Montana antelope 2010

[bowtech721]

I just got off the phone finalizing some stuff with the outfitter for my archery antelope hunt this fall in montana! Now I just gotta get the application in when I can and hope I get drawn... the outfitter says its a 100% draw you just have to apply but has anyone hunted with the montana 900 archery antelope tag and if so did you draw first time?

[LittleJohn]

AWSOME!!!! Sounds like fun to me. I hope it all goes well. Do u need a new Destroyer???

[bowtech721]

Oh for sure  I dont think mine is capable of killing one 

[LittleJohn]

it would be nice to have a flatter shooting bow for that kind of hunt

[Kent Hunter]

Right on Bowtech!! We are hopeing to draw in the 600 units for rifle. Kill a bigun!!

[Pathfinder101]

I have heard that NR Archery Antelope tags are pretty much 100% in MT as long as you are not putting in for an area that doesn't have many tags.  Eastman's HJ says the same thing.

[WonkyWapiti]

Does anyone know what the status of the Montana antelope population is after the blue tongue devastation from a couple of years ago?

[Craig]

I hunted unit 481 in 2008 and the antelope numbers were down quite a bit.  I hunted deer last year in unit 410 ( antelope unit 481 ). and the antelope numbers were still down. I heard a lot of talk about blue tongue killing a lot of antelope in the area.

The 900 tags and 700 units might be different.

[Elkstuffer]

I drew the 900 tag the last year that it was a guarantee and then drew the next year which was the first year for an actual draw. I sat out last year thinking I was going to draw a branch bull tag here in WA. I'm putting in again this year for the 900 tag. I go DIY in the CMR wildlife area. Lots of antelope.

[quote
The 900 tags and 700 units might be different.
[/quote]

Craig, The 900 tag is archery only and opens on Aug 15th. The 700 tag opens later for archery and then you can hunt with a rifle if not successful with the bow.

[bowtech721]

did you have any luck elkstuffer?

[Elkstuffer]

The first year I relied on a friend, new to archery, to set us up on a 5,000 acre ranch. There were only approx. 45-50 head of antelope on the ranch. Only 4 bucks. Although we both came incredably close we came home empty. That was also the year that they had record rainfalls in the summer.

The next year I studied my butt off with maps and scouting on the computer. Found a great place and talked to some locals when I got there. Getting there consisted of a 14 hour drive by myself. When I arrived at 4:00 am it was raining sideways and 41 degrees. So much for hunting over water. I did find a small pond with alot of track so I sat up my blind for  the next couple days and then drove around to get familiar with the country. I forgot to mention the while taking some readings with the range finder from the blind the battery went tits up. It showed full bars when I left home. 2 hr round trip for a battery so I decided to wing it. BAD mistake.

Long story short I made 15 stalks and stot 5 arrows. 5 misses at 4 P&Y and 1 B&C goats. It's alot tougher to judge distance in the desert than it is in the timber. I learned the hard way. I now carry 2 spare batteries at all times.

This was the killer though. One afternoon it was 90 degrees and I was headed down to the blind for the evening set and 200 yrds from the bind I see 7 does and 3 bucks walking within 20yrds of my blind. All I could do was sit and watch. I had to leave the next morning.

All in all it was a great hunt. I learned alot and had a blast. I hope I draw again this year.

[Ridgerunner]

thinking about a 700 area tag this year, anyone hunted there in the last couple of years?  If so how was it?

[Elkstuffer]

That's a huge area. I think there are more pronghorn in the 700 units than all the rest combined. You might want to narrow it down to a smaller specific area. You might get better advise. Lots of private land in the south east corner of the state.

[Pathfinder101]

That's a huge area. I think there are more pronghorn in the 700 units than all the rest combined. You might want to narrow it down to a smaller specific area. You might get better advise. Lots of private land in the south east corner of the state.

All the 700 units are drawn as one tag though, right?  So if you are putting in for 700 as your #1 choice, it would be nice to know which 700 unit to hunt in.  But if someone is not willing to give up the exact unit, it would still be nice to know if their 700 tag produced and what they saw...
I was actually wondering the exact same thing, mostly since the deer #s seemed to be down in regions 4, 5 and 6, but not so much in the SE corner.  Wondering if antelope #s were up or down in the 700 region?

[Elkstuffer]

Not from what I've heard. So far the winter has been pretty mild. Good luck with the draw.