Missouri Breaks Mule Deer

[MightyMatt]

Here is my honest take on the breaks since I live here. Join the crowd.

A little off topic and I'm not sure how to PM but I'd like to hear the story on your profile pic elk.

 

[mtblackdog]

Its a 465" caliber sheds from a bull in the northern bighorns of Wyoming and Montana. Found on Crow Indian reservation. Would shatter world record. Its mounted in the crow tribal fish and game office. Bull was never killed that I know of.

 

[MightyMatt]

I've never hunted elk but it was obviously a very special animal.

 

[MightyMatt]

It's proof that monsters really do exist.

 

[Spoonman]

Bringing this back to the top. My brother and myself are headed over there on the 12th to the 23rd for the first time. We have talked to a couple guys who have been hunting there for years and we are definitely headed over there with a open mind. We hope to get away from some people by hiking into some spots. We will stay clear of driving in wet conditions. We have a few spots in mind in 410/417 as well as 700. I have a buddy over north of Shelby right now and he said that there are far fewer deer than years past.

 

[Trypad]

If you end up using an ATV at all to get around I would recommend a gun cover of some sort. It helps a lot when the gumbo is flying. Have been to both area's you are talking about and had great times! Days of 70 degree weather to -13 so pack for everything.

Also pay attention where people are not going, you may be surprised what you find, even if it is close to a road.

Not shooting the first few bucks you see will be hard and you will second guess those decisions a few days in, but it can totally pay off being patient.

 

[Spoonman]

If you end up using an ATV at all to get around I would recommend a gun cover of some sort. It helps a lot when the gumbo is flying. Have been to both area's you are talking about and had great times! Days of 70 degree weather to -13 so pack for everything.

Also pay attention where people are not going, you may be surprised what you find, even if it is close to a road.

Not shooting the first few bucks you see will be hard and you will second guess those decisions a few days in, but it can totally pay off being patient.

No ATV, just my truck and a cargo trailer. Have plenty of good gear for warm to very cold. It’ll definitely be a new experience but looking forward to it. It’s nothing that I have ever done before so it’ll be a learning experience as well. I’m use to back country in the Olympic peninsula and central cascades in Washington.
I have chains, winch, spare tires, backup rifle and a few pairs of boots as well as I’ll use my common sense.

 

[BuckRut]

Make sure to bring gas cans. Not much for fuel stations in that area.

 

[Spoonman]

Make sure to bring gas cans. Not much for fuel stations in that area.

I’m bringing 30 extra gallons since my truck gets poor fuel economy and doesn’t carry much fuel to begin with

 

[NoDak_Jake]

I’m bringing 30 extra gallons since my truck gets poor fuel economy and doesn’t carry much fuel to begin with

So how did it go?!?

 

[Spoonman]

So how did it go?!?

So our first trip was kinda crazy. Very fun though! The 1st day we got to what we thought was a good camping spot but didn’t pay attention to the rain that was coming the following day. Of course we didn’t listen to people about not driving when it rains but I only had a couple hundred yards to get to gravel. Needless to say the roads were wet and the mud stuck to my tires like nothing I’ve ever seen. We turned around and hunted out of camp and cleaned off the truck that day. The next day was 75 and sunny, we didn’t see a single animal that day. I didn’t really like that spot so we picked up and moved. The next two days the wind was crazy! 50mph sustained with gusts 70-80!!! We thought when the weather died down we’d see some deer and we did but not very many and all in private when we went to town. We picked up and moved again. We ended up just east of Lewistown and started seeing deer immediately. After a tone of 3 points I finally put glass on a 4 and since it was our last evening and only had the following morning I went after him. He was chasing does and his tongue was hanging out of his mouth. He rarely stopped moving but for a few seconds he did and all I had was a neck shot at 164 yards. He dropped! 30 minutes later my brother shot a 3 point. It was a great trip!

Side note:
Both our bucks literally had next to no fat at all? Mine had zero fat and my brothers 3 point had very very little.

 

[Spoonman]

 

[jpmulk]

The breaks are a lot of fun. There are good deer out there. But you have to work for them.

 

[Spoonman]

The breaks are a lot of fun. There are good deer out there. But you have to work for them.

Yeah it was fun for sure. I’m sure there are some studs running around out there and it wasn’t for a lack of trying or working for them that we didn’t see any. Put on plenty of boot miles, even on the windy days we hiked deep into the canyons down on the river. Saw a few bucks doing that but nothing I wanted to put a stalk on.

I also talked to a few other hunters and 2 ranchers that all said they had never see the deer numbers so low in their lives. The ranchers mentioned having to get feed for their cattle from out of state due to the drought. Either way it was a blast and I’ll be putting in again this year. The last area we hunted there were a lot of deer and tons of elk so maybe do the elk/deer combo(need to check regs first).

 

[jpmulk]

I’m not sure where you were out there but that’s all pretty much special draw for elk. Glad you had a good time. Super cool country.

 

[Southforkguy]

Its a 465" caliber sheds from a bull in the northern bighorns of Wyoming and Montana. Found on Crow Indian reservation. Would shatter world record. Its mounted in the crow tribal fish and game office. Bull was never killed that I know of.

Holy shit what a specimen perfect 8x8

 

[Spoonman]

Holy shit what a specimen perfect 8x8

Think you are on the wrong thread

 

[GrayGoose]

Think you are on the wrong thread

Its in reference to posts 41/42. Mtblackdog's profile picture of an elk

 

[Spoonman]

Its in reference to posts 41/42. Mtblackdog's profile picture of an elk

Oh hahah ok my mistake. That is one magnificent bull!

 

[ibchez]

Hi all. I just found this thread. I am also planning on hunting breaks for mule deer, but I am planning on floating down in our cargo canoe, or I might motor up and float down I havnt quite decided that yet. Can anyone speak to what I might expect on the upper Missouri. Is it usually fairly clear boating/canoeing. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.