South East Montana - Custer National Forest

[dmandoes]

Randy deserves the hate. The lines at DQs is twice as long.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

Greenhorn,

Did you ever imagine your post would generate this level of response? I took what you wrote as a light hearted jab at the recent promotion of the area. Nothing more. No hating, no bitching, no moaning. I didn't think it would go this direction.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Didn't see that coming but should have. Views/clicks are what matter. Duh.

 

[BuzzH]

Zero mule deer in 9 years in "your spot". Please!! Climb a little Buzz and you will find mule deer.

No, I wont...they don't exist there anymore, and that's a fact. I hunt the highest country in the major drainages I've hunted since the late 70's...and where I used to see lots of mule deer.

They've been declining for over 25 years, made a slight rebound in the late 90's due to plum creek closing roads, and since the trophy lion designation/severely reduced lion quota's...they're gone. Haven't seen a mule deer there in 9 years, and I doubt I will again.

Facts matter Paul, and you don't have a one.

 

[BigHornRam]

No, I wont...they don't exist there anymore, and that's a fact. I hunt the highest country in the major drainages I've hunted since the late 70's...and where I used to see lots of mule deer.

They've been declining for over 25 years, made a slight rebound in the late 90's due to plum creek closing roads, and since the trophy lion designation/severely reduced lion quota's...they're gone. Haven't seen a mule deer there in 9 years, and I doubt I will again.

Facts matter Paul, and you don't have a one.

I see mule deer in there all the time. Carry on with your FWP bashing Buzz.

 

[BuzzH]

I see mule deer in there all the time. Carry on with your FWP bashing Buzz.

You're full of crap, you don't even know where I hunt.

Facts matter Paul...you have none.

BTW, post up all the pics of those nice mule deer bucks you've shot in Western Montana since you moved to the root. Would really like to see what I'm missing out on.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Guys, back on topic. This is about your "jackpot", right here in southeast Montana.

[video=youtube;-22tna7KHzI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-22tna7KHzI[/video]

 

[mtmuley]

From a lighthearted post to bashing. Can't wait for draw results. mtmuley

 

[BuzzH]

Guys, back on topic. This is about your "jackpot", right here in southeast Montana.

Sorry for hijacking the jackpot.

 

[huronmtns]

I kind of have to laugh at this thread. I can picture the Native Americans back thousands of years ago having this same banter on how other hunters and gatherers competition has impacted their hunting success or berry picking patches.

 

[Bambistew]

I first hunted the Custer NF in 1994 with a friend who used to guide out there. I hunted it pretty much every year for until 2002, then 3 times since, 2004, 2009, 2012. I'd go back when it gets put on a draw and hunters are limited. Until then I'd rather go to WY or CO. Fun place to hunt, but there isn't 1/2 the deer as the '90s, and there are atv trails everywhere now, hunters in places I'd never seen them, etc. The cow trails we used to hunt, look like highways now. Even the walk in areas have more people than I see about anywhere in Western MT. The areas that aren't walk in are roaded up... To be honest, there really isn't much I miss about hunting in Montana, other than bow hunting for elk, maybe.

I kept seeing the posts about how crowded the hunting was going to be in SE MT I presumed it was because of the big elk killed last fall. Didn't realize it was deer being promoted. The secret was out of the bag at least 15 years ago. Everything changes, a guy just has to roll with it and hope your honey hole isn't next.

 

[Chad Gus]

I was gonna put in for a se montana deer tag and do a combo hunt with my nw south dakota deer tag, however after reading all these threads, I think I will skip montana for the foreseeable future.

 

[whiskeydog]

I can picture the Native Americans back thousands of years ago having this same banter on how other hunters and gatherers competition has impacted their hunting success or berry picking patches.

Im pretty sure that back then there wasn't much discussion, and they just went to war over their hunting grounds...
nowadays, we are civilized enough to just call each other names via the keyboard

 

[Doublecluck]

Reminds me of a duck hunting refuge forum thread

 

[joelweb]

Randy,

I’d like to salute you for all that you have done for our public lands and sporting heritage.

