Planning for an Eastern Montana mule deer hunt

[AlleghenyElk]

Did you find an outfitter for HD 393?

No, we go on our own. Are you planning on hunting that unit?

 

[Straight Arrow]

No, we go on our own. Are you planning on hunting that unit?

Yep; hope to find a fat elk somewhere.

 

[AlleghenyElk]

Yep; hope to find a fat elk somewhere.

In 2020 we started hunting around big sky but ended up in 393. Ended up getting into a few including my first 6x6!

 

[Straight Arrow]

In 2020 we started hunting around big sky but ended up in 393. Ended up getting into a few including my first 6x6!

Nice bull! Were trails crowded?

 

[AlleghenyElk]

Nice bull! Were trails crowded?

Not as bad as we expected for opening week

 

[rogerthat]

In 2020 we started hunting around big sky but ended up in 393. Ended up getting into a few including my first 6x6!

Great job! However just a suggestion. You are free to do as you choose but no reason to throw your unit out on the web for the world. Just a thought

 

[manitou1]

You guys have some “mighty fine” whitetail hunting over there. I mean look at what the Drurys are shooting. Always confuses me why the midwestern guys end up over here with the quality of deer they have. I have no experience but I’ve seen pictures and it looks awesome.

Because they don't have 27,000 non-residents coming to their state and killing all their 1.5 and 2.5 year old bucks just to say they killed a buck.

 

[thusby]

Because they don't have 27,000 non-residents coming to their state and killing all their 1.5 and 2.5 year old bucks just to say they killed a buck.

There is a 160”+ buck behind every tree in the Midwest.

 

[DFS]

There is a 160”+ buck behind every tree in the Midwest.

I saw that on tv once. Crazy

 

[manitou1]

There is a 160”+ buck behind every tree in the Midwest.

Nope, but quite a few 3.5-4.5+ y.o. bucks.
What there is not is every access to public land loaded with campers, tents and trucks.

 

[Labman1127]

There is a 160”+ buck behind every tree in the Midwest.

There’s actually no trees left in Ohio bc all the 160”+ bucks rubbed them down to the ground!

 

[NEsurfcaster]

I went to eastern montana 3 years in a row 2019-2021 then didn't draw again but will get a license through alternate list this year. Just those 3 years I saw a difference and the 1st year I went those guys complained about how much things have changed. Deer numbers have certainly dropped, sure we see some large herds every few days but miles and miles of nothing as well. I average around 20 miles a day on foot and sometimes only see a few deer if the rut is not going strong.
I'm from nj, I'm used to hunting thick pine barrens and swamps. So I am terrible at hunting the wide open country around baker. The 1st year I went out I spent a few days w/ medicine rock ranch owner and learned a ton about the wildlife and how it has changed. Just look at the pictures the old timers have it'll tell ya everything ya need to know. FWP is treating wildlife like are goverment is treating the country.
Rant over but you need your head examined if you think montana is headed in a good direction. It can be great even w/ droughts/disease but when we kill so many deer it's not going to change. Deer gotta eat so if you don't want them in your fields do something to stop them w/out killing them.
1st year out there was a gift from boss w/ his 10 man group using a outfitter. Last 2 times was staying in motel hunting public/bma's. Lets have a fun season and enjoy the planning even if mature deer are few and far between. Like said many times this year is gonna be the best since next year will be worse, or something like that

 

[shb]

20 miles a day?

 

[mtmuley]

20 miles a day?

Doesn't leave much time for hunting. mtmuley

 

[TheTone]

Someone definitely had the boots laced up tight!

 

[NEsurfcaster]

I didn't know you could drive on 2 tracks, so I would find a parking spot on side of roads and start walking. Every hill looks like it's a couple hundred yards away but really a mile. I get to the area before sunrise and don't get back to truck till after dark.
From what I can tell you can sit on a hill for a afternoon and see nothing. So you have to find the deer which may take many miles. Now that I know you can drive on most 2 tracks on blm/bma it's a different ballgame.
If you go around ismay/plevna you'll see it's really open ground and very easy to cover lots of ground looking for that group of deer w/ a decent buck.
I should take a pic of my gps and you'll probably think I'm an idiot. Especially the 3.4 mile drag at night shot deer at sundown(174lb dressed whitetail) w/ my brother and 1 yoo hoo juice box for the 2 of us. Bringing a buddies deer cart this year...
Brother is oldier and softer and didn't think it was awesome but it was pleasant w/ all the stars and wildlife of the night.

 

[174in]

I get what you’re saying but that’s on y’all for electing the wrong people. Don’t blame nonresidents for your disgust.

Here’s how I would summarize it from an outsider’s point of view.

I live in the southeastern part of Wisconsin. Here’s a picture of deer densities. That’s roughly half what Montana averages just for whitetail. Almost everything is private farmland. Or suburbs with tiny bits of public. I’ve run trail cameras for years and the deer on public are generally only active from midnight to 4 am. Otherwise they are bedded in impossible to hunt thick shit. And all public is pounded by hunters in a way that Westerners could never imagine. Last year I saw 12 guys either across from me or walk past me in a 100 acre field of public on opening day. Hunting is horrible here (and yes, I move elsewhere in the state sometimes but that takes time and networking). Going out west looks way more fun and inviting.

Watching videos of Marcus walking in gently rolling terrain and shooting small four points stupidly looking at him compared to cracked out nocturnal Midwestern whitetails looks amazing compared to what I deal with.
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*Edit: you Montanans are the biggest bunch of cry babies I’ve ever seen. I’m looking forward to killing some of your shit this year.

There is no way in he'll my part of wisconsin holds 35-55 deer per square mile.

 

[ismith]

I didn't know you could drive on 2 tracks, so I would find a parking spot on side of roads and start walking. Every hill looks like it's a couple hundred yards away but really a mile. I get to the area before sunrise and don't get back to truck till after dark.
From what I can tell you can sit on a hill for a afternoon and see nothing. So you have to find the deer which may take many miles. Now that I know you can drive on most 2 tracks on blm/bma it's a different ballgame.
If you go around ismay/plevna you'll see it's really open ground and very easy to cover lots of ground looking for that group of deer w/ a decent buck.
I should take a pic of my gps and you'll probably think I'm an idiot. Especially the 3.4 mile drag at night shot deer at sundown(174lb dressed whitetail) w/ my brother and 1 yoo hoo juice box for the 2 of us. Bringing a buddies deer cart this year...
Brother is oldier and softer and didn't think it was awesome but it was pleasant w/ all the stars and wildlife of the night.

You drove all the way to eastern Montana to shoot a white-tailed deer? Really?

 

[Nick87]

There is no way in he'll my part of wisconsin holds 35-55 deer per square mile.

That guy ain't coming back. Wish he would for entertainment purposes though. Not really though

 

[174in]

You drove all the way to eastern Montana to shoot a white-tailed deer? Really?

I have actually shot 2 whitetail in Montana. Actually drove all the way there for mule deer but wasn't able to turn up any size so the next focus was a nice whitetail. I was actually able to get on some private ground my last day there and help a rancher out that wanted to get rid of some whitetail