Missou breaks or custer

[chiefeng]

I'm going to take my son to Montana this year for his first deer hunt. I've elk hunted their last season but never deer. I was thinking Missouri breaks around Winnet, or Jordan, or Custer Nation forest down by Broadus. I don't like to road hunt and want to get away from the crowds not afraid to hike. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[Skyvalhunter]

Know whats private and whats not. Lots of private in both spots and they don't mess around with trespassers.

[chiefeng]

Not planning on hunting block management, if in the breaks it will be on Charles m Russell or Custer national forest. So I shouldn't have to worry to much about private, but I'm still going to get the land owner ship app for the gps.

[Bigshooter]

If you want to hike I would go with the breaks. 

[elkaholic123]

If you hunt the CMR be warned about the gumbo mud during the rains   

[JLS]

 Both areas have been hammered pretty hard by winterkill and EHD.  Both areas can and do produce good quality bucks.

You will likely find higher deer numbers the closer you get to Broadus along the Powder River.  They both have their pros and cons, and both are very neat areas.  The breaks will see a fair bit of pressure from the big lake, as well as the roads.

I wouldn't overlook the Block Management areas as an option either.

Be aware that the CMR closes its deer season early.

[cougfan79]

Charles M Russell closes on November 15th each year for mule deer. 

[Alpinehunter]

That's actually not true. The refuge sets it's own season dates and those dates vary from year to year depending on how the deer herd is doing. You should be able to find out the dates sometime in May.

[furbearer365]

Just an FYI, when I was researching Montana a few years ago, a Bio gave me good advice about the Breaks.  Then when I went scouting I found out he was giving sound advice.  First of all listen to Elkaholic123, if its wet, the gumbo will shut you down.  Second, the Breaks are big country with pockets literally everywhere.  You could go 3-4 days and not see a deer, or you could get lucky and the first canyon you look in there could be two 180 inch muleys. If you are looking for a big buck but don't mind the idea of eating a tag, then the Breaks are for you.  If you are taking your son for the experience and want a fun hunt with still a good chance at filling a tag, you may want to look towards Broadus.

[chiefeng]

Has anyone ever taken their boat out on Fort peck lake and stage from their ? I've heard that's the way to get a way from the crowed and I've also heard it was a mad house

[Skyvalhunter]

Never done it personally but have heard from others that have. They said you really don't get away from the crowd and the deer pop is not all that great furter down the reservoir.

[idaho guy]

 I lived over there 20 plus years ago-Breaks will be a good hunt especially if you put on boot miles. If  you can find block management surrounding cmr or even as far as south of Havre would be a good back up plan.  I had freinds do the boat thing and they came back with pretty good deer. Last time i hunted there was 10 years ago so I am sure things have changed but I dont think you will be dissapointed with the breaks.   

[huntnphool]

I don't like to road hunt and want to get away from the crowds

Then stay away from Broadus/Powder River.

[Karl Blanchard]

Biggest buck I have ever seen in Montana was out of Broadus on an antelope hunt.  He was with 2 other bucks, living in a dry creek bed that had a puddle in it here and there.  I was using the creek bed to move in on some speed goats and I walked right up on them!  Literally 20ft away!  They just layed there and stared at me like they hadn't seen a human before.  They were all sooo fat!  They must have just lived right there in that creek bottom, fed at night, and repeated.  After a while they just kind of waddled off.  The biggest was a perfect 4x4 with eye guards and he was every bit of upper 180's!  This was also the last day we were signed up to hunt this ranch and it was the day before deer season   When we tried to re-register for the next day the bio in charge of the ranch said, "why you wanna hunt that section?  There's no deer out there, only antelope!"

[deerslyr]

I don't like to road hunt and want to get away from the crowds

Then stay away from Broadus/Powder River.

Aint that the truth... You think hunting in WA gets crowded, go to Broadus in November.