Over the last 20+ years, we've collected hunting research and data,so join Huntin' Fool today and access the best research tools for hunting mule deer, including 3D Maps, Draw Odds, Consultations, and much more. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit"; We strive to help our audiences become more skilled and ethical hunters, while expanding their knowledge, appreciation, and awareness of the outdoors and wildlife through entertainment media. Elk, mule deer, and pronghorn are three iconic species among the big-game animals hunters pursue throughout the western United States. Check em out! Rifle or Archery Elk hunting, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Black Bear, Moose, MT Lion Montana Guided Hunts. Here in Wyoming and Montana, mule deer hunting is also diverse. Professional outfitters' and guides' services are also available throughout the region, providing expert services to out-of-state hunters. We put in for General tags as well as purchasing the extra preference point that is offered when applying. From southwest deserts to coastal forests, mule deer hunting presents a variety of challenges. There are a few 2023 dates left open. The northeastern portion of the state has the highest number of pronghorn and provides an opportunity to see a large number of animals during the hunt, while still providing an opportunity at a trophy buck. Eastmans Publishing, Inc. is a holding company engaged in publishing. amzn_assoc_linkid = "3d18066eea5f32622cb88644951f608f"; Temperatures can be quite warm in September and early October, rendering elk inactive during the day, however, hunters seeking a varied experience find plenty to do at midday. She said it currently takes six preference points to be guaranteed a pronghorn tag in the draw in Area 73 but added the state allots 25 percent of the total quota in each area to a random drawing of all applicants who chose the area as their first choice. Yikes! That's why oftentimes, the all-time records list you see aren't the most accurate depictions of where big deer are truly . The 2021 state estimate was 293,950, which is down 34,363 from 2020. For more information when and how to apply call toll-free: 1-800-653-1319. The good news is many Western states have huge mule deer herds and produce phenomenal bucks. Desert Ghosts: Hunting the Elusive Coues Deer, Six Great Lever-Gun Hunts for North America, What To Do When Your Rifle Breaks While On a Hunt, Federal Terminal Ascent Hunting Bullet: Field Review, The Only Three Guns You Need to Go Hunting, Tested Tough - Modern Zeiss Sports Optics, Professional outfitters' and guides' services, trip planning materials are available on the Missouri River Country website. Make sure you pay attention to the new regulations as there are a number of changes from 2021. This hunt unit sits smack dab in the middle of the famed Carbon County, one of the best trophy producing buck counties in the entire country, and this area sits in the best big buck country in the second best big buck county in the state, what more could you ask for? The big takeaway here is, as nonresident landowners suck out more and more of the nonresident pool, expect less and less tags being drawn by general nonresidents. Historically, the bucks are actually larger in this region than they are in Region G, however they are harder to get to and there are less of them. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; The .300 Remington Ultra Mag. PO Box 250 The Region H hunt can be a very good hunt on the right year for really good bucks. Along with exceptional big-game hunting the Montana's Missouri River Country boasts robust populations of sharp-tailed and sage grouse, and gray (Hungarian) partridges. Hunter success here has drifted steadily up over the past five years and now nearly reaches about 70% on the best years. Where is the best mule deer hunting in Nebraska? The best mule deer numbers are found southeast of the Panhandle region of Idaho. And everything about the pursuit is big. DESIGNED BY: ROCKY RIDGE DIGITAL ADVERTISING. Mule deer and white-tailed deer are the most widely distributed and abundant big game mammals in Montana. Kali Parmley of Gun Dog Magazine talks to George Thompson from Benelli USA about the new features from the Benelli line in 2023. Since the draw odds are slim for this area we cant book a hunt for this unit specifically. amzn_assoc_asins = "B013D2ULO6"; This is a very solid hunt in my opinion for only one or two preference points. The answer is us pushing for more QDM out West, period! can handle bullets up to 250 grains with great speed and accuracy which