Bitterroot Mule Deer 261/270

[tkhuntsman]

A friend of mine killed this buck in 2018 on Thanksgiving day. We hunted hard the entire season and honestly only saw maybe 2 deer bigger but one was on private and the other was crossing a ridge never to be seen again.View attachment 327636

Forgot to mention in 270 since the OP was asking about the bitterroot tags

 

[northernmaineguide]

Congrats on your tag! Great area, best of luck.

 

[cmartynn]

Strange.. Me and my buddy pulled the tag this year as well.. with the tag cut down to 10, half of the permit holders are here?

I also have a buddy who told me that his mother-in-law drew the 261 buck tag, seems like if there was only 10 tags I wouldn’t have heard about 6/10 people who drew it

 

[cmartynn]

A friend of mine killed this buck in 2018 on Thanksgiving day. We hunted hard the entire season and honestly only saw maybe 2 deer bigger but one was on private and the other was crossing a ridge never to be seen again.View attachment 327636

That’s a stud buck, thanks for sharing! I am trying to not set my expectations to high and plan on going in with the mindset that finding a 180+ is very slim

 

[The Hedgehog]

I was fortunate enough to get a general deer and elk tag this year.

Edit: and a super tag chance.

You too!?!

 

[ismith]

Then name a better one

388 is the best unit in the state. Attached is a pic of a buck I scouted up in 388 last month.

 

[mtmuley]

I wonder how the scouting is going for all the 261 tag holders. They showed up, then crickets. mtmuley

 

[rogerthat]

I wonder how the scouting is going for all the 261 tag holders. They showed up, then crickets. mtmuley

Scouting? No one scouts that’s on hunttalk anymore. Too busy reading and posting g to the political threads

 

[mtmuley]

Scouting? No one scouts that’s on hunttalk anymore. Too busy reading and posting g to the political threads

Yeah. Sometimes I think a lot of these guys don't even hunt. mtmuley

 

[perma]

Yeah. Sometimes I think a lot of these guys don't even hunt. mtmuley

It was weird last year, people fighting each other in October. Wonder what this year will be like in November.

 

[mtmuley]

Looks like all the lucky tagholders left. mtmuley

 

[Borny1]

If you want to know what kind of bucks/ bulls exist in a unit, just look at the outfitter pics they post on their web page. Yeah they were shot on Uber private, yeah they could have been shot somewhere else but you can usually get an idea of what might be.

 

[cmartynn]

I wonder how the scouting is going for all the 261 tag holders. They showed up, then crickets. mtmuley

Hunted a few times in the unit and have driven the lower private sections numerous times and have yet to even spot a decent buck. Deer numbers seem kinda low not even turning up many does. fingers crossed for the rut but it's been strange hunting the unit and seeing fewer deer than the general units I hunt.

 

[cmartynn]

Put on 10 miles around Skalkaho mtn today actually and only saw a few does….sure pretty country tho.

 

[BuzzH]

Lace up your boots...about a month ago.

 

[cmartynn]

Lace up your boots...about a month ago.

Let's go, thats a good buck! I know they are in there, they just seem to go interdimensional on me when I'm looking for em lol

 

[mtmuley]

Let's go, thats a good buck! I know they are in there, they just seem to go interdimensional on me when I'm looking for em lol

261 has become a tough unit. Downhill for a lot of years. That buck Buzz posted wouldn't get a second glance years ago. mtmuley

 

[cmartynn]

261 has become a tough unit. Downhill for a lot of years. That buck Buzz posted wouldn't get a second glance years ago. mtmuley

hence why I said "good" glad I drew it with only 6 points and didn't waste half my life in points to have the opportunity to maybe see one or two 180 inch bucks all season.

 

[mtmuley]

hence why I said "good" glad I drew it with only 6 points and didn't waste half my life in points to have the opportunity to maybe see one or two 180 inch bucks all season.

I wish you luck. I have 20 points and actually drew it a couple years after the unit went LE. I have hunted 261 for over 40 years. Tough hunt these days, but I still apply. mtmuley

 

[MTTW]

hence why I said "good" glad I drew it with only 6 points and didn't waste half my life in points to have the opportunity to maybe see one or two 180 inch bucks all season.

If you see one or two 180-inch bucks in a season, that tag is worth half your life in points in Montana.