Fort Peck Montana

[BIGMIKE]

Hello everybody,

I am feeling the buck fever right now and I have to ask you a question. I am going to hunt Mule deer with a couple of buddies in Montana early November , Fort Peck to be exact. We will be crossing the Lake and hunt the other side. I have heard that not a lot of people go there to hunt due to not a lot of hunters are willing to boat accross. We have 8 days to accomplish the mission. I hope that I can find MR BIG on the far side . Any of you guys have experience on this area? I am also contemplating if I should take my old Reminton 700 30-06 or my new Savage .243? Buck size?  Please advise. 

[buckhorn2]

Nice area to hunt with big deer I would go with the bigger gun. Make sure and watch the weather the lake can get nasty in a hurry but there are a lot of little bays to tie up in. Early season is;nt as bad as it can get later take extra tent stakes it can blow.

[jackelope]

What kind of boat? What size?

[bearpaw]

Good idea, just remember that is big water and the wind blows a lot in Montana. 

[shedcrazy]

Grandparent's live in Glasgow, which is really close to Ft. Peck. I went there every summer as a kid. Big bodied deer, go with the .06. The water can get hairy, but i'm sure you will be fine. Nice bucks, you will have a blast!

[JLS]

So are you hunting the north side or the south side of the lake?  There is road access to both.  Are you trying to access a few of the semi-roadless areas?  Keep in mind that the buck seasons on the CMR are not the same as the state general seasons.  North side seasons end two weeks early on the CMR.  I would have a backup plan in the case of high winds or a frozen lake.  You'll see some good bucks.  It's fabulous country.  These aren't Super Mulies, a .243 is fine.  Take whatever you're most comfortable with.  PM me if you want.

[BIGMIKE]

we are trying to be in the middle away from people and close to deer as much as possible.

[JLS]

Middle of the lake has more walleyes than deer.  What launch you thinking of using? 

[BIGMIKE]

Not sure, But we will be camping at Bone Trail Camp ground. This will be my first time there but my crew did the same exact thing last year and they did kill some nice ones.
They all got their deer on the first 3 days and then went walleye fishing the rest of the time. Do you have a suggestion where we should be launching?

[JLS]

Bone Trail is a good launch.  There's tons of good country up the lake from there.  It's not terribly far to run across to the south side of the lake from that launch.  Make sure you get the refuge rules and follow them, can't shoot all the fat prairie dogs

[BIGMIKE]

Thanks, JLS. Do any of you guys have pics of bucks taken from the area?

[BIGBULLBALLS]

You won't be alone on Ft. Peck.  Wether you are using the Hell Creek launch or Devils Creek there will be people.  The last time I hunted it was 09 and there was 9 trucks and trailers at the Devils creek launch.  Lots of guys hunting the north side for elk because of new antlerless opportunities during November.  In 01 we were the only boat there, 05 we were one of 4, and 09 we were one of too many.  Deer numbers in 09 were 30% of what we saw in 01 but we all still filled tags.  We saw quite a few camps far from the boat launches.  Be very careful of the weather while out in the boat.  The wind kicks up really quick and usually comes out of the north.  If you are trying to get back to the south side of the lake, it can be a real challenge with following 4' breakers. 

Ft. Peck is just not what it used to be

[BIGMIKE]

Thanks for all the input on my up coming hunt. Any of you guys have pictures of the area and critters running around Fort Peck?

[furbearer365]

My dad and i are headed there also.  This will be our first time in the area.  We are pretty pumped to get out of this state and try something new.  We dont have any major expectations but we do know the possibilities.  Should be fun either way but would love to locate a couple of bucks. I am a litttle worried that my dads trigger finger may want his tag filled on the first branched buck he sees, but if so, as long as there is a smile that goes with it, cant ask for more.

[BIGMIKE]

Awesome Furbearer365! What time of the season are you guys planning on being there? We are going to be ther the first 2 weeks of November.