MONTANA MULIES

[freu1chr]

First time getting a western license and I've narrowed it down to unit 410,700,or 704 i can't really decide which unit to hunt. I don't like to be crowded by people. Im not looking for spots just seeing which unit you guys think would be better for a first timer? I have done all my research and have a couple spots in each unit picked out.

 

[MThuntr]

Those are all going to be plenty busy during rifle season...look for places without roads and start walking

 

[Gr8bawana]

Those are all going to be plenty busy during rifle season...look for places without roads and start walking

......and glassing

 

[golfer]

I was in two of the three listed units last year. Both had more than enough company. One had deer numbers in my opinion lower than years past.

 

[MTGomer]

I would turn it back before August 1 and buy an Idaho license.

If not that, I would look for a secluded spot in the breaks, or go south east and go on chunks of public land that is not, I repeat not, called the Custer national Forest and not, I repeat not, within a 20 minute drive of the town of Broadus

 

[DANGLER]

I would turn it back before August 1 and buy an Idaho license.

If not that, I would look for a secluded spot in the breaks, or go south east and go on chunks of public land that is not, I repeat not, called the Custer national Forest and not, I repeat not, within a 20 minute drive of the town of Broadus

Yup.... all my NR buddies could find within 20 min of Broadus were respectable whitetail last year....... definently had to jockey for position out there...but they could have easily shot similar muleys. If you don't want company.... go elswhere but you can sure find deer in 700.

 

[DANGLER]

If you send $3k in unmarked bills I will send you GPS coordinates of much better places between 50 an 500 miles from Broadus.... spots so good even a little girl can find a decent mule deer.

 

[timmy]

For a first time hunt any of the districts listed will be good as long as you expect pressure from other hunters. Everybody has different thresholds of hunting pressure I guess. I live in Montana but rarely deer hunt anymore as my threshold of hunting pressure is low. Montana deer hunting on public is combat hunting at its best.

 

[DANGLER]

For a first time hunt any of the districts listed will be good as long as you expect pressure from other hunters. Everybody has different thresholds of hunting pressure I guess. I live in Montana but rarely deer hunt anymore as my threshold of hunting pressure is low. Montana deer hunting on public is combat hunting at its best.

Come on... combat hunting at it's best? I hunt MT a BUNCH. ..... all parts of it, and it is a rare day that I run into more than 1 person anywhere but the county road. Its true that you may need to be flexible with your parking spot, but there is a ton of land to explore if you are able and motivated . That said.... it is a tough state for a buck to grow old in....but the "opprtunity" that MFWP obviously manages for is here. Many a quality hunt with good friends can be had, but dont expect to roll in and smoke booner every year.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Elkwhisper - which of those pics above are from public land? When I see a teenage girl in tennis shoes and yoga pants with a 4 point deer - I just gotta ask. There’s a big difference in a new coming non resident for public land deer hunting compared to a resident with good private land access.

 

[timmy]

Come on... combat hunting at it's best? I hunt MT a BUNCH. ..... all parts of it, and it is a rare day that I run into more than 1 person anywhere but the county road. Its true that you may need to be flexible with your parking spot, but there is a ton of land to explore if you are able and motivated . That said.... it is a tough state for a buck to grow old in....but the "opprtunity" that MFWP obviously manages for is here. Many a quality hunt with good friends can be bad, but dont expect to roll in and smoke booner every year.

That’s why I said we all have our thresholds of hunting pressure, obviously yours is higher than mine. Very nice Montana deer also.

 

[stealthy_bowman]

Any of those areas mentioned could do. I wouldn’t go crazy picking one over the other. Just try to go out there for a couple of days preseason and familiarize yourself with a few different spots so that you have options lined up already and are not wasting time during season if your first pick is not working out. Also consider looking into some BMA’s once the list is published. If you have onX you can get a good idea of where the BMA’s are based on last year’s enrolled properties , but that could change slightly once the official list is published by MFWP later this summer. Good luck, keep a positive attitude and have fun.

 

[DANGLER]

Elkwhisper - which of those pics above are from public land? When I see a teenage girl in tennis shoes and yoga pants with a 4 point deer - I just gotta ask. There’s a big difference in a new coming non resident for public land deer hunting compared to a resident with good private land access.

Elkwhisper - which of those pics above are from public land? When I see a teenage girl in tennis shoes and yoga pants with a 4 point deer - I just gotta ask. There’s a big difference in a new coming non resident for public land deer hunting compared to a resident with good private land access.

All of the whiteails were public land.... NR guys that did what everyone else here is trying to do, and e-scouted little out of the way chunks of public land.... hiked in and killed bucks they were happy with . I was along for the ride and took pics and packed meat.

My daughter on the other hand did kill the smaller of those two muleys on a friends private land... a full 800 yards from the 10000+ acres of public land he chased does from.

The bigger of her two bucks was killed over a mile from the road on what was a Block Managenent Area and she did more than her share of the quartering and packing that buck. While Dad was certainly of some help...she "earned" that buck.

The point of my post wasn't to show off, or mislead anybody. While i do have a pretty sweet private place to hunt for elk, I do 90%+ of my deer hunting on public and BMA's. And when my NR buddies come out each year it is 100% on public. We always manage to find "respectable" bucks..... bit it's Montana and they know they need to be realistic. For them a 140" muley or 120" whitetail is a shooter
...all day every day .

Long story short is that MT is the land of opportunity. If ypu expect to come out and look over a bunch of 180" bucks you will be disappointed. If you want to come out and see a bunch of beautiful country, take in the rut and leave with a "respectable" deer....MT is the place for you.

My advice for the original poster is to pick an area with lots of public land options..... if you start running into a bunch of other hunters....there is a good chance there are deer arround. Try to find an overlooked or hard to get to spot and go kill a buck.

 

[antlerradar]

Seem to me that many guys idea of respectable has decreased quite a bit since I started hunting

 

[EYJONAS!]

Idaho has better deer....... eastern mt. Was played out years ago.

 

[MT.PERCHMAN]

Idaho has better deer....... eastern mt. Was played out years ago.

Sweet im getting my tags asap ! I have one more spot on the wall for another 212" buck!

Thanks EYJONAS !!
Your the Best Buddy !!

MT.PERCHMAN

 

[Werty]

This may or may not help. Last year was in 410, found a section of state land, hiked half way thru it. Run in too two guys, asked them what their plan was, told them what i was thinking, no issue. Hiked about 1/4 mile further, found a spot, watched 8 bucks for a couple of hours. One of the bucks i watched was a a solid 160, didn't feel like seeing how deep the creek was, so let him walk. I ended up shooting a nice 4pt whitetail. Mind you I hiked in after sun up and shot him around noon. Just don't be in a hurry to get somewhere else. Take your time! The bucks i was watching, the hunters i ran into couldn't see them from there position.

 

[mtmuley]

Why does everybody concentrate on the East side of Montana for mule deer? mtmuley

 

[isu22andy]

Why does everybody concentrate on the East side of Montana for mule deer? mtmuley

No clue , but the more and more forums I read it seems like everyone is talking abut eastern Montana . The mountains and bears probably scare alot of us flat landers.

 

[mtmuley]

No clue , but the more and more forums I read it seems like everyone is talking abut eastern Montana . The mountains and bears probably scare alot of us flat landers.

Good. mtmuley