makes it ideal for the giant mule deer bucks that are found on the Arizona Strip and Kaibab Plateau. Box 357 Also, having a SOLID pair of binoculars is very important for finding mule deer. This is done by a scorecard placed in a dropbox on the location of each BMA. Montana Region 7 (made up of districts 700 to 705) in the southeast corner of the state, especially the southern parts of the region, wasnt as affected by the brutal winter of 201112 as other parts of the state and has good numbers of pronghorn in each district, Vore said. Our magazine, which is available in print and online,has everything in one location -application info, draw details and odds, fees, hunter requirements, point structure, age restrictions, youth information, weapon restrictions, other tag opportunities, hunt planning, and much more. Too late. It's pretty easy to figure out which units offer the best trophy potential and have limited tags (and corresponding tough draw odds). Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Each of these units is worth the wait and gives the hunter an amazing opportunity at Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett bulls, he said. MONTANA: 2020 big game hunting forecast - fairfieldsuntimes.com Unfortunately, Montana has been giving out so many mule deer doe tags that they have put a hurt on the mule deer population. This might mean we have another year or two to decide on burning those mule deer points. One change that took place for 2022 is a handful of mule deer units that used to be unlimited went to general. We have personally guided hunters to some of the largest bucks killed in the unit each year. amzn_assoc_asins = "B00UCI27H4"; Since we pride our hunters and offer great quality hunting guides, we are 100% fair chase. There are a handful of good limited-entry units, and most of them give a hunter a good hunt for an average buck. The bowhunting here can be very lucrative. This fervent praise for the landscape occurred not in the mountains but on the eastern plains, along the banks of the Missouri River. With absolutely no doubt in my mind I can honestly say that Wyomings mule deer are currently at the absolute lowest point in my nearly 30-year career in this business. Sand Hill country GMUs 31, 32, and 33 in the southeast corner of the state also are capable of producing B&C bucks. Best in the West: Coveted Hunting Tags for Western States | onX 28-Oct-08. My partner passed on a good deer the first day and we spent the majority of the rest of our hunt trying to find that deer. By having OnX we were able to find exactly where we could and couldnt be. Desert Ghosts: Hunting the Elusive Coues Deer, Predator Hunting with .17 Caliber Rifle: Pros and Cons, The Only Three Guns You Need to Go Hunting, Venison Backstrap with Sweet & Spicy Peach Relish Recipe, Tested Tough - Modern Zeiss Sports Optics. There is a lot of private land, but there is plenty of Block Management and public land for anyone to have a good hunt. Elk may be the marquee quarry in the mind of many visiting hunters, but northeastern Montana also boasts outstanding opportunities for mule and whitetail deer. Add to this bad news the fact that many nonresident applicants are getting very, very nervous, to say the least, given the possibility of the proposed 90/10 license allocation change becoming a reality. Following in the footsteps of his father, Guy has taken up the reins and is now at the helm of the Eastmans Hunting Journal and the Eastmans Bowhunting Journal. | Montanas general deer tags provide a great opportunity to harvest a mule deer or whitetail and provide plenty of time to get it done over generous season dates. Regions G and H are the most popular and talked about deer units in Wyoming; however, there are other good units as well. Our guided mule deer hunts offer the highest opportunity for a trophy you can display with pride. Skip B: Let the Flower Children howl. . This hunt should take about five or six points to draw this year with a random draw of about 10% for those with less than five points. *All Combination License prices include the required Base Hunting License, Conservation License, Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Pass, and Application Fees. The sound of a bugling bull elk or the sight of two monster 6x6s fighting for mountain dominance is a memory that will stay with a hunter for a lifetime. So youre probably wondering, how is it possible that zero nonresidents drew this tag in 2018? Only a limited number of tags are given out annually for this area. Each year we see and possibly harvest bucks that score 190+ B&C including some