With only 50 tags on quota, a 20-day season in November and lots of public land to hunt, with a little help from the weather, this hunt should continue to excel well into the future. Dream destinations include the Arizona Strip (units 13A and 13B) or Kaibab Plateau (units 12A East, 12A West, and 12B), but the drawing odds are long, sometimes in the low single digits, Ornoski said. I also recommend the cellphone adapter that makes taking photos a breeze. So youre probably wondering, how is it possible that zero nonresidents drew this tag in 2018? Just a thought. Phone: (435) 865-1020, Big Game Combination License (Elk & Deer), Bow and Arrow License (mandatory for all archery hunts), Preference Point Fee for Combination License (optional), Outfitter Preference Point Fee for Combination License (optional but must hunt with an outfitter). Publisher, Kevin Steele is with Brett Marquardt from Streamlight Inc. discussing the new Streamlight Pro Tac 2.0, the latest edition in the Pro Tac series. The big takeaway here is, as nonresident landowners suck out more and more of the nonresident pool, expect less and less tags being drawn by general nonresidents. And every other year at least one or two of the four tags go to landowners. Our editors have hand-picked these essential pieces of gear to make you a more successful hunter when you hit the game trails this season. Montana. Hunter success here can be a bit spotty with an average of 57% success but if a hunter is in good shape and hunts hard, a big buck could be possible here. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "bennordquist-20"; Maps for Montana Deer, Elk, and Mountain Lion Hunting Districts Select a hunting unit from the dropdown menu or click a unit on the map below. That is 16,660 above the 2020 population estimate and slightly above the 10-year average of 202,033. Complete trip planning materials are available on the Missouri River Country website. I have been very hard on this hunt in the past, however the recent historical data here is very positive, particularly when compared to everything else currently going wrong in Wyoming. DESIGNED BY. The Missouri Breaks also hold modest numbers of whitetails, particularly in creek bottoms containing deciduous cover. As a reminder, Montana has a squared bonus point system. Montana Rivers and Ridges Outfitter offers a late season 4 Day trophy Mule Deer hunt on the beautiful prairie of Eastern Montana. March 24, 2020 I think it might be time for a class action law suit against the State of Wyoming on tag allocation. (Shutterstock / Cornelius Doppes photo) Data can be deceiving. Make sure you pay attention to the new regulations as there are a number of changes from 2021. The deep, contorted coulees of the breaks provide superb cover, allowing some bucks to achieve trophy status. Regions G and H are the most popular and talked about deer units in Wyoming; however, there are other good units as well. Our trophy mule deer hunts are only for those who have already drawn a 270 Mule deer permit in Montana, if you have questions about how to apply feel free to contact us through the button below and we can help you out there. I'm not going out on a limb and making any bold predictions, but the science is adding up. Some of Lewis' most poetic lines were reserved for their surroundings in Montana where he wrote, "As we passed on it seemed as if those scenes of visionary enchantment would never have an end.". Montana As you can imagine 270-50 has the highest number of landowner applicants for any deer permit and by far the highest for nonresidents. I ended up filling my tag with my biggest Mule Deer to date on our 2. day. Add to that the possibility of an additional 50% of what is left going into an outfitter only draw and nonresident point holders in Wyoming are extremely nervous to continue with Wyomings draw system much further into the future. The Interstate Commerce Clause, The Fairness Doctrine in the Constitution and other legal concepts can all be looked at again and Court Rulings Reversed. The adventure is big. Sand Hill country GMUs 31, 32, and 33 in the southeast corner of the state also are capable of producing B&C bucks. We strive to help our audiences become more skilled and ethical hunters, while expanding their knowledge, appreciation, and awareness of the outdoors and wildlife through entertainment media. Wyoming likely is the first state that comes to mind when hunters think of pronghorn hunting. Toprut has always been the most reliable data that I use to make calculated moves for my hunt portfolio. The deadline for nonresident applications for archery and rifle elk licenses is March 15. He is vice president of Christian Hunters of America and is a Cabelas Pro Staffer. These two situations have placed many applicants between the proverbial rock and a hard place as they weigh out the beyond uncomfortable trade-off between a down year for deer hunting and the possibility of future draw odds quadrupling all while tag costs could more than double in the process. A fine hunter in his own right, Guy has taken several trophy animals and has become an expert in trophy hunting as well. Needless to say, hunting mule deer in Wyoming in its current capacity is going to probably be less than ideal. Elk, mule deer, and pronghorn are three iconic species among the big-game animals hunters pursue throughout the western United States. Hopefully this change will help increase the age class of the bucks in those units. Skip B: Let the Flower Children howl. The top states for record mule deer are Colorado, Utah and Idaho. That's why oftentimes, the all-time records list you see aren't the most accurate depictions of where big deer are truly . The decline of mule deer populations in northeastern Nevada is reflected in this Department of Wildlife graph of hunter success over a 63-year period. This is a very limited, late season hunt with hunt dates during most of the month of November. Mule Deer The Top Mule Deer Hunts and Facts to Know in Colorado. