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. Cedar City, UT 84721 Any further questions call Dan Alleman.". Most all of the nonresident hunting is occurring on Federal Lands, National Forests, Bureau of Land Management, Federal Wilderness Areas and National Grasslands. This might mean we have another year or two to decide on burning those mule deer points. The .300 Remington Ultra Mag. And every other year at least one or two of the four tags go to landowners. ELK HUNTS; . Elk hunting is a tradition shared by thousands of hunters each fall. Zero in 2018 and two nonresidents drew in 2019. There are few secrets on premium LE units. We narrowed down 5-6 different type 2 BMAs to register for. 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. Skip B: Let the Flower Children howl. Montana Clark "Bart" Bartkowski's mule deer hunt of a lifetime happened this year after drawing one of the coveted mule deer permits for the East Fork of the Bitterroot. This place has it all, comfortable camp, good guiding, good food and Shield River trout fishing, it's just a great week. Reading the bill I took it that way unless I misunderstood it. Hunter success here has drifted steadily up over the past five years and now nearly reaches about 70% on the best years. Tags #myhuntstory Archery backpack hunting big game hunting bow hunting deer hunting Eastmans Eastmans' Bowhunting Journals Eastmans' Hunting Journal Eastmans' Hunting Journals Guy Eastman Hunting Mule Deer Hunting Mule deer. Some of our hunting areas include vast open ridges with . Again, pay close attention to the regulations to make sure you are properly licensed to hunt mule deer. Skip B: Let the Flower Children howl. At Silver Spur Outfitters, we have many years of experience and have been in business since 1993. Obviously these are the funds that are used to fund the States road system, educational system, law enforcement, health system and the like. For nonresidents the statistics are even worse. amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; *Illustration by Robert Neaves courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Characteristics of a mule deer CAUTION! is the caliber that currently holds one of the long range distance records for . The highly anticipated North Dakota Deer Lottery has been run; NOT SUCCESSFUL! The moral of the story is, the more applicants the more washed out the drawing is, and the less work your expensively purchased points do for you. Copyright 2023 Eastmans' Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Guys TOP 5 Picks for Wyoming Mule Deer 2022. Idaho runs a close second to Colorado when it comes to mule deer hunting. Dream destinations include the Arizona Strip (units 13A and 13B) or Kaibab Plateau (units 12A East, 12A West, and 12B), but the drawing odds are long, sometimes in the low single digits, Ornoski said. Make sure you pay attention to the new regulations as there are a number of changes from 2021. Introducing the Veracity PH from Burris, the perfect combination of reliability, quality, and technology delivering a simple aiming solutiona tool for the hunter that just works. Because nonresidents are in the same pool, there are 8,543 applicants in the total pool. Due to the vast quantity of applicants for this unit, the point system does very little for you in return. This has been considered the holy grail of mule deer permits in the Big Sky State for the past couple decades. There is a lot of private land, but there is plenty of Block Management and public land for anyone to have a good hunt. I finally got through and was able to sign up for 1 ranch giving us a 3-day hunt on that property. . Remember nonresidents are allocated up to 10% of the tags in an area. I am currently applying for those myself. The archery season runs September 3-October 16, most rifle seasons run October 22-November 27, and the muzzleloader season runs December 10-18. 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. 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. Being able to hunt these deer during the rut with a rifle gives our clients and amazing edge to harvest a nice mature Mule deer buck. However, by looking at all point levels from 1-16, multiple applicants drew permits in just about every point level from 0-16. The application for antelope licenses is June 1. If you have zero points you have a .004% chance of drawing a tag. The 2nd one was 29,000 acres and allowed 8. Jones said the famous Paunsaugunt unit on the southern border with Arizona and the Fillmore/Oak Creek and Vernon units, both in the central part of the state, all produced incredible bucks for hunters in 2018. 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. Much of this acreage is leased for crops, making it excellent habitat for whitetails. These guides are somewhat confusing, so read them and get to know the area you plan on hunting. (Clickable areas may appear inaccurately on mobile devices) Show Maps Return to Montana Maps Download BLM Map Index Download Forest Service Map Index Publisher Kevin Steele is in the Beretta booth with Logan Killam, the Shotgun Product Manager, to discuss the all new Beretta A300 Ultima Turkey. