best mule deer units in montana

Some areas are easily accessed by roads, while others offer a wilderness experience for those willing to hike a distance from their vehicle. Because nonresidents are in the same pool, there are 8,543 applicants in the total pool. Utah has six limited-entry units where trophy quality can be amazing, and a bonus-points system is used, rather than preference points, meaning half the tags in each unit are given to the top points holders and half are awarded in a random draw. Me and my buddies have ben putting in for that tag for 15-plus years and still havent drawn. You cannot access without being signed up for that specific BMA. There is a lot of private land, but there is plenty of Block Management and public land for anyone to have a good hunt. Mule deer and white-tailed deer are the most widely distributed and abundant big game mammals in Montana. Most of the state is managed to maximize hunter opportunity each fall. Unit 102 has been a desirable hunter destination for trophy mule deer in Wyoming over the past two decades. THE BEST MULE DEER RIFLE CALIBER. Dates: October 27-31, 2023. Harvest is generally limited to 180" bucks and larger, but our goal for each client is to get a 190 . Both state and federally managed public lands sprawl across thousands upon thousands of acres of prime habitat. Lets all try to make the best of it. This is a very solid hunt in my opinion for only one or two preference points. Based purely on the data and uncertainty going into this years Wyoming mule deer draw this list should probably be blank, however, that does not work well for readers so I will give you the best list possible with the information I have at this time. We applied as a party and were successful in drawing our Either Species/Either Sex tags. We ended up hunting the type 1 BMAs for 6 of the 7 days hunted. . The hunting season for these species coincides with the archery season for big game. The big takeaway here is, as nonresident landowners suck out more and more of the nonresident pool, expect less and less tags being drawn by general nonresidents. Montana Rivers and Ridges Outfitter offers a late season 4 Day trophy Mule Deer hunt on the beautiful prairie of Eastern Montana. This hunt can be had with only about six or seven points. Best States to Hunt Mule Deer June 9, 2022 onX Indigenous to western North America, mule deer are found west of the 100th meridian from 23 degrees to 60 degrees N. Much larger than whitetail deer, a buck mule deer can weigh between 130 and 280 pounds. The type 2s were crawling with other hunters and the quality of deer we saw on these properties was not what we were after. This area is mountainous and does contain about 25% wilderness at the very top of the unit. This information really put a damper on much of the areas we thought we were going to hunt. They also tend to offer less public hunting ground. A lot of large bucks stay nocturnal during the general rifle season, making them very hard to find. Some of Lewis' most poetic lines were reserved for their surroundings in Montana where he wrote, "As we passed on it seemed as if those scenes of visionary enchantment would never have an end.". amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Hunt mule deer with Ike and Guy Eastman during an October snowstorm. 12,440 Views. | Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website has a fairly easy HUNT PLANNER section that can guide applicants through finding zones and units best suited for their type of hunt as well as draw statistics. Dan Pickar Many of these concepts were decided long ago and can be easily modified. Using this strategy . Introducing the Veracity PH from Burris, the perfect combination of reliability, quality, and technology delivering a simple aiming solutiona tool for the hunter that just works. A fine hunter in his own right, Guy has taken several trophy animals and has become an expert in trophy hunting as well. New Mexico, Socorro County117 pronghorn in B&C records 13. Maps for Montana Deer, Elk, and Mountain Lion Hunting Districts Select a hunting unit from the dropdown menu or click a unit on the map below. Since we pride our hunters and offer great quality hunting guides, we are 100% fair chase. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Pronghorn Area 38, between Cheyenne and Laramie, is a mix of public and private land where landowners typically charge minimal trespass fees and hunters needed only two preference points to draw a tag in 2018, Decaria said. Get unlimited access to over ten years of historical drawing and harvest data for over 1,700+ hunt units. We strive to help our audiences become more skilled and ethical hunters, while expanding their knowledge, appreciation, and awareness of the outdoors and wildlife through entertainment media. Unfortunately, Montana has been giving out so many mule deer doe tags that they have put a hurt on the mule deer population. Due to this fact, many of those folks hunting elk shot mule deer, as well. This hunt must be done with a group of three hunters. For the most part, hunters should be prepared to hunt at least a mile from vehicle access, as elk usually keep a buffer of about that distance from motorized activity. Wyoming. If you have any questions about the general deer hunting opportunities or outfitters in Montana, give us a call. No other state