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "bennordquist-20"; The landowner draw takes place before the regular draw. He had two suggestions for hunters who approach drawing an elk tag in different ways in the state. It takes some education but they got there and u see good deer in all those QDM areas. This year we would have limited time and left the idea of the Elk/Combo out of the equation. This is isnt a review of gear we used on our hunt but rather a summary of how we planned our DIY hunt and some pointers that may help someone looking to do some mule deer hunting in Montana. For some hunters, pursuing elk, mule deer, and pronghorn in the western United States is a future dream; for others its a yearly routine. 22. 20. Plus Ive been buying points for my family . This is with roughly 1000 nonresident applicants every year. With plenty of deer, a good buck here can be a tough endeavor, but they are here if you know where to look. I am currently applying for those myself. Although they evolved to live and thrive in broadly different environments, the two species are remarkably adaptive. For example, in 2019 there were over 1400 applicants with zero points, and one person drew. This hunt can be had with only about six or seven points. Our Mule deer are big bodied, heavy antlered and are deep forked. Cedar City, UT 84721 Dates: October 27-31, 2023. With tags in hand, we decided that hunting public land was going to be our plan of action. Get our No-BS newsletter to your email box around twice a month. We shootbrownelk: Big fines, mandatory jail time and loss of licenses. Although the region is not heralded as a trophy destination for pronghorn, lucky hunters may encounter outsized bucks. The Green River Lakes hunt is a bit more of a long-shot for big bucks, but I just have a bit of a hunch that given the type of country in this area there could be some big bucks this fall to mine out of here for someone who hunts hard. Holy smokes! This general hunt region consists of a big, rugged region adjacent to the famed Region G area we spoke about above. Its often reported the state is home to more pronghorn than people in a good weather year. . Whitetail deer are also common in the cottonwood studded riparian areas along the river. *All Combination License prices include the required Base Hunting License, Conservation License, Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Pass, and Application Fees. This is quite the impressive increase as to qualify to apply for a landowner tag, you have to own or be in contract to own at least 160 acres in that unit. Then you have the nonresident landowners who get thrown into the nonresident pool but get guaranteed preference of at least 15% of the tags over the rest of the nonresidents. Elk may be the marquee quarry in the mind of many visiting hunters, but northeastern Montana also boasts outstanding opportunities for mule and whitetail deer. amzn_assoc_asins = "B00UCI27H4"; Deer hunting can be good at any time during the season, but the last half of November is favored by many resident hunters. This hunt should take 12 to 14 points to draw this year. This would be a great opportunity to bring youth out on a hunt for a reasonable price. Mike Ornoski has bowhunted in Arizona for more than 35 years. amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; 4. These are the good old days of hunting mule deer in Utah, said Jones, who added that all of the 29 general-season units in the state are capable of producing 200-inch bucks. However the Task Force is heading down the 90/10 for all species. amzn_assoc_linkid = "34865c461e195e06ee3f8398a02f30c0"; I have much more to learn about what it takes to continue to have successful mule deer hunting in Montana or any other state that offers Non-residents access to Big Game. Many of these concepts were decided long ago and can be easily modified. WY. Montana estimates its whitetail population to be at 212,814. The open country provides endless glassing opportunities and the gentle rolling hills allow for fairly easy hiking. We publish book and magazines, along with producing videos, DVDs, and TV programs. These are high country bucks that migrate to lower country to rut low country does which can make for a great hunt if you hunt hard and give yourself plenty of time to cover lots and lots of country. This is a very solid hunt in my opinion for only one or two preference points. This might mean we have another year or two to decide on burning those mule deer points. Best Montana Moose Hunts 2020 Galleries. Due to the vast quantity of applicants for this unit, the point system does very little for you in return. Along with the sheer expanse of the landscape, the expedition was awed with the abundant wildlife in the area, especially those game animals that provided them with food: elk, mule and whitetail deer, bighorn sheep, bison, and pronghorn (antelope). Search our database forMT Mule Deer opportunities. Elk may be the marquee quarry in the mind of many visiting hunters, but northeastern Montana also boasts outstanding opportunities for mule and whitetail deer. 5 Day/night Mule Deer Hunts - $4250 5 day 6 night Mule deer hunt - $4700 if available $1500 deposit to book your hunt Add antelope - $500 (drawing license required) In the end we are all in this together, I do not think it is unreasonable for Nonresidents to be afforded 20% of all the hunting licenses in Wyoming.. Following in the footsteps of his father, Guy has taken up the reins and is now at the helm of the Eastmans Hunting Journal and the Eastmans Bowhunting Journal. Some of our hunting areas include vast open ridges with . Dan Pickar amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; When signed up to access a Type 2 BMA, each hunter must sign in the previous day at a designated sign in trailer (sometimes MILES away from the actual ranch you will be hunting) to get your window pass. Snow cover is more likely at this time, making deer more visible. James and his guides live in the woods, and would be happy to share one of these experiences with you. . Publisher of Petersen's HUNTING magazine, Kevin Steele is at the Steiner Optics booth with Alberto Corbetta to discuss the Predator 4 and Predator 8. 