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. The northeastern portion of Montana west of Scobey has copious amounts of state land open to public hunting. 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. Using the OnX off-grid mode I was able to mount my I-pad on my dash and keep my GPS location up to speed in real-time. So that is 7 permits skimmed off the top immediately for residents. 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. So overall, the Montana mule deer population is up 36.9% the past seven years. So far, Wyoming is looking in great shape from the winter and into spring where the weather has been very wet and cool. Some large bucks also have been taken in GMU 45 in recent years. 14,019 Views. A type 2 BMA has a limited number of hunters allowed on that property per day. Today, all of these species (except bison) are still found in robust numbers in Missouri River Country and provide modern-day hunters with the same challenges for making meat and memories as they did members of the famed expedition. This is a very solid hunt in my opinion for the meager three or four point spend. Hunters can expect to see 75-100 deer a day and as many as 10 bucks. In 2019 there were 7,654 resident applicants for about 35 tags. In units 250, 261, 262, & 270 the State only issues a limited number of tags . There needs to be some serious adjustments to the hunting seasons in this unit. In some places their range overlaps with mule deer, in others they are mostly separate from their long-eared cousins. Warm weather was more to blame than anything else; however, this could point to a potential bumper crop of sorts for mature bucks this year. WY. The Interstate Commerce Clause, The Fairness Doctrine in the Constitution and other legal concepts can all be looked at again and Court Rulings Reversed. BOOK YOUR 2022 MONTANA FLY FISHING TRIP TODAY! Its now 4 years in a row of getting the annual rejection letter. As you can imagine 270-50 has the highest number of landowner applicants for any deer permit and by far the highest for nonresidents. And the data backs this statement up as according to the Game and Fish Department the mule deer herd in Wyoming, statewide, is nearly 30% below objective levels. The breakdown of whitetail per region is as follows: region 1 with 69,094; region 2 with 37,747; region 3 with 23,745; region 4 with 32,657; region 5 with 14,917; region 6 with 14,311; and region 7 with 20,343. Please call us to match you up with the best hunt to fit your specific needs and budget! 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. DESIGNED BY. NO SPAM! Somebody please post up the best trophy mule deer hunting in Montana so anyone that is smart enough to work the google can pull up this thread! The Milk joins the Missouri just below Fort Peck Dam. 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. Western Hunt Company is a big game & upland hunting operation based in Montana & Idaho. With tags in hand, we decided that hunting public land was going to be our plan of action. Both the mule and whitetail deer breeding seasons occur during this time as well, giving hunters higher odds of spotting a trophy buck. Region G, The first to die off and probably the first to rebound, or at least we hope. On the south side of the reservoir, whitetails are found along the Musselshell River as it meanders toward the Missouri. 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. This has already been seen in the recently completed Wyoming elk draw where many areas saw huge gains in point creep with possibly even more to come for next year. The deer in Unit 76 are extremely call shy - due to hunting pressure and predation - but this has made them more visual creatures. The plants and soils of the region offer excellent nutrition, allowing mature bulls to grow exceptionally large antlers. A lot of large bucks stay nocturnal during the general rifle season, making them very hard to find. Our guided mule deer hunts offer the highest opportunity for a trophy you can display with pride. 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. The prairie deer hunts consist of four four-day seasons, which take place Wednesdays through Saturdays in November. Our 2nd ranch sign in trailer ended up approximately 30 miles from the ranch and in the opposite direction of where we had lodged. Each hunter must also sign out upon completion of their hunt. Theres good news and bad news for hunters who want to pursue mule deer in the west, however. The permit is known as 270-50. Over the last 25+ years, this trip has proven to be a favorite for WTA clients. Needless to say, hunting mule deer in Wyoming in its current capacity is going to probably be less than ideal. The largest antelope the author has seen taken by a hunter was downed a couple miles north of Fort Peck Reservoir. 