Best MT archery mule deer units? (Public land)

[uh60Crewchief]

Hello all,

I am moving to Montana next year. I am looking for a starting point for best units to hunt archery (early or late) for mule deer. I am by no means looking for the next world record mule deer, but I’d like to shoot a mature buck.

I have an upcoming army-related year-long “sabbatical” where I won’t be hunting. But, I’d like to build some point towards a good unit before I officially move to MT.

I have archery hunted whitetail and bear in the Midwest for a decade, and I have hunted one spot and stalk hunt for early season AZ mule deer in the past.

Any info helps and feel free to PM me!

Thanks,

Andy

 

[twintips16]

With exception of a very few permitted areas, the whole state is open for archery mule deer. And the permitted areas that are not are combined rifle and bow with draw odds in the less then 2 percent and most taking 15 years plus to draw with out some luck. Depending on where you want to hunt there are plenty of good areas to take mature mule deer with a bow every year on a general season tags for just bow hunting.

Now if your talking rifle then you have to start thinking of points.

 

[MtGomer]

Any place far from the road or on a private ranch can hold a mature deer.
Other than that, you’ll have to get exceptionally lucky. Montana is the worst state there is for mule deer management.

I’d look to the Bob, Madisons, or the NW jungle mtn ranges

 

[hobbes]

MT is managed for opportunity not trophies. That doesn't make it the worst managed just not how some folks want to see it managed (for more trophy opportunity).
Rifle through the whole month of November is rough on mature bucks at their most vulnerable point. There are still some big bucks here, but this isn't Colorado. Adjust your expectations accordingly and plan for opportunity and experience not a pure "trophy" hunt.

 

[Wapiti1]

For those that want them, they are there in most units. As stated, the rut rifle hunt makes them tough, but they are there. Good bucks in the 150-170 range are the norm for most of MT.

My advice is to pick a unit near where you will live, and learn it. Hike it often in the summer months and note where you see bucks. Hunt those areas during archery season.

My best MT bucks came from heavily timbered units that have limited glassing opportunities. Easy to see is easy to kill, especially later in the rut. None were shot a long way from a road. Couple miles at most.

Don't limit yourself to the mountains. Half the state is plains, and archery hunting those can be great before the pumpkin army attacks. If you hunt there, snag a 900 antelope tag as well and go for both.

Jeremy

 

[rustneversleeps]

For those that want them, they are there in most units. As stated, the rut rifle hunt makes them tough, but they are there. Good bucks in the 150-170 range are the norm for most of MT.

Bro you are very mistaken. 150-170 is far from the norm for most of MT.

Mentioned previously, but there are opportunities for mule deer all over, but you aren't going to be shooting any record bucks unless you are on private or draw a really good tag

 

[KHNC]

I would stay FAR away from the NW portion of the state.

 

[uh60Crewchief]

Thanks for the reply's everyone.

Key takeaways,

-Much of the state is open to archery mule deer
-There are respectable bucks just about everywhere
-Spend the time to learn an area close by
-Hike and scout long before season starts
-The thicker the veg, the better (other than the East side of the side)
-Stay FAR away from NW MT lol

I'll keep all of this in mind.

 

[Wapiti1]

Bro you are very mistaken. 150-170 is far from the norm for most of MT.

Mentioned previously, but there are opportunities for mule deer all over, but you aren't going to be shooting any record bucks unless you are on private or draw a really good tag

The score range given is what a mature deer in MT generally scores, not what you should expect to shoot. MT doesn't have the genetics or conditions for big antlers in most places. A 150 class buck is realistic, a 180 is not.

That said, I have taken 6 muleys over 150 in MT. They were my favorite animal to hunt there for many years when I lived there. Now I go back for elk more so than deer. That said, where I hunt, there are still some good deer. I just can't devote the time needed to get them anymore.

Jeremy

 

[MtGomer]

MT is managed for opportunity not trophies. That doesn't make it the worst managed just not how some folks want to see it managed (for more trophy opportunity).
Rifle through the whole month of November is rough on mature bucks at their most vulnerable point. There are still some big bucks here, but this isn't Colorado. Adjust your expectations accordingly and plan for opportunity and experience not a pure "trophy" hunt.

I struggle to see how it isn’t the worst managed.
FWP has no harvest reporting requirements, does not consistently survey all units for population, and sells up to 5 region wide B (doe) tags that can be used on public lands, with a rifle during the rut. Selling 5 B tags for a region as large as R7 and making them available on public land in the whole region is not even an attempt at management.
A single hunting camp stacking up 15-25 does off public lands is not sustainable but multiple camps on the Custer do it every year. Deer numbers are at their lowest point in decades with very little changes.

Call them and ask them for the biological necessity of the the doe tags, ask them how many does were killed on the Custer Forest last year.

You will get a long-winded version of ‘I don’t know’


Colorado, Idaho, Arizona are great examples of states where anybody can go hunt well managed deer regularly.

Montana will hold onto the God given right to sell opportunity to shoot rutting forkies out the window with a rifle on Thanksgiving for as long as possible.

 

[hobbes]

I can't and won't argue against your points. I do agree that a requirement to check in every deer, even online, would be an improvement. I don't, however, see where everyone can stack up 5 does, but I may well be missing it. In addition, the question was about mule deer not whitetails. How is it possible to shoot 5 mule deer does in region 7? I see one unlimited antlerless whitetail doe license per hunter, 2000 additional resident whitetail doe licenses, and 11,000 mule deer doe licenses for all of region 7. It doesn't appear that you can purchase more than one of those mule deer doe tags.

 

[S.Clancy]

We get in to 150 class bucks every year, every couple years we shoot a 160+, the one in the avatar is my biggest to date. I ain't telling you where to go, figuring that out is most of the fun. Good luck.

 

[uh60Crewchief]

Agreed!

Thanks, S. Clancy

 

[dr.derek]

they need to button down and do some better seasons for the rifle hunt. slaughter fest