262-00-B: F ANY G 100% 0 ArchEquip, shotgun . We put in for General tags as well as purchasing the extra preference point that is offered when applying. Each year we see and possibly harvest bucks that score 190+ B&C including some that score over 200 B&C inches. Only a limited number of tags are given out annually for this area. Area 128 near Dubois has November hunt dates and limited tags, and units 101 and 102 of the Southwest Desert country have solid deer numbers and great vehicle access. Elk hunting is a tradition shared by thousands of hunters each fall. With that said, I hope these choices help you out and this year is what it is. Petersen's HUNTING Publisher, Kevin Steele is in the CZ booth with Dylan Rice at SHOT Show to talk about CZ 600 Series Trail rifle. PS I from Nevada. The Courts have given the States the ownership to manage wildlife within their borders however this is not an absolute right and has been modified many times in the past. Abundant access to public land is one of the major attractions of elk hunting in Montana's Missouri River Country (there are more than a million acres of land open to public hunting in the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge alone). This hunt area is the other limited quota hunt unit inside the general Region G area. 5 Best E-Bikes for the Outdoors Jace Bauserman Recent Videos Steiner Optics Predator Series Introducing the Burris Veracity PH Gear Taurus Raging Hunter Streamlight Pro Tac 2.0 Gear Streamlight Bear Trap Gear Beretta A300 Ultima Turkey Gear Ascendant from Rock River Arms Gear HEVI-Shot Turkey Loads Gear CZ 600 Series Trail Rifle Gear The Brow-tined Bull and Antlerless elk hunts (34 HDs) makes a total of 63 unrestricted HDs where you can take any elk on 29 units and all but spikes on the rest. This has been considered the holy grail of mule deer permits in the Big Sky State for the past couple decades. Montana Rivers and Ridges Outfitter offers a late season 4 Day trophy Mule Deer hunt on the beautiful prairie of Eastern Montana. A type 1 BMA is walk-in access with sign up at designated entrances. The Eastern Montana prairie is open country with rolling hills of grass and sagebrush broken up by coulees and deep ravines; carved from thousands of years of flash floods. Like many others, I have 12 points for deer and elk. 3. Colorado is widely regarded as the nation's top mule deer destination. can handle bullets up to 250 grains with great speed and accuracy which makes it ideal for the giant mule deer bucks that are found on the Arizona Strip and Kaibab Plateau. Post-season 2019 counts in the Pioneer Mountains elk . The Region H hunt can be a very good hunt on the right year for really good bucks. No population reduction was observed higher in the Ruby watershed. amzn_assoc_linkid = "3d18066eea5f32622cb88644951f608f"; Southeast Montana Rifle Mule Deer. Although a big buck here would be a very tall order, a fun hunt with limited pressure is what this hunt should offer up on a somewhat later season experience. The best opportunity to harvest a quality buck in New Mexico is in the northern Game Management Units (GMUs), according to Tristanna Bickford, communications director for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.GMUs 2B, 2C, 4, and 5A are quality hunting areas with large numbers of deer, many sporting antlers that will make the Boone & Crockett (B&C) book. Hike it often in the summer months and note where you see bucks. The Montana application deadline for deer is April 1, 2022. If you have any questions about the general deer hunting opportunities or outfitters in Montana, give us a call. Kevin Steele of Petersen's HUNTING is with Dawn Wehunt of Rock River Arms INC. learning about the new Ascendant platform. So unfair and biased. Beginners usually hunt mule deer after some guidance before going for any . New Mexico, Socorro County117 pronghorn in B&C records 13. Our mule deer love the high country! This country is big, rugged and nothing comes easy here, but the bucks here are by far the largest in the state, historically speaking. 1 Hunter - 1 Guide. Over the last 20+ years, we've collected hunting research and data,so join Huntin' Fool today and access the best research tools for hunting mule deer, including 3D Maps, Draw Odds, Consultations, and much more. Copyright 2023 Eastmans' Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Guys TOP 5 Picks for Wyoming Mule Deer 2022. Unit 102 has been a desirable hunter destination for trophy mule deer in Wyoming over the past two decades. Utah took advantage of a combination of favorable weather, aggressive habitat management, and strict regulations to increase its mule deer population by as much as 100,000 from 2008 to 2016, pushing the size of the herd past 380,000 animals. The Courts can and do go back and modify rulings from the bench when situations change. Hunting these trophy bulls with a rifle requires a long-odds lottery permit, but those who do draw have the chance to take amazing animals. The northeastern portion of Montana west of Scobey has copious amounts of state land open to public hunting.