Have your efforts drawn people to the Durfee Hills and SE Montana? Probably, but you also played a meaningful role in preventing the Durfees from being handed over to the Wilks brothers. If that had happened, nobody would be going there but the Wilks and their rich friends. You’ve been a selfless advocate for our public lands across the board and I want to say thanks for that. Nobody likes to see someone else in their honey hole, but if we aren’t all using public lands and standing up for them, they will end up in the hands of private interests. Those who want to take our lands care nothing about public access and our sporting heritage. Competition is the price we pay for having the luxury of public lands. The alternative is restricted licenses.

I think a lot more than Randy’s videos are driving people to SE Montana. How bout 135,000 mule deer and 38 bucks per 100 does. Every hunting service in the nation is touting those numbers. My goHUNT feed was pushing the area just the other week. It’s fine with me if that’s what it takes to keep these lands managed for wildlife and sportsmen.

 

[Brian in Montana]

I was looking over this thread and just thought I'd add my 2 cents, since I hunted in the Custer NF last November. I had a great time and would have trouble saying that I thought there was anything wrong with the deer population due to the publicity or for any other reason, but then again, it was the only time I've been out there. I'm one of those West Montanans that went east for a deer hunt. I went for a new experience in a new place and because a friend of mine that grew up out there told me some great stories about it. I will say that in the area I hunted, there were lots of road hunters, but having a personal aversion to road hunting, I was parking and walking into the canyons and coulies, glassing from the rims. I was very surprised at how little distance I had to walk to loose all human sign. I saw lots of deer in only a day and a half of hunting, put a stalk on a very nice buck bedded with a half dozen does (blew the stalk), saw a huge bull elk (that I couldn't shoot although he posed for me at 150 yards), and shot a nice mulie buck. He and and the other and the bull were all around a mile in from any vehicle access, and there were no other hunters around at all. My buck wasn't huge, but a respectable 4/4 and I feel confident that if I'd passed on him, I'd had other opportunities. All in all, I had a blast and fully intend to go out there again. There were lots of road hunters, but they were not hard to get away from in this area. So, nothing profound to share, just a great experience out in SE Montana last fall that I hope to duplicate. That is all.

 

[mtguy]

Seems like there is a big difference of opinion on this matter depending on if you are a native Montanan or not. It seems like our "resident" non residents always want to make Montana better, but seem to forget why they moved here in the first place.

 

[BuzzH]

Randy,

It’s fine with me if that’s what it takes to keep these lands managed for wildlife and sportsmen.

That's the problem, SE Montana is not being "managed"...every single R and NR hunter that has a deer license can go there for 11 weeks and hunt deer every day. In a sad way, I really wish that would happen...to illustrate what unfettered permits, either sex hunting, 11 week seasons, and public access cause and how that impacts wildlife. There wouldn't be much left in a few years time.

What is "fine", is the line, where public land is pounded so hard that it makes it worthless to people that hunt and fish. Many areas in Montana are well past that line.

Granted, there are other values to public lands other than hunting and fishing. However, when hunters and fisherman don't go to public lands anymore, because the game just isn't there, a big part of the advocacy group touting public lands is lost.

That's problematic, any way you want to slice it or try to defend it. There are ways to balance pressure on the game in Montana and bring back some of the lost public land opportunities. Sadly, nobody, including the FWP is willing to do it. What they're doing now sure as hell isn't working, and isn't sustainable.

So, it will be a continual decline of wildlife AND use of public lands...fact. We'll continue to shoot up what's left, until its all gone. The future of big-game hunting in Montana is bleak, and if not for the size of the State and private lands, there would be a whole lot less.

Randy is not the problem, WE'RE the problem. We should demand better and be cognizant of what's going on around us. Be willing to sacrifice for the betterment of, and a brighter future, for both public lands and the wildlife found there. Instead, we're carrying on like its still 1954 in Montana...and that isn't going to result in anything positive for wildlife or public lands.

Carry on...

 

[Doublecluck]

The good news is it looks like I will be in the breaks all alone with everyone Down south

 

[antlerradar]

As much as I would like to disagree with Buzz I find it hard to do so. FWP has used region 7 as a relief valve for declining mule deer hunting in western Montana for years. If you couldn't find quality hunting in western Montana you could always go east. The decline in the hunting I have seen on the Custer in the last 30+ years is heart breaking. Now the Custer is all but used up. If the decline continues it is only a matter of time until shorter seasons or limited draw or even both.