Montana Mule Deer - First timer

[Tmac]

Is there an overpopulation of whitetails in MT?

Not since 2020 where we hunt in SE MT. Blue Tongue hit them hard the summer of 21, then the winter of 22 finished the job.

 

[mt terry d]

I guess I don't see the "then shoot a whitetail if you want to fill your tag" strategy.

Unless one is only concerned about mulies and don't GAS about whitetails.

Montana has historically produced some pretty darned nice whitetails.

 

[finner]

I guess I don't see the "then shoot a whitetail if you want to fill your tag" strategy.

Unless one is only concerned about mulies and don't GAS about whitetails.

Montana has historically produced some pretty darned nice whitetails.

There's no "one size fits all" population curve for the state for whitetails. Some units have incredible numbers, to the extent that mule deer are suffering for it. Some units have gone through boom and bust cycles with EHD/blue tongue.

There is a definitive population trajectory for mule deer on a statewide level. To paint with a broad brush, yeah, I'd rather whitetails get shot.

 

[voltage]

 

[manitou1]

Eastern side populations are hurting very badly the past few years. I used to hunt out there a ton. Unfortunately the winters the past few years along with blue tongue have hit them very hard.
Not to mention every Tom, dick and harry going out there and smoking the first forky they come across.

Ie: "Not looking for a trophy".

 

[Dirtscoots]

No one would deride a kid for shooting anything. But a good dad wouldn’t take his kid to eastern Montana!

Guess that makes me a terrible dad. My boys do enjoy seeing deer tho. I live in a liberal state that the deer hunting sucks. Shitty Montana deer hunting produces more deer then very “good” Oregon deer hunting. Terrible person here. If my son has an opportunity at a legal buck I will let him shoot it. If we draw tags, until Montana changes the regulations I am all for my boys shooting a sub trophy deer. I may hold out and eat a tag I may not depending on what I see. I will admit I will continue to partake in what many call the problem. I do not have a spread or point restriction on my mind that makes a trophy. A legal buck or elk that makes a memory especially with my boys is a trophy. I think not having a general tag during the rut is a great idea. Although when I’m scheduling my vacation and the rut is an option for hunting yet again terrible person that’s probably when I will go. You can advocate for self policing all you want. A few tags may get eaten the majority will have a similar mindset as me and possibly shoot dinks people look down on.

 

[Dos Perros]

Guess that makes me a terrible dad. My boys do enjoy seeing deer tho. I live in a liberal state that the deer hunting sucks. Shitty Montana deer hunting produces more deer then very “good” Oregon deer hunting. Terrible person here. If my son has an opportunity at a legal buck I will let him shoot it. If we draw tags, until Montana changes the regulations I am all for my boys shooting a sub trophy deer. I may hold out and eat a tag I may not depending on what I see. I will admit I will continue to partake in what many call the problem. I do not have a spread or point restriction on my mind that makes a trophy. A legal buck or elk that makes a memory especially with my boys is a trophy. I think not having a general tag during the rut is a great idea. Although when I’m scheduling my vacation and the rut is an option for hunting yet again terrible person that’s probably when I will go. You can advocate for self policing all you want. A few tags may get eaten the majority will have a similar mindset as me and possibly shoot dinks people look down on.

I think what Penelope Cruz’s character in Vanilla Sky said applies here: “every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around.”

Are you driving past/through Idaho to hunt eastern Montana? If so that’s bonkers dude.

 

[dirtytough]

Are you driving past/through Idaho to hunt eastern Montana? If so that’s bonkers dude.

lol it’s night and day just trying to get a tag between the two. Let alone trying to do a party hunt. Not to mention season dates.

“That’s bonkers to drive through a state with mule deer where you can’t get all your group, tags. When you can’t hunt the month you want to hunt. Just bonkers dude.”

 

[Dos Perros]

lol it’s night and day just trying to get a tag between the two. Let alone trying to do a party hunt. Not to mention season dates.

“That’s bonkers to drive through a state with mule deer where you can’t get all your group, tags. When you can’t hunt the month you want to hunt. Just bonkers dude.”

I'm just surprised there aren't better, more logical options is all. People spend their time how they want to I guess.

 

[Dirtscoots]

I’ve spent hours on the phone trying to get tags and have hunted Idaho. It isn’t exactly easy to get a tag for myself much less my wife and children. My comment was dramatic but my point is we can complain all we want until there legislation and law change no matter what the attempt solution the majority of hunters nr or resident aren’t going to be good old wkr’s that eat a tag because they didn’t see a big enough buck that the internet said they can shoot. I don’t disagree with you. I just don’t see this pact across wires and satellites actually doing anything to help the herd.

 

[Derekc6713]

lol it’s night and day just trying to get a tag between the two. Let alone trying to do a party hunt. Not to mention season dates.

“That’s bonkers to drive through a state with mule deer where you can’t get all your group, tags. When you can’t hunt the month you want to hunt. Just bonkers dude.”

Trying to hunt as a party in Idaho as NR is all but impossible with the current process. I get #1000 in line and my partner gets #10000. Well that was fun.

 

[dirtytough]

I'm just surprised there aren't better, more logical options is all. People spend their time how they want to I guess.

You said it was bonkers to drive past/through Idaho to go to Montana. There either are better more logical options for his situation or there aren't.

What are his better more logical options to get him and his family tags to be able to hunt the month of November for mule deer? If you don't have a "better, more logical option" than why make the bonkers comment?




At the end of the day Montana is the easiest state to be able to have a family/buddy/group/party hunt for mule deer in November. It's not what I personally would consider a trophy hunt. I consider it an opportunity hunt.