded in the books.

Gross score is also recorded.

 

[MtJohn1234]

Hi everyone! Hope the draw was in your favor this year!

I certainly felt lucky when I saw I pulled a 261 muley tag with only 6 points! I live in Missoula and work in Ravalli county so I’ll have plenty of time to scout and explore the unit!

I know 261/270 are often considered Montana’s best mule deer units. I’m curious what the general consensus is on unit 261. Is a 180”+ public buck possible?

If any one has experience hunting unit 261 or has pictures of bucks from the area they are willing to share I would greatly appreciate the info. Not looking for spots or specifics I’m happy to figure that out on my own.

Super excited about the tag and will be sure to post pictures from scouting and the hunt.

261 tag here also. Very suprised

 

[MtJohn1234]

Hi everyone! Hope the draw was in your favor this year!

I certainly felt lucky when I saw I pulled a 261 muley tag with only 6 points! I live in Missoula and work in Ravalli county so I’ll have plenty of time to scout and explore the unit!

I know 261/270 are often considered Montana’s best mule deer units. I’m curious what the general consensus is on unit 261. Is a 180”+ public buck possible?

If any one has experience hunting unit 261 or has pictures of bucks from the area they are willing to share I would greatly appreciate the info. Not looking for spots or specifics I’m happy to figure that out on my own.

Super excited about the tag and will be sure to post pictures from scouting and the hunt.

Hi everyone! Hope the draw was in your favor this year!

I certainly felt lucky when I saw I pulled a 261 muley tag with only 6 points! I live in Missoula and work in Ravalli county so I’ll have plenty of time to scout and explore the unit!

I know 261/270 are often considered Montana’s best mule deer units. I’m curious what the general consensus is on unit 261. Is a 180”+ public buck possible?

If any one has experience hunting unit 261 or has pictures of bucks from the area they are willing to share I would greatly appreciate the info. Not looking for spots or specifics I’m happy to figure that out on my own.

Super excited about the tag and will be sure to post pictures from scouting and the hunt.

 

[cmartynn]

I drew 261 in 2008. Didn’t hunt too hard with a pregnant wife in tow. Knocked on some doors, obtained access to a little chunk, and killed a 171 net 4x5. Backed the truck up to it with the landowner, and loaded whole. Easiest hunt I’ve been on.

Being older and wiser, I would approach that tag differently, but I no longer put in for it

Did you end up hunting the public at all? Seems like a lot of the big, good looking, private ranches are owned by people like Mildenberger or have out-of-state tax addresses both of which I feel like are not even worth the effort to ask.

I feel like smaller private land pieces aren't really worth asking unless its hunting season and you see a buck on the property right then.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[cmartynn]

Yeah. Partly because the unit wasn't split yet. Whole different ballgame now. In both units. mtmuley

Do you think the swingset bucks on the farmlands used to move more when it was all one unit? Just curious on how you think it changed 261? I'm not interested in shooting a deer between sub-developments so how did the unit split affect the public land hunting in 261 iyo?

 

[MtJohn1234]

Did you end up hunting the public at all? Seems like a lot of the big, good looking, private ranches are owned by people like Mildenberger or have out-of-state tax addresses both of which I feel like are not even worth the effort to ask.

I feel like smaller private land pieces aren't really worth asking unless its hunting season and you see a buck on the property right then.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[MtJohn1234]

I have no interest in hunting private. Most of those bucks are hand feed and no sport in harvesting one of those bucks.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Most of those bucks are hand feed

You ever been to Montana?

 

[MtJohn1234]

You ever been to Montana?

Lived here for 72 years. How bout you?

 

[Straight Arrow]

Lived here for 72 years. How bout you?

My grandparents homesteaded the Turner-Hogeland Big Flat country. Grandpa then owned the Turner General Store and Farm Equip dealership during the Depression, when he literally gave it all away to the failing farms around there. I grew up in Great Falls ... but always yearned to be a bball point guard on the Turner Tornados!

BTW, most big private lands don't hand-feed deer or elk. They don't have to as the deer and elk eat the "candy" alfalfa and other stuff.