5 Comments 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. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website has a fairly easy . And everything about the pursuit is big. This hunt area is the other limited quota hunt unit inside the general Region G area. So youre probably wondering, how is it possible that zero nonresidents drew this tag in 2018? Hunters need to realize that . This is quite the impressive increase as to qualify to apply for a landowner tag, you have to own or be in contract to own at least 160 acres in that unit. Wyoming. Montana has 7 hunt districts that break down into smaller units in each district. The 2021 mule deer population estimate is the lowest since 2014. PS I from Nevada. Our Mule deer are big bodied, heavy antlered and are deep forked. It's not the same question as asking what is the best Colorado OTC archery unit. In Montana, Region 3 in the southwest corner of the state covers nearly 12 million acres, more than half of which is public land managed by the BLM or Forest Service. The Tag: Unit 44 Rifle Mule Deer. Most of the state is managed to maximize hunter opportunity each fall. Man with all yhe points I have for deer and elk I may be screwed. mtmuley Sep 25, 2013 #6 Toprut has always been the most reliable data that I use to make calculated moves for my hunt portfolio. Registration for each BMA is different. As a result of last year's chronic wasting disease management hunt for white-tailed deer in southwest Montana, biologists observed a 50-percent reduction in white-tailed deer numbers in the Ruby watershed between Sheridan and Twin Bridges, where CWD prevalence was highest. But then again the world is upside down these days. A fine hunter in his own right, Guy has taken several trophy animals and has become an expert in trophy hunting as well. This hunt is very accessible and roaded with lots of open hillsides and meadows to glass up bucks feeding on the edges. The unit is overrun with hunters. Bummer for sure, Thanks Guy, Hope all is well with you and the family. Hopefully this change will help increase the age class of the bucks in those units. We have personally guided hunters to some of the largest bucks killed in the unit each year. My best MT bucks came from heavily timbered units that have limited glassing opportunities. Our Montana Elk hunts are conducted on private ranches in West Central Montana near Bozeman, Anaconda, Philpsburg and Deer Lodge, Montana. Mule deer are widely distributed throughout the region but most heavily concentrated in the Missouri Breaks and adjacent prairie habitat. They also tend to offer less public hunting ground. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Arizona Game and Fish mentions that Edwards Park, just south of Mt. 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. Hunter success here can be a bit spotty with an average of 57% success but if a hunter is in good shape and hunts hard, a big buck could be possible here. I would not go back without it! If you would like access to all of our research join today! Our Eastern Montana mule deer hunts are on exclusive and private Montana ranch land and hunting properties. Montanas Block Management Program opens more than 500,000 additional acres of private land to walk-in public hunting in the region, which is home to the highest concentrations of elk in the state, produces huge bulls, and is responsible for approximately 50 percent of the states elk harvest each year. All Petersen's Hunting subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Best States to Hunt Mule Deer June 9, 2022 onX Indigenous to western North America, mule deer are found west of the 100th meridian from 23 degrees to 60 degrees N. Much larger than whitetail deer, a buck mule deer can weigh between 130 and 280 pounds. Draw units will typically take a number of years and points to draw a tag and have more trophy class deer. 5 Day/night Mule Deer Hunts - $4250 5 day 6 night Mule deer hunt - $4700 if available $1500 deposit to book your hunt Add antelope - $500 (drawing license required) Also, having a SOLID pair of binoculars is very important for finding mule deer. Kevin Steele of Petersen's HUNTING is with Dawn Wehunt of Rock River Arms INC. learning about the new Ascendant platform. Over the past years we have taken many trophy deer with both a gun and bow. From southwest deserts to coastal forests, mule deer hunting presents a variety of challenges. 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. 