The gear we used included a Christensen Arms .28 Nozler w/Burris Eliminator III. WY. Located outside of Laramie this hunt is a bit rough, but nothing like the rugged hunts in the northwest portion of the state. This hunt unit sits smack dab in the middle of the famed Carbon County, one of the best trophy producing buck counties in the entire country, and this area sits in the best big buck country in the second best big buck county in the state, what more could you ask for? Colorado Corner Crossing Here We Go Again, 10 Most Common Big Game Violations Part 8 Hunter Trespassing, To Feed Or Not To Feed. Some areas are easily accessed by roads, while others offer a wilderness experience for those willing to hike a distance from their vehicle. Learn how your comment data is processed. This is also a decent application choice for a lower point holder, as the 400-tag quota does put enough tags into the random portion of the draw to be worth a shot at about 5%. All antelope hunting in Montana is conducted on a draw-only basis. Montana has 7 hunt districts that break down into smaller units in each district. Cedar City, UT 84721 Eastmans Publishing, Inc. is a holding company engaged in publishing. If you have two points, that gives you four chances in the drawing. No matter what quarry is pursued, modern-day hunters are sure to echo the sentiments of Meriwether Lewis who concluded Missouri River Country includes "one of the fairest portions of the globe." Lydia Decaria, license sales representative with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, said Pronghorn Area 73, north of Casper, is very popular with hunters because it has huge tracts of Bureau of Land Management property. If they want a true limited entry trophy type hunt they need to get rid of the cow and spike hunters. If you have any questions about the mule deer hunting or how to apply feel free to contact us. Kevin Steele of Petersen's HUNTING is with Dawn Wehunt of Rock River Arms INC. learning about the new Ascendant platform. The Big Sandy, late hunt is a true wildcard hunt with some very solid big buck potential. This general hunt region consists of a big, rugged region adjacent to the famed Region G area we spoke about above. The sound of a bugling bull elk or the sight of two monster 6x6s fighting for mountain dominance is a memory that will stay with a hunter for a lifetime. Landowner preference is completely unfair and steals tags from the average hunter. Solitude, exceptional scenery and superb access to public lands make Montana's Missouri River Country a true hidden gem and one of the most hunter-friendly destinations in America. Utah has always been known for its top-end mule deer, but it also has many different limited entry deer opportunities that will satisfy just about anyone. If you find yourself in the burn my points now camp, here are what I feel are the best mule deer hunts Wyoming has to offer, at this point anyway. Tag holders can expect to see 20+ quality bucks per day. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. As a reminder, Montana has a squared bonus point system. amzn_assoc_asins = "B00UCI27H4"; The decision nearly 20 years ago . This place has it all, comfortable camp, good guiding, good food and Shield River trout fishing, it's just a great week. A lot of hunters only hunt or glass in the early mornings and evenings. In early June a successful applicant can request a BMA guide that will be delivered around the end of July. Montanas general deer tags provide a great opportunity to harvest a mule deer or whitetail and provide plenty of time to get it done over generous season dates. There is some public land along the Milk River with deer hunting also available on Block Management Areas, a Montana program that facilitates public access to private land. Hike it often in the summer months and note where you see bucks. Area 60-1, The Pole Mountain, on forest hunt, is probably the definition of a sleeper hunt unit. These statistics tell us that the bonus point system does not weigh enough in this squared bonus point system to select applicants in the higher point tiers. They further broke that number down into each region as follows: region 1 with 6,055; region 2 with 9,551; region 3 with 43,025; region 4 with 58,082; region 5 with 32,103; region 6 with 67,994; and region 7 with 77,140. 262-00-B: F ANY G 100% 0 ArchEquip, shotgun . Each tag was priced at right around $700/hunter. Although the numbers are down here from the objective by about 25%, the big buck potential here should be very, very good this year. amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; Historically, the bucks are actually larger in this region than they are in Region G, however they are harder to get to and there are less of them. Some of our hunting areas include vast open ridges with . The type 2s were crawling with other hunters and the quality of deer we saw on these properties was not what we were after. Be ready to glass all day. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; Thank you, Jason. A lot of large bucks stay nocturnal during the general rifle season, making them very hard to find. The French Creek hunt was turned from a general hunt into a limited quota hunt about ten years ago and the hunt here seems to be getting better and better each year. This hunt is generally booked after the hunter has secured a permit. Pronghorn tags in both states can be very difficult to draw. Our goal is to provide the best fair chase Colorado Elk Hunting and Trophy Mule Deer Hunting available. These are considered the best moose hunting areas in the state. Large chunks of the private land in Area 7 are enrolled in Wyomings Access Yes program, which opens private land to public hunting, with some restrictions in certain areas. Antlerless: A deer without antlers or with antlers less than 3 inches in length. If awarded we are going to try to stay on the eastern side of the state due to the drive from Louisiana.. . PO Box 250 Elk thrive amidst this cover. The terrain where you'll find mule deer ranges from dry, high-desert foothills to the rugged, mountainous, alpine zone. Elk are found in other areas, but most are located within a few miles of these prime locations. 