I'm gonna take a stab at a theory here on 270 (this is the first time I have heard anything bad about it, but this is the first I have heard from someone who hunted it last year). Last winter was really, really, really, long. I know here in Eastern WA we had to cancel our shed hunting camp twice because it kept snowing in April. I heard MT had a similar winter. Not piles and piles of snow like we are getting this year, but it just wouldn't go away.
That HAD to play hell on the older age class mulies. Any chance that is what affected 270 this last season?