380 is a joke. Restrict a few more units to QDM, that is make a few units similar to how the Boyz East of the Mississippi did it, they know what a mature whitetail is and dont shoot 2 year olds. Edward Wright: This was 20 years ago when coyotes in my home state hit epidemic proportions. Its late July and Im either on a boat or in my office and the expectation of the ever-familiar chime of a new email notification goes off on my phone. As mentioned previously, New Mexico is home to world-class pronghorn hunting. This hunt must be done with a group of three hunters. Thanks to Toprut, I can better strategize my big game applications with access to detailed unit profile information, hunt quotas, draw odds, harvest info, and more. Archers typically find the best success in the cool hours around daylight and sunset. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit"; Kevin Steele from Petersen's HUNTING speaks to Jordan Egli of Burris Optics about the all-new Veracity PH Riflescope. The trophies are big. The river winds northwest from its confluence with the Missouri, roughly following the course of U. S. Highway 2. Mule deer are widely distributed throughout the region but most heavily concentrated in the Missouri Breaks and adjacent prairie habitat. Learn how your comment data is processed. Area 130-1, The Big Sandy, late hunt is a true wildcard hunt with some very solid big buck potential. Publisher, Kevin Steele is with Brett Marquardt from Streamlight Inc. discussing the new Streamlight Pro Tac 2.0, the latest edition in the Pro Tac series. | May 25, 2022 The average deer we take in this unit scores around 180 inches gross. sitting, and still hunting can be effective, but the best way is to use a vehicle to cover as much country as possible in the mornings and evenings. The landowner draw takes place before the regular draw. The restaurant is open early for breakfast and stays open for a late dinner. This is an action packed hunt during the rut. An objective level that was recently adjusted downward possibly in an effort to make the situation look not quite so bad. This year we would have limited time and left the idea of the Elk/Combo out of the equation. Hunter success here can be a bit spotty with an average of 57% success but if a hunter is in good shape and hunts hard, a big buck could be possible here. Much of Montana is unposted even where public access lies. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; The Missouri Breaks also hold modest numbers of whitetails, particularly in creek bottoms containing deciduous cover. Tag holders can expect to see 20+ quality bucks per day. The best thing about Montana Whitetails is that Keith and Bob are bowhunters and understand the quarry and the strategy to harvest big bucks. Wyoming offers large expanses of public land, mostly in the western part of the state, and produces lots of record-book bucks. 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? Core habitat for elk in northeastern Montana is found adjacent to the Missouri River and tributary creeks. 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. Eastmans Publishing, Inc. is a holding company engaged in publishing. 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. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "bennordquist-20"; As a reminder, Montana has a squared bonus point system. 15% of the 45 permits are guaranteed to resident and nonresident landowners alike. There are a handful of good limited-entry units, and most of them give a hunter a good hunt for an average buck. The rugged "breaks" along the Missouri contain dense stands of ponderosa pines and junipers. Mule Deer There is some public land along the Milk River with deer hunting also available on Block Management Areas, a Montana program that facilitates public access to private land. In western areas, mule deer hunting has always been fun. Lodging, groceries and other services are found in towns such as Glasgow and Malta. amzn_assoc_asins = "B013D2ULO6"; A type 1 BMA is walk-in access with sign up at designated entrances. However the Task Force is heading down the 90/10 for all species. Give a Gift Idaho. 262-00-B: F ANY G 100% 0 ArchEquip, shotgun . 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. Box 357 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 good news is many Western states have huge mule deer herds and produce phenomenal bucks. If you have max points (16), you have 256 chances in the drawing. Snow cover is more likely at this time, making deer more visible. Kali Parmley, Editor-in-chief of Bakccountry Hunter speaks with Bret Maffet of Franchi Firearms to discuss the all new Momentum All Terrain Elite. Dec 2, 2022. No population reduction was observed higher in the Ruby watershed. Go on more hunts with better information! Montana Rivers and Ridges Outfitter offers a late season 4 Day trophy Mule Deer hunt on the beautiful prairie of Eastern Montana. Public land is not a problem here. Plus Ive been buying points for my family . Whitetail deer are also common in the cottonwood studded riparian areas along the river. . Montana Rivers and Ridges Outfitter has access to over 1.5 million acres of land to hunt elk, deer, and other big game animals within the Bitterroot National Forest. This is done by a scorecard placed in a dropbox on the location of each BMA. All antelope hunting in Montana is conducted on a draw-only basis. This would be a great opportunity to bring youth out on a hunt for a reasonable price. It becomes part of that BMA. Habitat stamps cost $10.00 and you must have one to hunt anything in Colorado. I think it might be time for a class action law suit against the State of Wyoming on tag allocation. 