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. Wyoming likely is the first state that comes to mind when hunters think of pronghorn hunting. Hunting the last week of October tends to be the best bet for the biggest bucks. Unlock the secrets of limited license lotteries and discover drawing and harvest trends to create a better hunt planning strategy. Rifle deer hunts are conducted throughout the two week controlled season. Hopefully this change will help increase the age class of the bucks in those units. A very tough spot indeed. Hours of looking at Google Earth do not come close to physically being there. Pheasant season spans the entire general rifle season for deer and elk. Theres thousands of people who have invested a lot of money in the point system. This country is big, rugged and nothing comes easy here, but the bucks here are by far the largest in the state, historically speaking. This is an action packed hunt during the rut. Its name is derived from having large ears that resemble that of a mule's. (Clickable areas may appear inaccurately on mobile devices) Show Maps Return to Montana Maps Download BLM Map Index Download Forest Service Map Index The 2021 state estimate was 293,950, which is down 34,363 from 2020. Dakota Walleye Classic Recap Lake Sakakawea is Stupid Healthy Right Now Best Cranks for Suspended Walleyes Still Loving the Scheels Tournament Bait Rod at 8.6, Sponsored by OutfitterLogic.com Hunting & Fishing Guide Website Design Winter Getting Long.first signs of spring Winnipeg walleyes Reverse Valentines Gifts for Men Are Custom Rods, The Prairie Skies of Bismarck, North Dakota (USA), Montana has 7 hunt districts that break down into smaller units in each district. 2022 MONTANA RIVERS AND RIDGES OUTFITTER LLC. 380 is a joke. Years of development and pushing the limits of what is possible in a rifle optic have led up to this moment. Based purely on the data and uncertainty going into this years Wyoming mule deer draw this list should probably be blank, however, that does not work well for readers so I will give you the best list possible with the information I have at this time. Historically, a hunter with some gumption has a legitimate chance at a 180 buck here and many bigger have been harvested. Montana Region 7 (made up of districts 700 to 705) in the southeast corner of the state, especially the southern parts of the region, wasnt as affected by the brutal winter of 201112 as other parts of the state and has good numbers of pronghorn in each district, Vore said. All Rights Reserved. This country is big, rugged and nothing comes easy here, but the bucks here are by far the largest in the state, historically speaking. If you are looking to harvest the buck of a lifetime, this is your unit and we are your outfitter. Skip B: Let the Flower Children howl. Mule deer are widely distributed throughout the region but most heavily concentrated in the Missouri Breaks and adjacent prairie habitat. The type 2s were crawling with other hunters and the quality of deer we saw on these properties was not what we were after. In 2021, three of the five total non-resident deer permits available in units 261-50 and 270-50 were drawn by non-resident landowners. These guides are somewhat confusing, so read them and get to know the area you plan on hunting. If you have max points (16) you have a 2% chance at drawing. Since we pride our hunters and offer great quality hunting guides, we are 100% fair chase. I think we also found that the squared bonus point system is not that effective because there are just too many applicants nowadays. BOOK YOUR 2022 MONTANA FLY FISHING TRIP TODAY! Area 130-1, The Big Sandy, late hunt is a true wildcard hunt with some very solid big buck potential. 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) Anyone have input on Idaho unit 59a for mule deer? The recommended hotel also has a restaurant. The bowhunting here can be very lucrative. 15% of the 45 permits are guaranteed to resident and nonresident landowners alike. Being able to hunt these deer during the rut with a rifle gives our clients and amazing edge to harvest a nice mature Mule deer buck. Copyright 2023 Eastmans' Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Guys TOP 5 Picks for Wyoming Mule Deer 2022. The good news is many Western states have huge mule deer herds and produce phenomenal bucks. The zone we hunted also had leftover antlerless tags available for $100 apiece. sitting, and still hunting can be effective, but the best way is to use a vehicle to cover as much country as possible in the mornings and evenings. Neither of us had ever hunted this area before or knew any landowners. 1. It's pretty easy to figure out which units offer the best trophy potential and have limited tags (and corresponding tough draw odds). The Region H hunt can be a very good hunt on the right year for really good bucks. Skip B: Let the Flower Children howl. Our first ranch was 15,000 acres and allowed 15 hunters per day. The Tag: Unit 44 Rifle Mule Deer. Mule deer and white-tailed deer are the most widely distributed and abundant big game mammals in Montana. This long window should offer the option of hunting the pre, peak and post rut. For example, in 2019 there were over 1400 applicants with zero points, and one person drew. For the most part, hunters should be prepared to hunt at least a mile from vehicle access, as elk usually keep a buffer of about that distance from motorized activity. amzn_assoc_asins = "B013D2ULO6"; Tag holders can expect to see 20+ quality bucks per day. This hunt takes fewer points to draw, mostly because of the larger tag quota (600) and the larger portion of wilderness (21%) inside this region. It takes some education but they got there and u see good deer in all those QDM areas. Area 128-1, 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. If you would like access to all of our research join today! Statistically, the most coveted deer permit in Montana is just outside Darby in the southernmost portion of the Bitterroot Valley. 