comes close to Wyoming's endless harvesting options and ecosystems. If awarded we are going to try to stay on the eastern side of the state due to the drive from Louisiana.. . Sergio Alcazar, owner of ALC Global Adventures, has lived in and hunted Colorado for 24 years. The Big Sandy, late hunt is a true wildcard hunt with some very solid big buck potential. The deadline for nonresident applications for archery and rifle elk licenses is March 15. Arizona Game and Fish mentions that Edwards Park, just south of Mt. Tags #myhuntstory Archery backpack hunting big game hunting bow hunting deer hunting Eastmans Eastmans' Bowhunting Journals Eastmans' Hunting Journal Eastmans' Hunting Journals Guy Eastman Hunting Mule Deer Hunting Mule deer. The winter was very mild on these deer and the buck to doe ratio is very, very good right now. Whitetail deer are also common in the cottonwood studded riparian areas along the river. My partner passed on a good deer the first day and we spent the majority of the rest of our hunt trying to find that deer. New Mexico, Rio Arriba County113 typical mule deer in B&C records 15. The downside of hunting the rut is that most of the mature bucks are harvested every season while they are more vulnerable as they are out chasing does. Kali Parmley, Editor-in-chief of Bakccountry Hunter speaks with Bret Maffet of Franchi Firearms to discuss the all new Momentum All Terrain Elite. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Area 141-1, The Green River Lakes hunt is a bit more of a long-shot for big bucks, but I just have a bit of a hunch that given the type of country in this area there could be some big bucks this fall to mine out of here for someone who hunts hard. With 80 tags on quota and an October season, with a little help from some weather, this hunt could create a great opportunity for a big staged up high-country deer during the final five days of the hunt. The Interstate Commerce Clause, The Fairness Doctrine in the Constitution and other legal concepts can all be looked at again and Court Rulings Reversed. We decided to try our hand at getting some tags in our neighboring state of Montana. As you can imagine 270-50 has the highest number of landowner applicants for any deer permit and by far the highest for nonresidents. In 2017, three tags went to nonresidents. Montana has 7 hunt districts that break down into smaller units in each district. And it has been increasing every year. And the data backs this statement up as according to the Game and Fish Department the mule deer herd in Wyoming, statewide, is nearly 30% below objective levels. Colorado Mule Deer Hunting License fee structure is as follows: DEER Resident adult: $39.75 Resident youth: $15.50 Nonresident adult/fishing combo*: $396.75 Nonresident youth/fishing combo*: $101.50 One final fee is your annual habitat stamp. amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; More than 295 ranches are enrolled in the Block Management Program here, which provides licensed sportsmen with free access to about 1.3 million acres of mule and whitetail deer, antelope, and elk habitat. Archery season runs in September and most rifle seasons occur during October, with some exceptions. I think if they cut the quota for nonresidents, maybe theres somebody out there who can put together a class action law suit to get are money back. *All Combination License prices include the required Base Hunting License, Conservation License, Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Pass, and Application Fees. Idaho runs a close second to Colorado when it comes to mule deer hunting. Our mule deer love the high country! Hopefully this change will help increase the age class of the bucks in those units. So put on your sweatband and grab your stress ball, were going to take a look at the hard numbers. There are seven different hunting districts within our area; these include units 204, 240, 260, 261, 262, 250, and 270. With tags in hand, we decided that hunting public land was going to be our plan of action. Montanas general deer tags provide a great opportunity to harvest a mule deer or whitetail and provide plenty of time to get it done over generous season dates. This hunt unit sits smack dab in the middle of the famed Carbon County, one of the best trophy producing buck counties in the entire country, and this area sits in the best big buck country in the second best big buck county in the state, what more could you ask for? Wyoming Residents hate Nonresident hunters when they are hunting in Wyoming, these Nonresidents are the source of all the problems with landowner issues, Poaching, poor herd populations and the like But boy do Wyoming People love Nonresidents when they are fighting next to their sons and daughters in the mountains of Afghanistan and when that Minnesota Mayo Clinic Surgeon saves their fathers life because no Doctor in Wyoming has the skill set to do the operation. The Bitterroot Valley has long been known as the best place to take a trophy buck, and it is no secret as the draw odds have been horrible for units 261, 262, and 270. He is vice president of Christian Hunters of America and is a Cabelas Pro Staffer. Our magazine, which is available in print and online,has everything in one location -application info, draw details and odds, fees, hunter requirements, point structure, age restrictions, youth information, weapon restrictions, other tag opportunities, hunt planning, and much more. In units 250, 261, 262, & 270 the State only issues a limited number of tags . Area 130-1, The Big Sandy, late hunt is a true wildcard hunt with some very solid big buck potential. One of the region's prime whitetail grounds is the Milk River drainage, a tributary to the Missouri River. 