Montana Mule Deer or Whitetail

[3nails]

 I have hunted Montana around 16 times and have hunted whitetail all but once. We are thinking about changing it up and hunting mule deer in the east this year but I have to admit, it would be tough passing up mountain rattling in the west. What are you all going after this year?

[bear]

Mulies without a doubt. Especially since we don’t have any in WA

[buglebuster]

I’ll be hunting mule deer in eastern Montana again this year. With that said, we saw an absolute stud whitetail that we jumped last season. If he’s have given me a *censored* I’d have taken him. Same goes for this year when they’re that big.

[Houndhunter]

Mulies

[boneaddict]

Both!     

[Wolfdog2314]

Targeting mule deer. But won’t pass up a dandy whitey!

[Stein]

Whiteys.  I target elk and take deer when the situation arises and with whitetail there is a very high probability that I will run across one while chasing elk and if not, there are a few hidey holes on the way back to camp that I can usually poke one at.

I did spend two days last year targeting muleys and would like to focus on them one year if I could somehow figure out how to make the first morning elk kill I always think is virtually certain to happen.

[vandeman17]

whitetails in western montana. We have a productive area that we have had good success in every year we hunted it. Can't beat the 4 hour drive either. Takes me just as long to get there as it does to my whitetail spot in NE Wa. 

[grundy53]

Targeting mule deer. But won’t pass up a dandy whitey!

Same here.

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[wooltie]

We want to hunt more central Montana to hunt around some timber, draws, ridges.

Not really interested in the rolling flats and coulies, but there's a lot of deer east for sure.

[3nails]

 The nice thing for me is if I don't like it in the east or can't find a decent buck, I can always stop at my cabin in the west on the way home and shoot a whitetail.

[mburrows]

In my limited experience and in general, it seems like there is better whitetail quality than mule deer quality.  However, MT is a HUGE state so it all depends on where you're at. Mule deer for the win personally.

Ive seen some nice whitetail in the river bottom country in eastern and central MT, I've not hunted much on the western side of the state but its got a good reputation for whitetail.

[idaho guy]

Both!     

  I can and will hunt both where we go. Whatever looks good! 

[vandeman17]

Both!     

  I can and will hunt both where we go. Whatever looks good!

Same in my area, just depends how far/high I want to hike 

[Wingin it]

The area I hunt has both. I'll take the first one that gets me excited.

[Dwrecknfish]

Mule deer for our group. I don’t know whitetail hunting 
I would definitely like to put one on the wall though one year

[CaNINE]

The area I hunt has both. I'll take the first one that gets me excited.

This is my approach in the SE corner.

[Craig]

I have some good trail cam pictures and video of a good whitetail buck with three main beams ( 4x3x2). He was alive after the season was over. Will be hard passing him up if he shows his face next year. He is in the exact same drainage we have killed two mile deer out of the last couple years. 

Think he will grow three main beams again next year?

[huntandjeep]

Area we go has a mix of both . We mainly focus on mule deer , but have seen some stud whitetail. Although they pretty much hang on private property.