First M-T Muley Trip

[Thenewguy]

You are kidding right? Locals don't care about putting their deer in the books. I see deer each year that would easily surpass the best deer (of the year) in most states. Because you haven't seen them, doesn't mean they don't exist. There just isn't a state hat offers better deer hunting otc and on public land.

[Gamblin Guy]

You are kidding right? Locals don't care about putting their deer in the books. I see deer each year that would easily surpass the best deer (of the year) in most states. Because you haven't seen them, doesn't mean they don't exist. There just isn't a state hat offers better deer hunting otc and on public land.

We taped a deer at the local meat cutters last year that was over 30, the local that shot it was just going to cut the horns off because his wife didn't want another head on the wall.  We got talking and he showed me that two he had shoulder mounts done with......one was a non-typical gnarly old buck that I couldn't begin to guess what the score was, the other made the one in the back of his pickup look small....book score doesn't mean much to a lot of these guys, I guessing there are a lot of "book deer" killed in a lot of western states that never get scored.

[opdinkslayer]

Your right about one thing, Montana does provide the most opportunity and public land to hunt mule deer during the rut. I would guess those factors and some crappy genetical traits make my statement closer to reality than yours. Regardless, these gentlemen in this thread and my clan will go to Montana and have a great time looking for the best bucks we can dig up.

[dune]

One week and I'm on my way home to MT the snow is on the ground and bucks are moving dress warm and good luck 

[klikboom]

Awesome! Hope to hear of your success, if you don't mind report back with any tips relevant to this year that you learn. Good hunting!

[Southpole]

So, what's the laws on atv/orvs on forest service, highways and county roads in Montana. So far what I get is you have to be street legal (lights and blinkers and such) to be on forest service and if you're on designated off road trails you have to buy a $27 permit. Anyone want to chime in on that? Hope I'm not thread jacking too much 

[Gamblin Guy]

Best bet is probably to call FWP, unlike some of the folks at our WDFW, they are more than helpful when answering questions.

[dune]

You use to be able to drive them in town I'm not sure any more

[Southpole]

The ol' ball and chain and his friends will be hunting the Wise River area. My guy is bringing his Honda dual sport/enduro to be on the safe side of any law and be able to ride the Wisdom/Wise River OHV area, forest service and highways, but his buddies want to bring their side by side. I don't know how much and where they're going to be able to use the side by side. I guess they'll find out when the get there . Anyone else heading to that area?

[CaNINE]

Making my first trip to Montana this year.  Leaving next Wednesday bound for SE of Miles City.  Reserved some days at a private ranch through the block management program.  Had to sit on the phone hitting redial for an hour but finally got through.  Also hunting the Custer-Gallatin NF and surrounding country.  Keeping expectations realistic and looking forward to seeing and hunting new country with my dad.  He's getting close to 70 now so looking forward to making some good memories with this experience.

[dune]

Don't shoot the first buck you see your not hunting WA you should see 10 to 50 bucks a day good luck

[klikboom]

Impossible!?!

[klikboom]

Making my first trip to Montana this year.  Leaving next Wednesday bound for SE of Miles City.  Reserved some days at a private ranch through the block management program.  Had to sit on the phone hitting redial for an hour but finally got through.  Also hunting the Custer-Gallatin NF and surrounding country.  Keeping expectations realistic and looking forward to seeing and hunting new country with my dad.  He's getting close to 70 now so looking forward to making some good memories with this experience.

Be sure to post your results, that's the general area we will be at. Good luck out there, remember shoot the first legal you see, leave the big ones to breed. 😬👀👀😁

[klikboom]

Mid trip update:
We arrived Sunday here in the area. Saw loads of deer along my i90. Got to motel and talked to some MT  locals who come up here every year. They said they saw loads of bucks and kid got a 4pt and the dad a forked that he thought was 4pt when he shot.

So that was to start the week we though for sure we are in right place! We got on the BM land and hunted super hard Monday. Hiked total of 12.5miles. We saw two bucks all day. I passed on a 3pt with EG at 1:30pm then hour till last light I turned around and looked back at the the plateau we had been glassing from 20 minutes ago and I saw a doe skylined on the ridge. I was something like 1200m from her and saw other deer in the draw that ran from the ridge so I said lets go and ran straight at then stopping every couple hundred meters to range. The more I sprinted the more committed I became mentally to killing something. As I'm jogging / fast walking I dialed in my turret to my 300y drop. My buddy was following close behind and I Hollered to him to range me as we were going. The deer knew we were coming but somehow were holding. The doe on top was getting nervous and started to move so I dropped threw down pack and my buddy called out 325y. I got thr buck in scope and I was still conflicted but now is saw one side had 4pts so I said ok. Held tight squeezed one off, and the 180 accubond did a dandy job.

So the pressure is off. I know everyone said hold out but dang we were working hard and saw few bucks. We went out again today, skipped the bmm even though we had reservations and tried just random patches of public land. Again we saw only 1 buck today, small buck. So we're probably doing something wrong. We found out a lot of the public land is in very small portions here.

Tomorrow we head south to an area. We have two days of reservations on bmm. Hopefully we can get a nice one for my buddy. Fri/sat we have open to try to find a buck however we can. Any backup recommendations? Any advice on how we hunt the parcels of public more efficiently via ONx?

[slowhand]

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