Montana Deer

[knighttime25]

My brother and dad and I are applying for the first time this year to hunt Mule deer in Montana. We are currently researching the Fort Peck area and planning on going the last week in October or first week in November. We are all in good shape and can put miles on our boots in whatever country gets thrown at us. I was just curious if anyone had any experience in this part of Montana or had any tips or recommendations for us looking forward? I'm not looking for anyone's honey holes or spots to go, just more generalized info that may help us cut down scouting time and get us more time in the woods. I have hunted MT before a few years ago around grass range and filled an OTC archery tag but would like to make it back over. I'm not opposed to looking into units closer to Idaho either that may cut down drive time from WA. Any info would be greatly appreciated!

[wooltie]

I think hunters who see 10-30 shooter bucks a day cover a lot of ground, via the truck, and glass.  They find the buck they want, then go after it.

We went last year but didn't see a lot of bucks every day.  I think part of this was where we were hunting, but also the fact that we were hiking around on foot and not covering as much ground.  I spoke to another member who said he can cover up to 200 miles a day in the truck just driving/glassing.

[Bigshooter]

I would go later.

[Skyvalhunter]

Well You be taking a boat? Are you planning on driving a lot on those greasy roads?

[Magnum_Willys]

I would consider going early to north of reservoir. North closes early.

[knighttime25]

Appreciate the info guys, I am considering taking my boat over to be a little more versatile on getting into spots. Bigshooter just curious why you think we should go later? Better timing on the rut?

[257 Wby Mag]

I know guys that do really well the first week...

[Huntinandfishinfool]

We've been hunting fort peck area since the mid 1980s. Leave the boat at home! The resivor can kick up and be like the ocean fast and usually does on a daily basis. We've hunted the first week of the season and the same spot every year on the CMR. I can count on one hand how many times I've seen another hunter walking. Most people drive around.

Find a road south of fort peck that leads out onto the CMR and find a area that looks like it would hold deer. Get away from the road and glass in the morning until 830 or 9. You should see deer especially if you can see the resivor.

Shoot me a message and I'll be willing to swap  some hunting info with you

[Skyvalhunter]

What about later in the season when the roads become gumbo

[Huntinandfishinfool]

Once the rain starts, even the gravel roads can become sloppy. Each year is different and the later in the season the closer to the rut you'll be hunting.  Usually the first week is good weather with moderate temperatures. Once the roads get sloppy you're not going anywhere off a gravel road no matter what kind of 4x4 you have. You'll grow by a half inch with every step as the gumbo build up on your boots.

You also have too be careful of thawing roads during the day. The road that was frozen in the morning may thaw and become a mess by the afternoon and you'll need to wait for a re-freeze to get out. Make sure you have things in the truck to stay warm in case this happens

What about later in the season when the roads become gumbo

[Muleyslyr]

What about later in the season when the roads become gumbo

Doesn't always work like that. Two years ago I was right there second week of Nov and the day I shot my buck it was 70 degrees. Nov 13th. This year, same time same spot, -4 to high of 12. Haven't seen moisture over there in a couple years. No matter where you're at in Montana, if it rains you're not driving any of the roads unless they're paved. Probably have more chance of hitting rain in late Oct than you do in mid/late Nov.

[Muleyslyr]

And don't waste your time or gas money towing a boat over there! You don't need it!

[gasman]

We're planning on hunting the peck res area too, not sure o
If were hunting north or south of it, but looks like that's the general area we are heading if we get drawn.
Gonna take an extended weekend and check areas out this summer, or at least that's the plan.
 

I had the boat idea brought up to me too but  towing a boat that far to an area unknown was not appealing.

[CaNINE]

Deer combo application submitted 

[jjhunter]

Deer Combo here as well.

Can't wait to head back to the buck hole.   

[Magnum_Willys]

Think the hard winter impacted over there much

[CaNINE]

Think the hard winter impacted over there much

Not in the SE where we hunt, at least not yet, but there is still plenty of winter left to go. 

[ElkTipper]

Lived on Glasgow AFB back in 1976.  My Dad was in the Air Force.  We hunted Bear Creek Arm of the reservoir and jumped one of the biggest bucks I have ever seen in my life.  He had been hit several times over his life by bullets that were apparent in visible scaring, could have been rut fights but looked like shots by placement.  He held so tight in the coulee and buck brush that when I crawled through on my hands and knees he had no where to go but out the other side.  It ran straight away from us zig zagging through the buck brush straight up the coulee.  When I finally made it out the other side to see him I thought it was an elk.  He had an atypical rack with branches going everywhere, huge rack and I mean huge.  I saw one other deer that someone shot from the same area and was hanging in a garage on the Air Base.  Its knee joints were strapped to the ceiling joists and its jaw/throat were laying flat on the concrete floor.  Expansive full rut neck!

We had such a great time hunting and fishing Montana.  We could shoot two deer and an antelope every year.  We would limit out on sharptail and sage hen within 25 miles of the Air Base.  We fished Porcupine creek which surrounded the base for northern pike when we were not hunting.  My high school buddies and I were always busy especially when the ducks (northerns) started flying south out of Canada.  We had ducks landing in our decoys as we were pulling them out of the water.  Never went home without a limit.  Don't hunt the Missouri Breaks unless you yourself are a mule because that is some treacherous territory.  Hunted it once with my friends and swore I would never do that again.  Not sure what its like over there in Montana now but such fond memories still prevail.  Good times!

Good Luck!

[Skyvalhunter]

Why don't you go back and hunt it?

[180-GRAIN]

In for deer and elk but wont go unless I draw a permit.

[paultanninen]

Hunting muleys. Get to high elevations.

[jstamp]

It was a pretty brutal winter over there, with feet of snow lasting into late March and april. 2nd worst winter in terms of snowfall in the fort peck area with around 88 inches. Gonna be a decent winter kill. A boat is a good thing to have, I'd hunt the south Shore of the lake. Roads will suck if it rains, and the wind will be blowing, but bucks get killed from boats. Hell creek and devils creek have launches out of jordan. Don't expect to see lots of "big bucks" most of those disappeared 20 years ago.