that score over 200 B&C inches. Fair Chase, Prime Big Trophy Hunts since 2006. The Big Sandy, late hunt is a true wildcard hunt with some very solid big buck potential. Lewis and Clark noted the presence of huge herds of antelope mingled with the bison, elk and deer they saw along the Missouri River. Lydia Decaria, license sales representative with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, said Pronghorn Area 73, north of Casper, is very popular with hunters because it has huge tracts of Bureau of Land Management property. For many hunters, even those who dont live in the region, western big-game hunting is a passion that consumes them year-round. Wyoming. During the rut large bucks appear in an effort to pass on their genes to receptive does. I have been very hard on this hunt in the past, however the recent historical data here is very positive, particularly when compared to everything else currently going wrong in Wyoming. Dates: October 27-31, 2023. Why do they get this fantastic benefit too?!?!? THE BEST MULE DEER RIFLE CALIBER. Hunters need to realize that . The Best Mule Deer Rifle Caliber - Arizona Strip Guides The deadline for nonresident applications for archery and rifle elk licenses is March 15. So in 2018, all four of the nonresident tags went to landowners. With such a variety in habitat and easy access to abundant public land, a mule deer hunt can be as challenging as you want to make it. The terrain where you'll find mule deer ranges from dry, high-desert foothills to the rugged, mountainous, alpine zone. They further broke that number down into each region as follows: region 1 with 6,055; region 2 with 9,551; region 3 with 43,025; region 4 with 58,082; region 5 with 32,103; region 6 with 67,994; and region 7 with 77,140. Arizona and New Mexico are home to huge pronghorn bucks, including the current world record, which scored 96-4/8 B&C points and was killed in Socorro County, New Mexico, in 2013. This area is mountainous and does contain about 25% wilderness at the very top of the unit. 2 Hunters - 1 Guide. Regions G & H Expectations | Huntin' Fool The Region H hunt can be a very good hunt on the right year for really good bucks. In Montana, 15% of all permits for elk and deer can go to landowners. Looking at maps sent to us by the state we found what looked to be really large areas of BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) that were accessible by vehicle. Montana Rivers and Ridges Outfitter offers a late season 4 Day trophy Mule Deer hunt on the beautiful prairie of Eastern Montana. They also tend to offer less public hunting ground. Pheasant season spans the entire general rifle season for deer and elk. MULE DEER | Diamond Outfitters So overall, the Montana mule deer population is up 36.9% the past seven years. 15% of the 45 permits are guaranteed to resident and nonresident landowners alike. Much of Montana is unposted even where public access lies. If you have zero points you have a .004% chance of drawing a tag. Montana Elk & Deer Hunts | Montana Rivers & Ridges Historically, the bucks are actually larger in this region than they are in Region G, however they are harder to get to and there are less of them. The West side of the Bighorns is a mule deer producing factory on a good year. Utah took advantage of a combination of favorable weather, aggressive habitat management, and strict regulations to increase its mule deer population by as much as 100,000 from 2008 to 2016, pushing the size of the herd past 380,000 animals. Just a thought. The more popular areas for whitetail are along the river systems and large agricultural areas throughout the eastern part of the state. Plus Ive been buying points for my family . Montana. Subscriber Services. Over the last 25+ years, this trip has proven to be a favorite for WTA clients. Both state and federally managed public lands sprawl across thousands upon thousands of acres of prime habitat. Sep 25, 2013 #5 M mtmuley Well-known member Joined Jan 11, 2009 Messages 11,557 Location montana Magazines, TV shows and pics of big bucks with the unit displayed don't help either. And it has been increasing every year. Then you have the, Colorado Corner Crossing Here We Go Again, 10 Most Common Big Game Violations Part 8 Hunter Trespassing, To Feed Or Not To Feed. $5,400/Hunter. He said it might take only one point to draw a tag in the first rifle season, and some might draw with zero points. The mule deer grow quite large, and it is not uncommon for a deer to exceed 325 pounds in weight fully dressed out. From applying for tags early in the year, to buying, preparing, and organizing