Montana draws results are posting!

[Karl Blanchard]

Results are posting!  Drew the deer/elk combo (didn't see that coming )!  Elk special permits are still pending.

[180-GRAIN]

Results are posting!  Drew the deer/elk combo (didn't see that coming )!  Elk special permits are still pending.

No kidding me to!    Waiting on the deer and elk permits to post now.

[cougfan79]

I drew a deer tag, what luck I must have.   

[longrange7mm]

The Mrs. drew 900-20 elk looks like we will be able to archery hunt in a few good areas   

[Karl Blanchard]

Struck out on my permits, general for me this year again.

[vandeman17]

General deer for my old man and I as well. Returned the elk tag when we didn't draw, which is what we were hoping for.

[soccerguy]

SCORE!!  Drew unit 652-50 special permit for deer.  Eastern Missouri Breaks area...don't know a lot about it but I'm about to find out.  Mostly public land so that's a plus and I guess the quality is close to as good as Montana gets.  With only 50 tags for a 40 day season allowed...I'm excited!!

[YoterHunter]

General deer. No special permits . Oh we'll have 20,000 acres of private land for white tail.

[Craig]

Have a deer tag. No luck with the special draw. Let us know how that 652 tag hunt goes. I have been thinking about thet tag for a couple years.

[MTMule]

SCORE!!  Drew unit 652-50 special permit for deer.  Eastern Missouri Breaks area...don't know a lot about it but I'm about to find out.  Mostly public land so that's a plus and I guess the quality is close to as good as Montana gets.  With only 50 tags for a 40 day season allowed...I'm excited!!

How many points did it take if you don't mind me asking?

It was a solid unit in the past. Bad winters got to it a bit, but I'm sure there is some quality deer there. A few of the biggest Mule Deer I have seen in Montana wasd riving through that unit.

[soccerguy]

SCORE!!  Drew unit 652-50 special permit for deer.  Eastern Missouri Breaks area...don't know a lot about it but I'm about to find out.  Mostly public land so that's a plus and I guess the quality is close to as good as Montana gets.  With only 50 tags for a 40 day season allowed...I'm excited!!

How many points did it take if you don't mind me asking?

It was a solid unit in the past. Bad winters got to it a bit, but I'm sure there is some quality deer there. A few of the biggest Mule Deer I have seen in Montana wasd riving through that unit.

Five points...I will post a report after the hunt.  Trying to decide if using a guide or not...would prefer not to.  Anybody hunted that unit before?

[JLS]

SCORE!!  Drew unit 652-50 special permit for deer.  Eastern Missouri Breaks area...don't know a lot about it but I'm about to find out.  Mostly public land so that's a plus and I guess the quality is close to as good as Montana gets.  With only 50 tags for a 40 day season allowed...I'm excited!!

How many points did it take if you don't mind me asking?

It was a solid unit in the past. Bad winters got to it a bit, but I'm sure there is some quality deer there. A few of the biggest Mule Deer I have seen in Montana wasd riving through that unit.

Five points...I will post a report after the hunt.  Trying to decide if using a guide or not...would prefer not to.  Anybody hunted that unit before?

I've never hunted it, but it's a neat unit.  Mostly badlands and shortgrass prairie.

Given the winterkill and EHD mortalities, I'd make sure to quiz the biologist in Glasgow as to what a realistic expectation is.  Hopefully the upper age classes are mostly there for you.

As for guide or no guide, I guess that largely depends on your time allowance and your slush fund.  If you have the time I don't see any reason why you can't have a very good hunt sans a guide.

[Bigshooter]

I've never hunted 652 but I scouted it one year during deer season and I was not impressed.   I saw better bucks in general units.  I think back then they gave out 100 or more tags and it sure felt like there was a lot more people in there than 100.  I think it gets hunted from guys that just have a general tag and don't know that it's a draw unit.  Also I did not like how small the unit was.  I don't think I would pass up a 150 buck if I saw one.  I'm sure there are bigger bucks but I wouldn't hold out for one unless your willing to eat your tag.

[Karl Blanchard]

Take this for what its worth as I don't have any experience with this specific unit, but I do know the country and the genetics of that part of the breaks.  First off, that unit has fallen victim to some pretty bad poaching in the past.  Second, that whole region got hammered with a few bad winters back to back that killed a lot of fawns!  We have seen the effects of that the last few years with the lack of 4,5, and 6 year old deer.  The last really good year we had was 2011.  That being said, they haven't had a really bad winter kill in a few years so this year you should be seeing more bucks in that age class.  You are gonna see a ton of 130-140" bucks that can fool a guy that isn't used to seeing 4pts like that so know how to field judge.

As far as hiring a guide is concerned, I would base that on your own personal confidence in finding mature mule deer.  If you are confident in your abilities then a guide probably isn't necessary.  If it were me, I would opt to spend the extra funds on possibly taking multiple trips.  I would take the first week off so I got first crack at the bucks as know one in Montana hunts early.  The bucks are more patternable that time of year as well.  Then if I needed to, I would go back the week before thanksgiving and hunt the peak of the rut.  Only downfall to that is probably 75% of tag holders will be hunting that week as well lol.  Nice part about Montana is there are enough deer around the roads to keep most guys in the cabs of their trucks, so if a guy burns some boot leather its not impossible to find good bucks.  IF it were my tag, I would have a 170" gross standard.  Deer in that country tend to have short main beams so make sure to get a good side view.  How much time are you going to have off for this hunt?  One thing about it, you are gonna see lots of bucks and have a ton of fun!  Take lots of pics so we can tag along!

[soccerguy]

To respond to some of the above comments.  I've got 50 years of hunting experience, am in reasonable good physical condition, hate "hunting from the truck", and have no problem telling the difference from a 130-140-150 buck from a 160-170 buck.  My largest is a 183 buck shot in Arizona many years ago and it sits on the wall in my office...so I stare at it a lot.
I've been on a few hunts the last few years where other hunters have shot bucks in the 160's (alas, I had no tag), so bucks in that range won't be a problem.  Finally, I'm self employed and November is by far my slowest time of the year, so I've got tons of time to commit to this hunt.  Oh, and since the last post I found out that a guy I sheep hunted with two years ago has drawn this tag twice in the last ten years ago and is willing to provide me with maps, camping locations, specific hunting areas, etc.  I think the outfitter idea is gone.