Chinook Montana

[jagermiester]

Going to the Milk River outside of Chinook to hunt White tails. I have never been a trophy hunter but I will have 8 days what do you guys think I should hold out for. We put up one trail cam and saw one 130 class buck and 6 120 class bucks but the cam is on the edge of 4 miles of great river frontage. Going with my Dad one brother one friend who might as well be a brother my brother in law and the property owner. I feel like anything outside the ears with 4 on each side is going down. Thoughts?

[pendoreilleadventures]

Did you have a lot if does on your cam? If your there during the rut you should have some bruisers running around.

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[Karl Blanchard]

If you have four miles of milk river, river bottom to hunt I would not shoot a 120.  That being said,  eastern Montana whitetails have gotten hammered by blue tongue the last few years and numbers are down in a lot of areas.  Still gonna be a ton of deer around.  One thing about whitetails is that no matter how hard they get hunted or how low the numbers are there is always some brute living in some ridiculous spot just growing old!  I wouldn't go until the 16th of November at the earliest    Good luck and have fun!  Enjoy time with family and friends above all else!  You never know what tomorrow holds! -karl

[Hunterman]

What ever you do,,DO NOT SHOOT THE FIRST DEER YOU SEE !! Take your time and get that wall hanger that your tongue hangs out every time you look at it.

Hunterman(Tony)

[Karl Blanchard]

   good advice there!  First time I hunted Montana my tag didn't last a day!   I shot a 27" shallow forked 4x4 with no mass.  Spent the rest of the week looking at all the bigger bucks running around!  You have to get the Washington mindset out of your head.   You can kill a small buck on the last day at will in Montana if you are willing to hike more than 500 yards.  Its seriously that easy!

[180-GRAIN]

I would have a hard time not shooting that second buck. I guess it just depends on what kind of deer you see opening day. With 8 days to hunt though it may be wise to wait a few days to pull the trigger unless you see a brute.

[Karl Blanchard]

Good milk river bottom you are gonna see 15-20 bucks a day, don't shoot either of this bucks until day 7 1/2.   

[jagermiester]

I actually have the 15th to the 24th off. We also have a ton of pasture land off the river that we can hunt should be some nice Mulies. I wont shoot the first buck I see but the right situation will work for me then I can hunt with my dad or brother. No matter what I am really looking forward to this opportunity. That camera had a 1 month soak and there were 200 pics with deer so hopefully the rut plays into our favor.

[300rum]

They had another Blue tongue outbreak this year and hit them pretty hard (again).

last year the bucks both WT and MD where rutting pretty hard starting right around the 9th.  There was a pretty big snow dump and below 0 temps for a few days that slowed things down, the animals where hunkered down.  When the sun finally came out there where rutting bucks everywhere. 

The long range forecast is calling for 50 degree weather that week.  Those forecasts always seem to be off but I hope they get some kind of weather around then.   

It never hurts to be patient.  It always depends on the property but I would hold off on those bucks.  I don't mind coming home empty handed though. 

[jagermiester]

It never hurts to be patient.  It always depends on the property but I would hold off on those bucks.  I don't mind coming home empty handed though. 
[/quote]
I think I will be patient but I am going t have a hard time passing on that second buck. We were there about three years ago pheasant hunting and the body size of those three year old + bucks blew my mind. And being a whitetail I might be wiping the drool off my chin so I can shoot.

[300rum]

I target MD more then the WT but I wouldn't pass up a masher WT either.  Although not a "dime a dozen" if the property is decent you can top that buck.  That time of the year the bucks are cruising so if you can hold out in is only a matter of time.  8 days in the field is a long, long time, plenty of time to be extra patient. 

I am just hoping some weather (and not too much rain), rolls in. 

[jagermiester]

My brother just sent  me this maybe I should wait for this guy. The property owner was out spraying a field yesterday and he found these sheds. What a cool looking buck.

[bowhunterforever]

Those are awesome sheds good luck on your hunt

[jagermiester]

We all got our bucks

[Skyvalhunter]

good 2 hear