new gear through the summer, to the trip, long or short, to the hunting grounds, to the excitement that makes it almost impossible to sleep the night before opening day, the anticipation of the hunt can be almost as enjoyable as the hunt itself. New Mexico, Rio Arriba County113 typical mule deer in B&C records 15. The type 2s were crawling with other hunters and the quality of deer we saw on these properties was not what we were after. Area 128 near Dubois has November hunt dates and limited tags, and units 101 and 102 of the Southwest Desert country have solid deer numbers and great vehicle access. Sergio Alcazar, owner of ALC Global Adventures, has lived in and hunted Colorado for 24 years. Read on to discover some of the best units and areas to consider when applying for elk, mule deer, or pronghorn tags out West. Hunt By Species: Deer | Montana FWP Some large bucks also have been taken in GMU 45 in recent years. My advice is to pick a unit near where you will live, and learn it. Hunt of a lifetime: Best mule deer districts work of - Missoulian Post-season 2019 counts in the Pioneer Mountains elk . The outstanding success rates and superb trophy quality keep this hunt in high demand. The 2021 mule deer population estimate is the lowest since 2014. Pronghorn Area 38, between Cheyenne and Laramie, is a mix of public and private land where landowners typically charge minimal trespass fees and hunters needed only two preference points to draw a tag in 2018, Decaria said. The Bitterroot Valley has long been known as the best place to take a trophy buck, and it is no secret as the draw odds have been horrible for units 261, 262, and 270. Top 25 Montana General Elk Rifle Hunt Districts for 2019 Elk Hunt Today, antelope are a perennial favorite among big-game hunters who stalk the prairie speedsters on the open plains on both the north and south sides of the Mighty Mo. This hunt takes fewer points to draw, mostly because of the larger tag quota (600) and the larger portion of wilderness (21%) inside this region. Mule Deer Hunting Tips in Colorado 2023 - HuntingFellow READY TO GO ON YOUR EASTERN MONTANA MULE DEER HUNT? Region G, The first to die off and probably the first to rebound, or at least we hope. Using this strategy . We strive to help our audiences become more skilled and ethical hunters, while expanding their knowledge, appreciation, and awareness of the outdoors and wildlife through entertainment media. Dan Pickar The permit is known as 270-50. We chose a zone on the eastern side of the state that had better odds of drawing in their lottery and also offered public land to hunt with a General Deer Tag vs trying for a Draw unit. After months of kicking the idea around exactly what we would do, the real planning started in early March as applications are due March 15th for deer, elk and deer/elk combination tags. Our first ranch was 15,000 acres and allowed 15 hunters per day. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park's website has a fairly easy " HUNT PLANNER " section that can guide applicants through finding zones and units best suited for their type of hunt as well as draw statistics. The downside is there are unlimited permission slips and limit to how many hunters have access each day. Edward Wright: This was 20 years ago when coyotes in my home state hit epidemic proportions. Kevin Steele, Publisher of Petersen's HUNTING talks with JJ Reich of HEVI-Shot about the new offerings for 2023. Kevin Steele stops by the Taurus booth to speak with Cody Osborn about the all new Raging Hunter platform from Taurus International. Elk hunting is a tradition shared by thousands of hunters each fall. Edward Wright: This was 20 years ago when coyotes in my home state hit epidemic proportions. These are high country bucks that migrate to lower country to rut low country does which can make for a great hunt if you hunt hard and give yourself plenty of time to cover lots and lots of country. The same goes for SOME of Montana State Land. It sported horns measuring more than 17 inches. Best Montana Moose Hunts 2020 Galleries. We took a short trip at the end of October to do some scouting of where we planned to hunt and got familiar with the area we planned to be. It becomes part of that BMA. Publisher of Petersen's HUNTING magazine, Kevin Steele is at the Steiner Optics booth with Alberto Corbetta to discuss the Predator 4 and Predator 8. Registration for each BMA is different. Your honest assessment is greatly appreciated. The deep, contorted coulees of the breaks provide superb cover, allowing some bucks to achieve trophy status. No other state comes close