Montana Deer Application

[hobbes]

Now, let's take a look at an area that requires a permit to hunt Mule Deer:

HD 392

Start at the top again under General Deer License:
Sept.02-Oct.15, Archery Only Season, you can kill antlerless mule deer or either sex whitetail
Oct.21-Nov.26 (rifle season) you can kill either sex whitetail deer only.

Note that with a general tag you cannot kill a mule deer buck unless you draw the following permit.

Deer Permit
392-50, you must apply for the permit but they are unlimited, one per hunter, and it states "Holders of this permit may not hunt antlered buck mule deer in any other HD"
It then tells you when you can use the permit. Sept.2-Oct.15 Archery only, Oct.21-Nov.26 General Season (rifles or archery is allowed during the general season, but most folks call it the rifle season)
This permit does not allow you additional deer, but allows you to hunt MD Bucks in HD 392 and it limits you to hunting MD bucks in 392 only. However, if you can't find a mule deer buck or just can't make it to 392, you can still kill a whitetail buck in any HD that allows you to kill an whitetail buck with a general license.

In reference to the question about killing a mule deer doe (antlerless mule deer) if you have the buck permit. In this particular unit, the buck permit only limits where you can hunt buck mule deer. It does not limit where you can shoot either sex whitetail or antlerless mule deer. During the Archery Only Season, a mule deer doe would be fair game because she is allowed on your general license. However, a mule deer doe is not allowed during the rifle season. Once you kill the mule deer doe, you've filled your general deer license (unless you have a B tag for her, but 392 did not have B mule deer tags in 2017) and your buck permit is worthless at that point.

If you keep going down through the regs for 392 you can see what can be hunted with the general elk license and what requires a permit, and what B tags are available.

 

[hobbes]

A general license lets you hunt just about anywhere in the state, but you are limited as to what you can hunt. Say for instance the Elkhorns. I can only kill a browtined bull if I draw a permit (a snowballs chance in.....), but I can still hunt the Elkhorns with a general license. However, I can only shoot a spiked bull.

As far as deer goes, there is a ton of opportunity with a general deer license. A lot of the western mountains require a permit on top of your general license, but it's an unlimited permit that limits where you can hunt mule deer bucks. There are also some limited permits that are tough to draw. However, if I was a nonresident and wanted to hunt mountains for mule deer, I'd pick another state (I'd go to Colorado).

 

[COSA]

"However, if I was a nonresident and wanted to hunt mountains for mule deer, I'd pick another state (I'd go to Colorado). "
This is good advice, I'd hunt some 2nd choice CO units over the "best" MT general units. MT just does not manage for any age class

 

[hobbes]

I probably should clarify. I wouldn't come to hunt the mountains of Montana just to hunt mule deer, but there are some good reasons to hunt other parts of Montana with a general tag.
- You can hunt mule deer during the rut with a general tag.
- Eastern Montana is beautiful country for glassing and stalking mule deer. It's completely different terrain than the western mountains. You can hunt nasty breaks country, badlands looking country, more rolling country with deep coulees, or a combination of these. It's really cool country.
- There are some respectable bucks in Montana and the occasional big buck that to most easterners would be considered a giant (they are giants to me also). Then even rarer would be the lucky person that kills a true giant. Montana manages most of the state for opportunity and not trophy size. That is what the majority of Montanans want.
- You may even run across a whitetail buck that will be hard to pass up.

But..........If I wanted to draw a tag in the mountains and hold out for a bruiser, I'd go elsewhere. I spent 5 years in Colorado and basically ignored the mule deer while chasing elk. I could kick myself for not putting real effort into hunting the mule deer Colorado has to offer.