Region 7 Montana

[brownbear932008]

One that my buddy took down there think it was around 140 loved the brows. I've seen a few big whitetail in there saw a giant 9 one year after I was done.

 

[8andcounting]

In all my years hunting Montana I’ve never seen a white tail that I thought was big . We see lots of them more and more every year it seems . Ranch owner requested that this year we pickup otc whitetail Doe tags and pop a few . Don’t really care to blow $75 on a Whitetail doe but I probably to make him happy . He doesn’t like them he only wants mule deer around

 

[Shangobango]

Looking back through this thread, this could become a whitetail hunt real quick, especially for my son. He has killed a good number of whitetails but has yet to get what he describes as a “mountable”.

 

[Poke 'Em]

The number in my head is 170. I should be arriving in my hunting area mid day on November 1st and departing for home on November 12th.

Edit: I am not hung up on score. I am just trying to set reasonable expectations for myself. If I take a 160 or 150 or whatever that does it for me I will be ecstatic.

Better reset those expectations.

 

[Straight Arrow]

he number in my head is 170. I should be arriving in my hunting area mid day on November 1st and departing for home on November 12th.

Edit: I am not hung up on score. I am just trying to set reasonable expectations for myself. If I take a 160 or 150 or whatever that does it for me I will be ecstatic.

No disrespect meant as I really appreciate your enthusiasm and excitement about planning for the hunt next November; it gets me looking forward to next fall also.
But I can't help thinking, "Gosh I hope Shangobango can stop talking long enough next November and get out there and hunt for deer!"

 

[8andcounting]

No disrespect meant as I really appreciate your enthusiasm and excitement about planning for the hunt next November; it gets me looking forward to next fall also.
But I can't help thinking, "Gosh I hope Shangobango can stop talking long enough next November and get out there and hunt for deer!"

I kinda agree haha , but I think Shango will be fine on his hunt THIS November . He drew a tag for this year So I assume he’s going this November . As I said in a previous post Shango , just hunt , pick some spots have some backup plans and hunt and you’ll have a great time

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

How does someone read the 40 threads and 2,000 posts on here about that area, see a jillion pictures of mostly average to below average bucks, then say their goal is 170? 95% of guys that hunt there have never seen a 170 buck in the last 10 years, much less killed one.

 

[Shangobango]

How does someone read the 40 threads and 2,000 posts on here about that area, see a jillion pictures of mostly average to below average bucks, then say their goal is 170? 95% of guys that hunt there have never seen a 170 buck in the last 10 years, much less killed one.

Easy answers to your question. Out of all those posts and all those pictures there were several comments along the lines of “ I saw a larger buck but didn’t close the deal.” Also I have seen several pictures of bucks that came from that area in the last several years that are a long way from what I personally consider average to below average. Also from what I can tell there are a few bucks approaching that number that get taken in that region every year.

Also I never said that 170 was necessarily my goal because at the point I started this thread I had no goal.

I started the thread in order to come up with a reasonable expectation for my hunt and to help make sure I wasn’t passing on deer that I should be willing to take do to having expectations that were too high. This thread has been very beneficial in helping me do that. Yes, even the replies that were less than cordial.

No disrespect meant as I really appreciate your enthusiasm and excitement about planning for the hunt next November; it gets me looking forward to next fall also.
But I can't help thinking, "Gosh I hope Shangobango can stop talking long enough next November and get out there and hunt for deer!"

No disrespect taken.

Shutting up to hunt once I get out there won’t be a problem. I plan on soaking up as much of that country as I can in the 10 or so days that I have to spend out there.

Thanks to everyone that took the time to reply to the thread or message me directly and offer up insight and advice. I really appreciate it.

 

[8andcounting]

Good luck - post updates this fall . I’d say a 130”+ whitetail or a 130-140”+ muley should be very doable . Maybe even something 160+ . Won’t know until you get there and look at some animals . Year to year things change

 

[Shangobango]

Good luck - post updates this fall . I’d say a 130”+ whitetail or a 130-140”+ muley should be very doable . Maybe even something 160+ . Won’t know until you get there and look at some animals . Year to year things change

Thank you. I will definitely post updates.

I am not going anywhere this site is awesome.

 

[lostinOregon]

Here is a deer I haven’t posted. 2018 eastern Montana public land. My son shot this buck. I guess this one might go 170

 

[MTGomer]

That’s a fantastic buck. In case there is any questions, if you see one like LostinOregon’s shoot it, even if it’s the first day.

 

[JEL]

That’s a fantastic buck. In case there is any questions, if you see one like LostinOregon’s shoot it, even if it’s the first day.

That is a dandy! I hunted 700 a lot when I lived in Billings in the 90's. Man it was great. Here is the best buck I took there during those years.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Here is a deer I haven’t posted. 2018 eastern Montana public land. My son shot this buck. I guess this one might go 170View attachment 137367

Why isn't he on the let's see some mule bucks thread. He's a beaut Clark

 

[thusby]

They’re out there... or not!

 

[Shangobango]

That’s a fantastic buck. In case there is any questions, if you see one like LostinOregon’s shoot it, even if it’s the first day.

No kidding right! If I have my son with me and that is the first thing we see a scuffle may break out for dibbs on the first shot!

 

[174in]

I have shot bigger whitetail around home here but you would have to be crazy to pass one up in Montana this size in my opinion even if you after mule deer

 

[antlerradar]

Easy answers to your question. Out of all those posts and all those pictures there were several comments along the lines of “ I saw a larger buck but didn’t close the deal.”

One of the best bucks I have ever seen alive now resides in the forest service office in Ashland. Every year by the end of hunting season at least a half a dozen hunters point to that buck and claim to have seen a bigger one. Not just "Not," but no way in hell. Some people see lots of big deer until they put them on the ground.

 

[antlerradar]

Shangobango,

You should look at powder river outfitters and gardner outfitters who are based in Broadus. They lease some of the better properties in that area. Take a look at the photos and see how many 170 bucks you see on their website. A 170 mule deer is a big deer and most that you see on the internet claiming to be 170 are really 140-150ish. I have hunted that area for many, many years and the genetics tend to be ear width or a little more, tall deer with little or no eye guards. Doesn't mean there are not great deer out there, because they are. If is an awesome area to see and enjoy the hunt with your son, don't get hung up on any numbers and have a great time. Your plan for hunting a week will pay off as the deer will begin wandering around the first few days of November.

Rich

I would not look to today's outfitters to judge the trophy potential of SE MT. Most outfitters in the area have a business model that is dependent on quantity and not quality

 

[timmy]

I would not look to today's outfitters to judge the trophy potential of SE MT. Most outfitters in the area have a business model that is dependent on quantity and not quality

Potential is there I look at “good” deer every year on private. They don’t get shot it would be like shooting one of the angus bulls not a whole lot of sport to it. Kind of nice to see good bucks. They don’t all need to die.