28-Oct-08. An emerging opportunity for hunters in Region 2 is to hunt mule deer on private lands, where numbers generally are growing. This county should have its own chapter in the record books with over 100 B&C entries for mule deer. We applied as a party and were successful in drawing our Either Species/Either Sex tags. Here in Wyoming and Montana, mule deer hunting is also diverse. These tags aren't easy to draw but it's worth the wait. The landscape is big. Whitetail deer are also native to Missouri River Country. We publish book and magazines, along with producing videos, DVDs, and TV programs. Any special permit that a non-resident landowner draws will count against the 10% non-resident quota for that unit. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; The type 2s were crawling with other hunters and the quality of deer we saw on these properties was not what we were after. This hunt should take 12 to 14 points to draw this year. However, there are no guarantees a nonresident will even get a tag. 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. The deadline for nonresident applications for archery and rifle elk licenses is March 15. Historically, a hunter with some gumption has a legitimate chance at a 180 buck here and many bigger have been harvested. The biggest typical mule deer shot in Montana last year came from 270 and the unit produces 160-inch bucks for hunters who are patient and hunt the higher clearings and meadows. This showed us what private, BLM, BMA and State lands were. And it has been increasing every year. And thats just what can be done by driving in a pickup. Unit 22 is open for archery hunting late August to mid September and then December through the end of January. In Montana, unit 270 is considered one of the top trophy mule deer units in the state. Solitude, exceptional scenery and superb access to public lands make Montana's Missouri River Country a true hidden gem and one of the most hunter-friendly destinations in America. Pretty grim outlook and doesnt really seem to make sense from a financial perspective for Wyoming? Non-Hunting Companion. In 2017, three tags went to nonresidents. 2022 MONTANA RIVERS AND RIDGES OUTFITTER LLC. Edward Wright: This was 20 years ago when coyotes in my home state hit epidemic proportions. Few places in the hunting world command the attention of mule deer enthusiasts like Eagle County, Colorado. 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? Although the numbers are down here from the objective by about 25%, the big buck potential here should be very, very good this year. Lewis and Clark noted the presence of huge herds of antelope mingled with the bison, elk and deer they saw along the Missouri River. Due to the fact that we are not providing lodging or meals, this is a lower budget hunt, but NOT a lower budget hunting experience! 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. Best Montana . Neither of us had ever hunted this area before or knew any landowners. Our parent company, Flyway Media, offers hunting guide website design options. Nonresidents fund a very large percentage of Wyomings Fish and Game Budget, the State also receives many millions in the Robertson Pittman Act funds. | I think we also found that the squared bonus point system is not that effective because there are just too many applicants nowadays. With plenty of deer, a good buck here can be a tough endeavor, but they are here if you know where to look. WTF!! There are seven different hunting districts within our area; these include units 204, 240, 260, 261, 262, 250, and 270. Sand Hill country GMUs 31, 32, and 33 in the southeast corner of the state also are capable of producing B&C bucks. THE BEST MULE DEER RIFLE CALIBER. Antlers on yearling buck white-tailed and mule deer may look similar. Elk are found in other areas, but most are located within a few miles of these prime locations. We are now booking for '23 and '24 Mule deer hunts. Eastmans Publishing, Inc. is a multimedia corporation whose roots are grounded in the ethics of fair chase hunting. PO Box 250 The average harvest fell from 3,000 to 500 in . This hunt is generally booked after the hunter has secured a permit. Elk, mule deer, and pronghorn are three iconic species among the big-game animals hunters pursue throughout the western United States. Our Best Mule Deer Hunts Hunting big mule deer bucks in the rut is a great hunt to consider. 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. . . 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. 20. 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.