to Wyoming's endless harvesting options and ecosystems. We chose Montana for a few different reasons, none of which could be overshadowed by the convenience of having their lottery run by mid-April. In western areas, mule deer hunting has always been fun. Copyright 2023 Eastmans' Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved, The Most Coveted Deer Permit in Montana that You Will Never Draw, Statistically, the most coveted deer permit in, So youre probably wondering, how is it possible that zero nonresidents drew this tag in 2018? Archery season runs in September and most rifle seasons occur during October, with some exceptions. Phone: (435) 865-1020, Big Game Combination License (Elk & Deer), Bow and Arrow License (mandatory for all archery hunts), Preference Point Fee for Combination License (optional), Outfitter Preference Point Fee for Combination License (optional but must hunt with an outfitter). Go on More Hunts with Better Information, Join Huntin' Fool Today! Petersen's HUNTING Publisher, Kevin Steele is in the CZ booth with Dylan Rice at SHOT Show to talk about CZ 600 Series Trail rifle. Based purely on the data and uncertainty going into this years Wyoming mule deer draw this list should probably be blank, however, that does not work well for readers so I will give you the best list possible with the information I have at this time. This hunt area is the other limited quota hunt unit inside the general Region G area. Ord, holds a fair number of mule deer and receives little pressure because of . Abundant access to public land is one of the major attractions of elk hunting in Montana's Missouri River Country (there are more than a million acres of land open to public hunting in the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge alone). The answer is landowners. Silver Spur Outfitters Colorado Mule Deer Hunting: Tips, Gear, Locations & Regulations Statewide, mule deer populations in Montana during there 2018 season were hovering around 334,965, which is down 13.23% from a peak in 2017, but still vastly higher than the low in 2012 of 211,361. Habitat stamps cost $10.00 and you must have one to hunt anything in Colorado. The Brow-tined Bull and Antlerless elk hunts (34 HDs) makes a total of 63 unrestricted HDs where you can take any elk on 29 units and all but spikes on the rest. Along with the sheer expanse of the landscape, the expedition was awed with the abundant wildlife in the area, especially those game animals that provided them with food: elk, mule and whitetail deer, bighorn sheep, bison, and pronghorn (antelope). Give a Gift And thats just what can be done by driving in a pickup. All Petersen's Hunting subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. John Vore, game-management bureau chief for the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks department, reported some hunters tag huge mule deer bucks using boats to access the Missouri River Breaks area where the river separates regions 4 and 7 in the state. amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; Mule deer are widely distributed throughout the region but most heavily concentrated in the Missouri Breaks and adjacent prairie habitat. Hike it often in the summer months and note where you see bucks. Idaho. Montana Rivers and Ridges Outfitter offers a late season 4 Day trophy Mule Deer hunt on the beautiful prairie of Eastern Montana. We publish book and magazines, along with producing videos, DVDs, and TV programs. Landowners already have such a big advantage over the average hunter! I think if they cut the quota for nonresidents, maybe theres somebody out there who can put together a class action law suit to get are money back. This is an action packed hunt during the rut. This showed us what private, BLM, BMA and State lands were. . These statistics tell us that the bonus point system does not weigh enough in this squared bonus point system to select applicants in the higher point tiers. 