5 Best States for Mule Deer Hunting. Along with the sheer expanse of the landscape, the expedition was awed with the abundant wildlife in the area, especially those game animals that provided them with food: elk, mule and whitetail deer, bighorn sheep, bison, and pronghorn (antelope). This hunt can be had with only about six or seven points. Man with all yhe points I have for deer and elk I may be screwed. The river winds northwest from its confluence with the Missouri, roughly following the course of U. S. Highway 2. Our first ranch was 15,000 acres and allowed 15 hunters per day. Good bucks in the 150-170 range are the norm for most of MT. Access is getting harder to come by as many landowners in the area have grown tired of being asked for permission to hunt their land. Hunting districts south of the Missouri offer the best drawing odds. Years of development and pushing the limits of what is possible in a rifle optic have led up to this moment. 262-00-B: F ANY G 100% 0 ArchEquip, shotgun . For many hunters, even those who dont live in the region, western big-game hunting is a passion that consumes them year-round. This hunt is generally booked after the hunter has secured a permit. 5. After months of kicking the idea around exactly what we would do, the real planning started in early March as applications are due March 15th for deer, elk and deer/elk combination tags. Are you a hunting outfitter? Max points are a must to apply for this hunt. Mule deer hunters should plan to go high in the mountains for the best opportunity at bigger bucks. Ord, holds a fair number of mule deer and receives little pressure because of . Best Montana Mule Deer Hunts 2020 Galleries. These are high country bucks that migrate to lower country to rut low country does which can make for a great hunt if you hunt hard and give yourself plenty of time to cover lots and lots of country. A very tough spot indeed. Arizona and New Mexico are home to huge pronghorn bucks, including the current world record, which scored 96-4/8 B&C points and was killed in Socorro County, New Mexico, in 2013. Obviously these are the funds that are used to fund the States road system, educational system, law enforcement, health system and the like. Dec 2, 2022. Writers Note: This Montana mule deer on the cover was taken at 502 yards. If you would like access to all of our research join today! Unit 22 is open for archery hunting late August to mid September and then December through the end of January. A tough winter in 2016, followed by a drought that lasted more than a year and a half, cut that total by about 20,000 deer, but Utah still remains a top destination for mule deer hunters, according to Covy Jones, big-game coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Montana Rivers and Ridges Outfitter offers a late season 4 Day trophy Mule Deer hunt on the beautiful prairie of Eastern Montana. We offer many different types of Montana Mule Deer Rut Hunts on several private ranches. Warm weather was more to blame than anything else; however, this could point to a potential bumper crop of sorts for mature bucks this year. What I thought I could accomplish in a day would have taken a solid week. There are few secrets on premium LE units. The deer in Unit 76 are extremely call shy - due to hunting pressure and predation - but this has made them more visual creatures. Hunter success here can be a bit spotty with an average of 57% success but if a hunter is in good shape and hunts hard, a big buck could be possible here. Give a Gift With only 50 tags on quota, a 20-day season in November and lots of public land to hunt, with a little help from the weather, this hunt should continue to excel well into the future. Learn how your comment data is processed. Best Montana . This hunt unit sits smack dab in the middle of the famed Carbon County, one of the best trophy producing buck counties in the entire country, and this area sits in the best big buck country in the second best big buck county in the state, what more could you ask for? I was able to download 10-mile by 10-mile maps of our hunt area knowing we would be out of cell coverage. Any further questions call Dan Alleman.". These were usually posted as enrolled if there was no access. Over the last 25+ years, this trip has proven to be a favorite for WTA clients. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. For example, in 2019 there were over 1400 applicants with zero points, and one person drew. These are high country bucks that migrate to lower country to rut low country does which can make for a great hunt if you hunt hard and give yourself plenty of time to cover lots and lots of country. Western Hunt Company is a big game & upland hunting operation based in Montana & Idaho. Hours of looking at Google Earth do not come close to physically being there. Although a big buck here would be a very tall order, a fun hunt with limited pressure is what this hunt should offer up on a somewhat later season experience. Regions G and H are the most popular and talked about deer units in Wyoming; however, there are other good units as well. Again, pay close attention to the regulations to make sure you are properly licensed to hunt mule deer. There are a handful of good limited-entry units, and most of them give a hunter a good hunt for an average buck. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website has a fairly easy . The deep, contorted coulees of the breaks provide superb cover, allowing some bucks to achieve trophy status. A couple of these units will close the mule deer season early on November 13th. Edward Wright: This was 20 years ago when coyotes in my home state hit epidemic proportions. Kevin Steele of Petersen's HUNTING is with Dawn Wehunt of Rock River Arms INC. learning about the new Ascendant platform. The top states for record mule deer are Colorado, Utah and Idaho. Petersen's HUNTING Publisher, Kevin Steele is in the CZ booth with Dylan Rice at SHOT Show to talk about CZ 600 Series Trail rifle. The eastern side of the state provides good mule deer hunting. Nevada, Washoe County114 pronghorn in B&C records 14. Yikes! This would be a great opportunity to bring youth out on a hunt for a reasonable price. We put in for General tags as well as purchasing the extra preference point that is offered when applying. Elk, mule deer, and pronghorn are three iconic species among the big-game animals hunters pursue throughout the western United States. No matter what quarry is pursued, modern-day hunters are sure to echo the sentiments of Meriwether Lewis who concluded Missouri River Country includes "one of the fairest portions of the globe." Edward Wright: This was 20 years ago when coyotes in my home state hit epidemic proportions. Though relatively few in number, Missouri Breaks bucks can achieve notable size. The decline of mule deer populations in northeastern Nevada is reflected in this Department of Wildlife graph of hunter success over a 63-year period. sitting, and still hunting can be effective, but the best way is to use a vehicle to cover as much country as possible in the mornings and evenings. Probably the most important bit of information we found was: If a ranch is enrolled into the Block Management Program and there is BLM land on or bordering that ranch, that BLM land is NOT OPEN to public access. Plus Ive been buying points for my family . For some hunters, pursuing elk, mule deer, and pronghorn in the western United States is a future dream; for others its a yearly routine. This country is big, rugged and nothing comes easy here, but the bucks here are by far the largest in the state, historically speaking. This fervent praise for the landscape occurred not in the mountains but on the eastern plains, along the banks of the Missouri River. The up-and-coming units in Arizona are 6A, 8, and 5BS.. Temperatures can be quite warm in September and early October, rendering elk inactive during the day, however, hunters seeking a varied experience find plenty to do at midday. 28-Oct-08. Utah has four premium areas for deer. Bring your good quality optics and you stand a very good chance at a 150-170 class deer with the possibility of finding up to a 200 class deer. The permit is known as 270-50. If you are looking to harvest the buck of a lifetime, this is your unit and we are your outfitter. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "bennordquist-20"; A Muley Doe decoy is a must in Unit 76.The situation in Unit 76 is representative of several OTC mule deer units in Idaho. Go on more hunts with better information! Statewide, mule deer populations in Montana during there 2018 season were hovering around 334,965, which is down 13.23% from a peak in 2017, but still vastly higher than the low in 2012 of 211,361. Petersen's HUNTING Publisher, Kevin Steele is in the CZ booth with Dylan Rice at SHOT Show to talk about CZ 600 Series Trail rifle. 15% of the 45 permits are guaranteed to resident and nonresident landowners alike. And everything about the pursuit is big. Subscriber Services. The .300 Remington Ultra Mag. Then you have the, Colorado Corner Crossing Here We Go Again, 10 Most Common Big Game Violations Part 8 Hunter Trespassing, To Feed Or Not To Feed. This county should have its own chapter in the record books with over 100 B&C entries for mule deer. Ornoski said elk hunters with patience should consider looking at Arizona units 1, 3A/3C, 9, 10, 23N, and 27, which typically are extremely hard to draw. We also develop and sell products such as apparel, hats and artwork. Like Utah, Arizona is famous for producing record-book mule deer. We cover Units 240, 250, 261, 262, and 270 for Mule Deer Draw Tag Hunters! If you have max points (16), you have 256 chances in the drawing. 5 Day/night Mule Deer Hunts - $4250 5 day 6 night Mule deer hunt - $4700 if available $1500 deposit to book your hunt Add antelope - $500 (drawing license required) With a mild winter and wet spring, I really think there could be some gems in these hills for those who hunt hard this fall. Lewis and Clark noted the presence of huge herds of antelope mingled with the bison, elk and deer they saw along the Missouri River. Today, antelope are a perennial favorite among big-game hunters who stalk the prairie speedsters on the open plains on both the north and south sides of the Mighty Mo.

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