Bitterroot Mule Deer 261/270

[sclancy27]

270. Private land. Not sure what year. Don't think the fires had any impact on 261. mtmuley

I'll have to look at the burn maps but you're prob right considering you live there

 

[mtmuley]

I'll have to look at the burn maps but you're prob right considering you live there

The glory days are over in this place. It's not just the Eastern part of the state that needs attention. mtmuley

 

[sclancy27]

The glory days are over in this place. It's not just the Eastern part of the state that needs attention. mtmuley

It had a hell of a hay day tho. Lots of big bucks.

 

[mtmuley]

It had a hell of a hay day tho. Lots of big bucks.

And the legend lives on. mtmuley

 

[Forkyfinder]

Not to mention that it was still benefitting from the fires in the early 2000's.

When did Remi Warren kill that big buck?

It only scored 181.

HT tells me thats not huge

 

[rogerthat]

It only scored 181.

HT tells me thats not huge

Wrong buck

 

[rogerthat]

Guide Bags Montana Mega-Muley

I’ve seen a small handful of true blue mule deer toads in my time – and such occasions have almost always occurred when I didn’t have a mule deer tag in my pocket – but this…

hunting365.wordpress.com

 

[Forkyfinder]

Wrong buck

Nope.

 

[DFS]

Nope.

That is interesting. 211 gross. Looking at the photos I am struggling to see 30 inches of deductions.

 

[SwaggyD]

Nope.

Lmao. Nets are for fish.

 

[Stifler]

found from a news article Oct. 2023

Mixed results for hunters in Montana, weather impacting take • Daily Montanan

Hunters are having mixed results this season, including one record low number of hunters at a check station on opening weekend, FWP said.

dailymontanan.com

 

[SwaggyD]

That is interesting. 211 gross. Looking at the photos I am struggling to see 30 inches of deductions.

Is there more than photo in the article?

 

[rogerthat]

Nope.

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

 

[Forkyfinder]

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

There are some extra points on both sides that would get deducted. The drivers side forks (front and back) are shorter with less mass.

This is why im puzzled people expect to shoot a 180" muley buck in Montana very often.

 

[DFS]

View attachment 326213
There are some extra points on both sides that would get deducted. The drivers side forks (front and back) are shorter with less mass.

This is why im puzzled people expect to shoot a 180" muley buck in Montana very often.

Umm that’s a 211 plus muley.

 

[rogerthat]

View attachment 326213
There are some extra points on both sides that would get deducted. The drivers side forks (front and back) are shorter with less mass.

This is why im puzzled people expect to shoot a 180" muley buck in Montana very often.

Yeah that’s not a 180 lmao. I can show you a 180 net that is not even a glimmer of that buck. Just perfectly symmetrical

 

[SwaggyD]

View attachment 326213
There are some extra points on both sides that would get deducted. The drivers side forks (front and back) are shorter with less mass.

This is why im puzzled people expect to shoot a 180" muley buck in Montana very often.

When you see/kill a buck that big you learn to appreciate every inch of antler and never refer to them in ‘net’ terms.

 

[Forkyfinder]

When you see/kill a buck that big you learn to appreciate every inch of antler and never refer to them in ‘net’ terms.

Im not a fan of "net" scores either. Just how they get recorded in the books.

Its a great deer - regardless.

 

[FREAK]

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.

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.

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.


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.

 

[rogerthat]

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 all big beautiful mature bucks. I think this thread illustrates how insignificant score is. Big is big