262-00-B: F ANY G 100% 0 ArchEquip, shotgun . Hunters have a legitimate chance at shooting a B&C pronghorn in all GMUs that have a huntable population. The key indicators of a rebound are all lining up for the future on this hunt. Elk thrive amidst this cover. What Nevada and Wyoming have in common is wild horses. This information really put a damper on much of the areas we thought we were going to hunt. Our Mule deer are big bodied, heavy antlered and are deep forked. . Colorado is king of the mule deer, and Eagle County is the king of Colorado mule deer. Like Utah, Arizona is famous for producing record-book mule deer. Unit 22 is open for archery hunting late August to mid September and then December through the end of January. Although a big buck here would be a very tall order, a fun hunt with limited pressure is what this hunt should offer up on a somewhat later season experience. The application for antelope licenses is June 1. A lot of large bucks stay nocturnal during the general rifle season, making them very hard to find. The plants and soils of the region offer excellent nutrition, allowing mature bulls to grow exceptionally large antlers. Eastern Montana Mule Deer Hunts | Montana Rivers & Ridges Like many others, I have 12 points for deer and elk. However, there are no guarantees a nonresident will even get a tag. amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; Learn how your comment data is processed. This hunt has been getting better and better each year and now seems to be producing some very consistent results as of the late. Learn how your comment data is processed. Montana has 7 hunt districts that break down into smaller units in each district. . Holders may not hunt Antlered Buck Mule Deer in any other HD. Unlock the secrets of limited license lotteries and discover drawing and harvest trends to create a better hunt planning strategy. Whitetail deer are also native to Missouri River Country. Area 141-1, The Green River Lakes hunt is a bit more of a long-shot for big bucks, but I just have a bit of a hunch that given the type of country in this area there could be some big bucks this fall to mine out of here for someone who hunts hard. There are seven different hunting districts within our area; these include units 204, 240, 260, 261, 262, 250, and 270. Tag holders can expect to see 20+ quality bucks per day. I think it might be time for a class action law suit against the State of Wyoming on tag allocation. Hunting these trophy bulls with a rifle requires a long-odds lottery permit, but those who do draw have the chance to take amazing animals. Hunting Blue Mountain Ranch A couple of these units will close the mule deer season early on November 13th. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The average deer we take in this unit scores around 180 inches gross. I lost count at 450 phone call attempts to register the morning the 2 we really wanted became available. By doing so, they have combined a number of units. My wife and I are finally entering a drawing for a mule deer hunt in Montana. Publisher of Petersen's HUNTING magazine, Kevin Steele is at the Steiner Optics booth with Alberto Corbetta to discuss the Predator 4 and Predator 8. Best rifle Mule deer unit for rifle hunt | Rokslide Forum Zero in 2018 and two nonresidents drew in 2019. 406-342-5475 tlp@rangeweb.net . I am currently applying for those myself. But if youre hell-bent on hunting deer in area 270, you better buy at least 160 acres because that is your best chance at a permit in area 270 in the near future. Unit 102 has been a desirable hunter destination for trophy mule deer in Wyoming over the past two decades. Mule deer hunters should plan to go high in the mountains for the best opportunity at bigger bucks. Kevin Steele, Publisher of Petersen's HUNTING talks with JJ Reich of HEVI-Shot about the new offerings for 2023. The downside of hunting the rut is that most of the mature bucks are harvested every season while they are more vulnerable as they are out chasing does. I know the 380 bull tag in Montana is a prime example. The winter was very mild on these deer and the buck to doe ratio is very, very good right now. Max points will be required for a chance at this hunt and nearly every hunter (89%) on this hunt walks away with a buck by the end of the season. These tags aren't easy to draw but it's worth the wait. Lodging, groceries and other services are found in towns such as Glasgow and Malta. WY. Mule Deer- Limited Entry Units 87 & 89 - Worldwide Trophy Adventures With plenty of deer, a good buck here can be a tough endeavor, but they are here if you know where to look. Over the past years we have taken many trophy deer with both a gun and bow. These are considered the best moose hunting areas in the state. 5 Comments Probably the most important bit of information we found was: If a ranch is enrolled into the Block Management Program and there is BLM land on or bordering that ranch, that BLM land is NOT OPEN to public access. With a mild winter and wet spring, I really think there could be some gems in these hills for those who hunt hard this fall. Resident applicants for this permit are increasing 300-1000 per year proving that the popularity hasnt waned.
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