Anyone deer hunt the CMR in Montana?

[Tbob]

Hey gang,
   Just curious if anyone has hunted the CMR out in Montana. I’m thinking about heading out that way this year (looking at the south side of the CMR). Anyone have any info on the area, deer numbers, good bucks, tips, tactics, advice? Anyone have any CMR buck pictures? Thanks!!

[Stein]

Read up on gumbo and be careful, easy to get stuck beyond belief.  Lots of glassing and little folds for animals to hide in.  Same rules apply as elsewhere, get out of the truck and your odds go up substantially.

Very cool area, much of it is just like Lewis and Clark saw.

It also shares the name of the best high school in the county.

[HillHound]

Some cool country. Gets real steep in spots. On Nice days lots of people come off the lake so don’t pick those days to hike way back in. Luckily most days aren’t nice during deer season. No filling B tags or picking up sheds. But lots of land on they way to and from that both of those can be had. Rain will shut you down. Need dry or freezing weather. Guys had everything including their sxs’s buried in that gumbo. Can’t hardly walk in it without peeling it off your boot every few steps. If it will at least freeze solid at night you can get in before the sun comes up and then you’re stuck all day until it freezes again and you can get back out. Just bring enough food and cloths to hunt for a few days in case you aren’t able to get out when you plan. Every year we have gone the weather has been different so you can’t really plan around it either. Some go early with the thoughts it will be dry some go late with the thoughts it will be frozen. But it’s been 50 and raining the first week just like it has been the last week. Makes you appreciate the years you hit it just right. Unfortunately I don’t even get to go this year, well unless I get a decent alternate number but I’m not keeping my hopes up

[Dan-o]

 

What they said.

Some beautiful Mule Deer country......   plenty of areas to stretch your legs.

The gumbo can get you!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even walking in it, under the wrong conditions, you end up with like 20 pounds clinging to each boot.   It is brutal.    Pray for freezing or clear weather.

ALSO:    Last I recall, the CMR deer hunt dates end sooner than the general areas around it, so be sure to look at the CMR-specific hunt rules.

[deerlick]

Lots of people but cool place

[Fletch]

Everything posted about the CMR is accurate from my experience.  Nice sheds in there too that are cool to see but not pick up...I have pics of some bucks taken in there but not having luck posting... I can email them if you would like.  Some thing to look at also is in the past the CMR closed to hunting around the 14th of November.  In the past 3-4 yrs? it has been open the full regular season.  Can be some good bucks in there for sure.

[bearpaw]

Have a backup plan in case the weather is lots of rain!

[HighGrouseHunt]

The mud is real, and keep in mind that sometimes you might need to travel 50+ miles on dirt roads to get into the CMR. If it rains, you might as well be on the moon, you aren't going anywhere.

With that said, there are some nice deer in there, particularly once you start getting away from the access points. From my experience, the best deer country in this area is WAY more rugged than you might anticipate when you are imagining hunting Mulies out on the shortgrass prairie of eastern Montana. Those breaks can be super steep, super dry (hopefully - otherwise you are in Mudville), and pretty darn convoluted. To me, it always feels like a day of hunting in the breaks is at least as physically demanding as a day in the mountains. Packouts can involve a lot of  steep ups and downs.

I have heard the south side gets hit a lot harder than the north side; but I have only deer hunted the north side.   

[MADMAX]

Hunted one year there
We only saw one buck small 2pt
Big area
Mud is an issue if rain or melt
I’d advise to go to the SE corner
You get yourself hunt onX , stay on public land and your golden
More deer than I’ve seen in my lifetime
You won’t be sorry

[Tbob]

Thanks for all the tips everyone!! I very much appreciate it! Looks like it’ll be a play it as it comes type thing with the weather. I am definitely familiar with that insane mud! I think I’m still washing some off my truck 3 years later.! Lol.
    Luckily I’ve got some other good options on BMA if the roads do get bad.. I’ve just wanted to make it up to the CMR for a look around so hopefully the weather cooperates this year. I’ll be up there 11/5-11/12 fingers crossed for clear and cold that week!
   I’ve got my Onx and I’ll look into that SE corner.. thanks for that little nugget!!

[NRA4LIFE]

I'll be in the SE corner during some of that time.  I could give you some pointers.

[Tbob]

I’ll take all the pointers I can get! I would really appreciate that!

I'll be in the SE corner during some of that time.  I could give you some pointers.

[MHWASH]

I hunted it last year. The drought is very real there and I think it had an effect on the antler size. We saw lots of bucks, but only one shooter that my partner shot. It was so dry that the crops failed to come up. I would try again though.

[jstone]

We hunted it last year to. We hiked 7 miles the first day and saw 0 deer. Only on private or around the small town we stayed by. It was tough. Good luck

[Tbob]

Yikes, well none of that sounds very good! Fingers crossed for this year I guess.