High Country Montana Mule Deer

[kad11]

Hi Mr. Denning, thanks for your response. I'm not really too worried about the target panic issue, I'm more concerned with being able to make a good stalk from mile(s) away and close the distance within 40 yards. I'm really interested in getting better at reading terrain and formulating a good path to take, learning how to anticipate wind direction on the other side of the canyon, sitting within bow range of a bedded animal for hours if need be, etc. From what I've read and can imagine these are all important aspects of spot/ stalk hunting. I've been practicing this spring with black bears and it has been a blast! The more I've thought about it the more I think I will have more opportunities to make stalks and practice these skills in the lower sage country. Either way I'll try to keep this discussion current throughout the summer with scouting pictures and such.

I also want to thank you for your willingness to openly share how the Lord has changed your life on this site...it's really encouraging to see.

 

[kad11]

First off I want to thank everyone that contributed to this thread... I sure learned a lot and am still working on finding a spot to do some archery spot and stalk mule deer hunting. I figure I'll update this thread to let anyone who's interested know how things turned out...

I developed a pretty nasty case of IT band syndrome in both of my knees in late July/ Aug of 2014. I couldn't do any scouting for mule deer and only managed to get out once during September. The place I tried in south-central MT was a bust that time of year (I think mountain snows push deer into the area later in the fall). I am still very interested in finding an area to do this kind of hunting in September and early October. In general, does anyone know if the Custer NF has the type of terrain that would allow you to spot and then stalk bedded bucks? I'm hoping to make a trip out there this summer to look around.

 

[Jacob Chapman]

Great thread, thanks for all the replies.

Been thinking of doing a few weekend scouting trips in the crazies, hoping the steeper elevation over there would discourage muley hunters!

 

[robby denning]

kad11, I think you're getting too scattered and over analyzing. Don't know much about the Custer but if you're driving past deer country to get to deer country, you're wasting time you could spend on stalking.

How'd you hurt your IT band?

 

[Jon Boy]

Great thread, thanks for all the replies.

Been thinking of doing a few weekend scouting trips in the crazies, hoping the steeper elevation over there would discourage muley hunters!

Mulie numbers in the crazies are hurting but I've heard of great bucks being there. I spent 3 straight weeks in late august/september hunting there and never did see a great buck while I was elk hunting. The high country basins sure are cool in the crazies, just not as much game as you would suspect.

As far as hunting the custer in SE MT during archery kad11, I think you will see many more deer and greater bucks than most of Montanas high country can provide. Its badlands type hunting and can be very open which will be a tough for archery stalking but from my experience theres very little pressure in that country during archery. If you look at the books thats where the majority of Montanas B&C bucks are coming from too.

 

[kad11]

Mr. Denning,
I read a book by Dwight Schuh a while back that really sparked my interest in stalking mule deer with a bow so now I'm just trying to find an area relatively close to home that will allow me to do that type of hunting. I agree that it doesn't make sense to drive past prime muley habitat (I'm spoiled and can drive 30 - 45 minutes to get to my elk hunting trailheads). You are right about me overthinking things... I'm relatively new to hunting and am still trying to figure out the where and how for mule deer (I'm much more comfortable/ confident with how to approach elk and where to find them). Hopefully me knees will hold up this summer and I'll have time to look for some mule deer areas 2-4 hrs from home.

I messed up my IT bands by doing too much weighted pack training without enough stretching and rolling. There's a hiking trail here that gains you about 1700' of elevation in a mile so I was taking a 60 lb pack up and down that a few times a week for about a year before my knees revolted. I've been fighting ITBS or patellar tendinitis ever since.

Jon Boy,
Thanks for the input about the Custer NF. I've never been there and think I'll try to take a scouting trip this summer. I'm not looking for a trophy-sized buck at this point... just want to develop as a bowhunter. I'm glad to hear that the pressure isn't very high during early September.

 

[kad11]

And this has nothing to do with mule deer, but here are some pictures from my three years of hunting. Looking through them today reminds me of how awesome it is to explore and enjoy God's creation:

Mom and cub:




Winter kill (bear was staring down two coyotes):


Velvet bulls: