Montana Deer

[huntandjeep]

Been over here for 9 days , heading home in the morning . I Haven't been here since 2020 and to say I was shocked at the difference in deer numbers and quality is an understatement. Areas we hunted years prior that we would pass up 6 or 7 bucks a day . Turned to maybe seeing A 2x2 or tiny 3x3 .  Everyday we were seeing does , problem is not a single Nice / decent/ mature ( whatever you want to call them ) buck with any of them . Alot of small 2x2s and spikes hanging with groups of 3 & 4 does . I would guess we were seeing 10+ 2x2s and spikes a day , with maybe 1 super small 3x3 a day thrown in .  . We ground it out every day from daylight till dark , and were able to connect on 3 great deer in the end . All 3 of us were committed to eating our tags , and not just shooting a buck to bring home . But it was a grind turning them up . We've decided we are done in Montana for a few years .

[addicted1]

That’s pretty crazy, 9 days would give you a pretty good sample size for the area. What do you think has changed over there?

[HillHound]

I also just got back from hunting over there for eight days and we had the exact same experience. Been going for the last 12 years And I’ve seen bucks we considered and past on a daily. This year I saw one buck in 8 days I would have shot if I could have got the chance. And two OK ones that I had passed that were still young. Other than that all year and a half old bucks basically. Lots of does and lots of young bucks. I think this is a result of not being able to shoot a doe on your general tag or on public. Before guys would hold out trying to find a big one and then end up shooting a doe on the last day, now they are probably filling that quicker since it’s not good for doe they are not being picky. I think the rule change will greatly increase the deer population in the next few years, but I believe their buck to doe ratio is going to be way off or at least the age class of bucks is going to be sub par for sure. I Stopped on the way back and filled my tag on a whitetail. We will probably go back because there is always a chance, but I do feel my expectations are definitely lowered

[bear]

Southeast got hammered by the drought a few years back.  Numbers are gaining about 20% back each year. Should be back to normal in a few more years.  Not sure what’s happening in other parts of the state.    I remember before wolves when the Methow used to bounce back in 5 years.  Sad

[JakeLand]

I know the northeast got hammered by the winter 2 years ago and the droughts before that this is my 2nd year not going and will still wait a few more

[BigCutty3]

I was there the week of the 11th and it was really warm but the deer were rutting.  Saw one mature thick mid 20s buck that I chased for a few days but he only left private once and I didn’t want to chance the shot in the wind.  Other than that saw some 18-22” muleys that just didn’t interest me.  Lots of weak and broken antlers. Decent deer numbers overall, but lacking buck numbers, particularly 3 year plus deer.  Private definitely faring better, but even on private I was seeing 20+ deer groups being tended and chased by 2 and 3 points.  I ended up shooting a small whitetail in the last few hours, I figured the landscape needed every mule deer buck it could get.
I agree with Jake, in my area the drought followed by the hard winter a couple years ago really knocked them back.  Plus hunting pressure has definitely ramped up, and you see more and more people hiked several miles in where you used to not see much of that.  It used to be almost everyone you saw was in a truck or sxs, not anymore.  I was on boot prints almost everywhere I went, 3-5 miles in.  I think the place has been pod casted and you tubed to death lol. 

[Mtnwalker]

It's an uphill battle for the deer to bounce back with general season rut dates, tons of development gobbling up winter habitat, and the amount of guys getting after it harder these days. IMO somethings gotta give

[boneaddict]

I wonder what the Non resident numbers look like these days.  I was surprised at how many folks were out there. 

[huntandjeep]

That’s pretty crazy, 9 days would give you a pretty good sample size for the area. What do you think has changed over there?

I think it boils down to a few rough winters , a few drought years, and dudes wacking little bucks on their way out of town because they need to justify the amount of money they spent .

[dvolmer]

That’s pretty crazy, 9 days would give you a pretty good sample size for the area. What do you think has changed over there?

I think it boils down to a few rough winters , a few drought years, and dudes wacking little bucks on their way out of town because they need to justify the amount of money they spent .

I agree.  They should also shut down all mule deer doe hunting and mule deer doe special permits. That should happen in Washington also.

[jstone]

 

[Sakko300wsm]

Killing mule deer does is just plain stupid period!!

[dilleytech]

I just got home. We got three good ones. Weather was mild.

Man those whitetails are just so much more impressive to me. Couple of studs.

[ganghis]

Just got back from a 8 day trip.  My 14 year old boys had deer tags and I had a whitetail doe tag.  They had made up their minds months ago they were only going to shoot a good buck or no buck.  Well it was in the mid 50’s during the day and they each had shots at a nice buck.  It’s a good year for tag soup, plenty of meat in the freezer. I would say overall deer numbers are definitely low.  We had a great memorable trip though. 
A lot of land is being bought up or leased and hunting isn’t being allowed. Groups like American Prairie, Nature Conservancy Group, they say written permission, I call BS.

I've given money to Nature Conservancy over the years.  In the past they've been pretty good about access, at least if it's within management objectives.  Here's a thread from a few years back on hunttalk.  Has it changed?

https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/for-those-who-think-the-nature-conservancy-is-anti-hunting.274107/

[dilleytech]

Our camp 6 years ago

I forgot about this photo. About 100# of wasted neck meat laying on logs lol still funny