 

[cmartynn]

I started applying for this tag 8 years ago after reading this article (gotta love the internet). Didn't really start hunting MD till 2012 and they've quickly become my favorite animal to pursue. Feel fortunate to be holding this tag this year, but fully understand it isn't what it used to be.

https://mtstandard.com/hunt-of-a-li...cle_abead885-39fc-5b85-a4d7-c159defc4a9d.html

I've made some questionable decisions on general tags...Shot deer I would of passed if I took a better look and passed deer I kind of regret passing. I need to get better at judging deer before I make another bad decision.

Passed this one up in 2023 when I was dead set on finding a special caliber deer. I'm guessing he would of broke 160, saw him two seasons in a row and thought i'd try and give him another year. Hunted it hard this year and never turned him up.
View attachment 326220View attachment 326222
Here's a 159 (gross) I was happy to shoot back in 2021. Didn't have a ton of weather that year and the hunting was tough. He was really narrow, like 19" inside spread, good front forks crabby backs and decent mass. I cut his track way back in a hell hole, tracked him for an hour, finally caught him on his feet in the dark timber.
View attachment 326221
In 2020 I found this guy tending some does...We got in on him and I opted to pass, my buddy thought I was a fool and I kind of agree with him now. I took my eyes off the spotter for a second and look over and he's got the gun on him with one in the chamber and says, "so you're sure you don't want him...BOOM!" A respectable mid 160's deer with a couple unique features.

View attachment 326224View attachment 326225View attachment 326226
I don't feel like I need to fill this tag but also would be happy with a respectable buck. I think the shift in baseline for what is "big" is a very real thing. I've seen enough big deer on guys walls that I know I haven't seen but maybe one truly nice deer on the hoof. Kind of just want to get a few days into the hunt before I make my mind up on the deer I'd be looking for. I'd be willing to give up rut hunting in a heartbeat for better quality hunting in Montana, that being said I'm going to enjoy seeing numbers and rut activity on this hunt. I'm not the slightest bit interested in blasting a 200" yard deer.

Those are some great deer and stories, thanks for sharing! The biggest buck I've ever shot was 145ish back in 2017(I think this was net but I can't remember). You guys should tell me what you think it would score.


I'm excited to see a higher percentage of mature bucks on this hunt, but like you, I'm not very good at judging "a high-scoring buck". I just like to shoot whatever buck makes me excited.

I ended up shooting a small buck last year because it had some cool non-typical points but really should have passed especially because it was the last day of the season. So with this tag, my main goal is to hold out and enjoy the hunt as long as possible and if it comes between eating my tag and shooting a 150-inch mule deer I'd rather just eat tag soup knowing I hunted hard till the end.

 

[tjones]

Most of those bucks are hand feed

Have you been in the unit?

 

[MtJohn1234]

Have you been in the unit?

I’m referring to the deer that live in the subdivision’s

 

[MtJohn1234]

My grandparents homesteaded the Turner-Hogeland Big Flat country. Grandpa then owned the Turner General Store and Farm Equip dealership during the Depression, when he literally gave it all away to the failing farms around there. I grew up in Great Falls ... but always yearned to be a bball point guard on the Turner Tornados!

BTW, most big private lands don't hand-feed deer or elk. They don't have to as the deer and elk eat the "candy" alfalfa and other stuff.

If you have hunted 261 then you would know about the bucks that live in the subdivisions. That is the private property I was referring too not private ranch land.

 

[tjones]

I’m referring to the deer that live in the subdivision’s

Again, have you ever been in the unit. HD261?

 

[MtJohn1234]

Again, have you ever been in the unit. HD261?

Yes

 

[tjones]

Yes

Nice. Have a good hunt.

 

[mtmuley]

Do you think the swingset bucks on the farmlands used to move more when it was all one unit? Just curious on how you think it changed 261? I'm not interested in shooting a deer between sub-developments so how did the unit split affect the public land hunting in 261 iyo?

A lot of bucks killed in 261 before the spilt were taken in what is now 262. The split forced guys to pick a unit. Public was always tougher, and tougher yet now. The years haven't been kind to 261. mtmuley