Montana Rut

[sniperbobthenailer]

I believe my eastern MT deer hunt (Nov 1st-5th) bridged the "start" of the rut. The first day we saw a really nice buck in a bachelor group of three. As the week progressed, we saw more bucks with does, but only at night or in very remote spots. I shot a marginal buck (spindly 4x4) on Nov 5th in N Central Montana. He was with a herd of does in very steep, rough coulees nobody wanted to hike. I will say that we spent many fruitless hours hiking miles of dry country. It wasn't until we hunted coulees around water sources that we found any deer.

While hunting with my younger brother last weekend (Sat, Nov. 20th) in NW Montana, we found a fresh rub & scrape line (shavings still in the snow) and buck tracks zig-zagging all over the side of the mountain we were still hunting. We didn't actually see bucks chasing does, but that's probably more due to our lack of skill than it is lack of activity.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Was in SE Montana last week. Saw less deer than normal but still 4-5 bucks a day, mid day cruisers, a couple of does getting bred, bucks fighting and running each other off, several bucks already looked pretty rough from rutting, seemed as hot as I’ve ever seen it.

 

[neil.hansford]

I hunted from about the 6th through the 22nd, minus a few days for work. Rut was going most of the time I was there. Some days were better than others, but rut fell about when it always does. What I did see was a noticeable increase in hunting pressure in every district I hunted. Most I've seen yet. That alone can affect your perception of how the rut, and deer herds overall are doing. If you're hunting an area a few days after half a dozen bucks were shot there, it appears that only the small 2 points are chasing does....because that may be the only ones left in that area. Drought also probably moved deer around some to places with better feed.

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[mnhoundman]

We did see quite a few deer, just that all the bucks were forks spike's and small 3x3. Nicest bucks we saw were lounging around with small bucks. Just was weird. Maybe the nice bucks got shot in our areas before we got there too, very possible. We didn't find any dead deer laying around either, and covered alot of miles. So that's good

 

[WCB]

I will say this year has been the year of big bucks getting killed or guys being straight up disappointed and that is even here in MN. A bunch of taxidermists are saying they have more big bucks that the can remember coming in yet you talk to other hunters (or myself and my family) worst year of mature buck movement on our properties ever. I have seen ZERO rut activity besides a couple nubbin bucks acting stupid. I also have honestly seen ZERO ground scrapes or fresh rubs and normally the properties I hunt (including public) are absolutely tore up. Odd year for sure.

I know a buddy was hunting Western ND a week or so ago and saw good chasing there.

There is no way you were late. Closer to Turkey Day the better in MT. I'll leave my opinion on SE MT out of this.

 

[Patton]

Got back yesterday from SW Montana and we killed a high 120s buck-- all the locals said it was one of the better of the season for the area which left us disappointed in the potential for finding a 'big' deer the rest of our hunt (which turned out to be the case).

 

[TSnave]

It's on where I am; saw a doe Sunday just after sunset with a smallish buck trailing her. She was all "get away from me" and he was not listening. I was looking straight into the sunset or I might have gotten a shot, but I didn't.
That said, he was about the first buck I've seen all season. Mule deer numbers seem to be way down; places where I'd expect to see something there hasn't been anything at all. For a bit I was afraid I'd lost the ability to spot deer, but this weekend finally put eyes on.

 

[S.Clancy]

We killed 3 bucks in the 140-150" range, saw one in the high 160s, lots of dinks and old crab clawed deer. In general, I would rate it well below average and I have some theories as why. We'll see what happens next year.

 

[Deadfall]

You can just about bet if rut is late; spring is going to be late.
Everything is rutting late this year. Elk were still callable 10 days into rifle. Whitetail just started running last week. Mule deer starting now.

Everything is super late this year. Betting on late hard winter and late spring. God way ahead of us in preparing his world.

 

[BH107]

I will add to it seeming delayed in SE MT. We hunted 4 days last weekend and saw very few mature bucks with does. Lots of smaller bucks had 4-5 does with them, but the does also weren’t interested. Of the 4 days I only saw one good bucks actually chasing a doe and I was able to stalk 1.5 miles and still find him with her. Did see other good bucks, but still off by themselves and not doe crazy yet.

 

[Speedgoat91]

Agree with the everything seems to be starting late crowd. Early to mid-November was really quiet

 

[EastMT]

Saw 2 bucks fighting along the interstate this afternoon, 100 yards from the Highway. Traffic didn’t seem to bother them, so it’s hot today at least.

 

[Mt Al]

The rut is still going strong right in my neighborhood. Tall 4 x 5 chasing does all over all week. He was 'sleeping' right next to a hot doe this morning (11/28/21) at about 5:30 AM as I was leaving on a 1.5 hour drive to try to kill something his size - with no luck.