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Montana public land B&C mule deer

DougStickney said:
They do over here when I went to the meet and greet with the director in Miles City mule deer where brought up. The wildlife manager said “we are knocking it out of the park with our mule deer management” why would would we change anything when our numbers are so good. Record counts in Prairie county. Glory days.
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Was thinking about this tonight. I remember the drive from Baker to Miles City in the dark was nasty 15-20 years ago. We use to get a motel room up there during tournaments because we didn’t want to take a chance of hitting a deer on the way home. Now you might see a deer on the road. Came home from Wibaux tonight and seen one mule deer doe the whole way and that was at city limits. Use to be all over the roads that direction too.
 
brockel said:
Was thinking about this tonight. I remember the drive from Baker to Miles City in the dark was nasty 15-20 years ago. We use to get a motel room up there during tournaments because we didn’t want to take a chance of hitting a deer on the way home. Now you might see a deer on the road. Came home from Wibaux tonight and seen one mule deer doe the whole way and that was at city limits. Use to be all over the roads that direction too.
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Yep. I spent a night in miles City in 1994. Hunting near Volberg the next morning. Holy cow the critters I saw on the early morning drive. Was slow going. Not like that now.
 
I always tell myself that the mild weather allowed the big ones to stay in their holes and grow another year. I agree with the general consensus of this thread but I have seen a few 165-175" deer come out of the mountains especially those years we get really cold temps and precipitation late November. In my book a 170-175" deer is a special deer in MT. If we're talking CO, WY it's a different story. My other conclusion is that the wolves have really done a number in NW, W, and SW Montana. Look at guys like Lucas Sterling, usually good for a booner every year, now he's eating tag soup. They become pretty easy prey when the winters tough and thet're rutting. I also know some good one's come from out east but I'll hunt that stuff when my knees and back stop working quite as well. It's tough but I know one thing, i'm gonna give it hell this year and try to dig one out of somewhere!
 
ELKdeerMT said:
I always tell myself that the mild weather allowed the big ones to stay in their holes and grow another year. I agree with the general consensus of this thread but I have seen a few 165-175" deer come out of the mountains especially those years we get really cold temps and precipitation late November. In my book a 170-175" deer is a special deer in MT. If we're talking CO, WY it's a different story. My other conclusion is that the wolves have really done a number in NW, W, and SW Montana. Look at guys like Lucas Sterling, usually good for a booner every year, now he's eating tag soup. They become pretty easy prey when the winters tough and thet're rutting. I also know some good one's come from out east but I'll hunt that stuff when my knees and back stop working quite as well. It's tough but I know one thing, i'm gonna give it hell this year and try to dig one out of somewhere!
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Lucas is eating tag soup because he’s a poacher and doesn’t have a hunting license for a couple years…
 
MTTW said:
It is always fun to watch the new guys get beat about the head and ears for believing that there might still be a buck out there worth hunting for.
If you are a big mule deer buck hunter in SW Mt it helps to live in a world of pure imagination. It is what gets me out of bed in the morning in hunting season. It also helps to set the bar below "big."
I actually agree with this portion or your post.

"I always tell myself that the mild weather allowed the big ones to stay in their holes and grow another year. I agree with the general consensus of this thread, but I have seen a few 165-175" deer come out of the mountains especially those years we get really cold temps and precipitation late November. In my book a 170-175" deer is a special deer in MT."

These are deer that I have personally killed on accessible public land otc tags in W Mt. This is 2013 through 2018 with no deer in 2016. I haven't seen one since 2018. The one with the packs in the pic was 6yo and the bottom one was 4yo. If I hadn't shot the bottom one, he would have died in the next 5 minutes.
I don't think that this testifies to good mule deer management. I think if you consider the miles traveled, and time spent, it testifies to terrible mule deer management. I see less deer each year and believe with each buck it might just be my last. If there are bigger bucks out there, I can't find them, and I never could. (In the west.) I have been at it for a while and see a steady decline in mule deer numbers in all areas that I hunt. (In the west)

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This is sad, but I couldn't help but love it. I love seeing people who are clearly experts at __________. Whatever blank may be.
 
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MTTW said:
It is always fun to watch the new guys get beat about the head and ears for believing that there might still be a buck out there worth hunting for.
If you are a big mule deer buck hunter in SW Mt it helps to live in a world of pure imagination. It is what gets me out of bed in the morning in hunting season. It also helps to set the bar below "big."
I actually agree with this portion or your post.

"I always tell myself that the mild weather allowed the big ones to stay in their holes and grow another year. I agree with the general consensus of this thread, but I have seen a few 165-175" deer come out of the mountains especially those years we get really cold temps and precipitation late November. In my book a 170-175" deer is a special deer in MT."

These are deer that I have personally killed on accessible public land otc tags in W Mt. This is 2013 through 2018 with no deer in 2016. I haven't seen one since 2018. The one with the packs in the pic was 6yo and the bottom one was 4yo. If I hadn't shot the bottom one, he would have died in the next 5 minutes.
I don't think that this testifies to good mule deer management. I think if you consider the miles traveled, and time spent, it testifies to terrible mule deer management. I see less deer each year and believe with each buck it might just be my last. If there are bigger bucks out there, I can't find them, and I never could. (In the west.) I have been at it for a while and see a steady decline in mule deer numbers in all areas that I hunt. (In the west)

View attachment 242581View attachment 242586View attachment 242583View attachment 242584View attachment 242585
Click to expand...

Might just have to try harder and lace them up tighter
 
My job allowed me the opportunity to spend some time around SE MT rancher's kitchen tables. Holy schmidt is all I can say. I saw some huge mule deer mounts. Granted most of them were taken in the 40's to 70's. Not sure we can get back to that with our current mgmt structure.
 
JEL said:
My job allowed me the opportunity to spend some time around SE MT rancher's kitchen tables. Holy schmidt is all I can say. I saw some huge mule deer mounts. Granted most of them were taken in the 40's to 70's. Not sure we can get back to that with our current mgmt structure.
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“Montana doesn’t have the genetics that’s settled science.” Montana FWP Biologists
 
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