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. A tough winter in 2016, followed by a drought that lasted more than a year and a half, cut that total by about 20,000 deer, but Utah still remains a top destination for mule deer hunters, according to Covy Jones, big-game coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Mule deer hunters should plan to go high in the mountains for the best opportunity at bigger bucks. Temperatures can be quite warm in September and early October, rendering elk inactive during the day, however, hunters seeking a varied experience find plenty to do at midday. There is a lot of private land, but there is plenty of Block Management and public land for anyone to have a good hunt. Drawing a long-awaited tagor lucking out with a lotto-like winin a coveted area can be the second biggest hunting thrill of the year for most hunters. Cross your fingers for big bucks and good opportunities for the future. Core habitat for elk in northeastern Montana is found adjacent to the Missouri River and tributary creeks. Eastmans Publishing, Inc. is a multimedia corporation whose roots are grounded in the ethics of fair chase hunting. Regions G and H are the most popular and talked about deer units in Wyoming; however, there are other good units as well. Lets all try to make the best of it. Box 357 Thanks to Toprut, I can better strategize my big game applications with access to detailed unit profile information, hunt quotas, draw odds, harvest info, and more. In Montana, unit 270 is considered one of the top trophy mule deer units in the state. Learn more about Montana Rivers & Ridges and get to know our guides! By having OnX we were able to find exactly where we could and couldnt be. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. We took a short trip at the end of October to do some scouting of where we planned to hunt and got familiar with the area we planned to be. Each fall, hunters from all over the country, and around the world, set their sights on the mountains, valleys, and wide-open spaces of the West in search of adventure, camaraderie, a world-class trophy, and the opportunity to fill the freezer with lean protein. 20. Guided elk hunts, with guaranteed tags on private land, are expensive; elk tags for public lands with limited access can be tough to draw; and competition from other hunters on public land with over-the-counter tags can be maddening, but elk hunting still is a passion that drives hunters from all over the country. Like Utah, Arizona is famous for producing record-book mule deer. The key indicators of a rebound are all lining up for the future on this hunt. As a result of last year's chronic wasting disease management hunt for white-tailed deer in southwest Montana, biologists observed a 50-percent reduction in white-tailed deer numbers in the Ruby watershed between Sheridan and Twin Bridges, where CWD prevalence was highest. Our Eastern Montana mule deer hunts are on exclusive and private Montana ranch land and hunting properties. It becomes part of that BMA. In some places their range overlaps with mule deer, in others they are mostly separate from their long-eared cousins. This hunt should take about five or six points to draw this year with a random draw of about 10% for those with less than five points. Rifle or Archery Elk hunting, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Black Bear, Moose, MT Lion Montana Guided Hunts. mtmuley Sep 25, 2013 #6 Today, antelope are a perennial favorite among big-game hunters who stalk the prairie speedsters on the open plains on both the north and south sides of the Mighty Mo. The northeastern portion of Montana west of Scobey has copious amounts of state land open to public hunting. If you have max points (16), you have 256 chances in the drawing. So youre probably wondering, how is it possible that zero nonresidents drew this tag in 2018? amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; This is with roughly 1000 nonresident applicants every year. March 24, 2020 An emerging opportunity for hunters in Region 2 is to hunt mule deer on private lands, where numbers generally are growing. 28-Oct-08. Book your next hunt in Wyoming with expert hunting guides at R & K Hunting today. Give a Gift Harvest is generally limited to 180" bucks and larger, but our goal for each client is to get a 190 . A type 1 BMA is walk-in access with sign up at designated entrances. They are the Henry Mountains, Antelope Island, the Alton CWMU and the Paunsaugunt. Montana Mule Deer Draw There are a handful of good limited-entry units, and most of them give a hunter a good hunt for an average buck. For example, fewer animals are found in the region around Fork Peck Dam as opposed to areas at the western end of the reservoir. And it has been increasing every year. Most all of the nonresident hunting is occurring on Federal Lands, National Forests, Bureau of Land Management, Federal Wilderness Areas and National Grasslands. Edward Wright: This was 20 years ago when coyotes in my home state hit epidemic proportions. We've Ranked All Mule Deer Hunting States by Entries Per Square Mile of Total Land Mass. Wyoming. Pretty bummed to read this. We decided to apply for deer only as we had done a combo tag 2 years prior on a bow hunt. The trophies are big. Get our No-BS newsletter to your email box around twice a month. Here is the pair we use. The application for antelope licenses is June 1. Kevin Steele, Publisher of Petersen's HUNTING talks with JJ Reich of HEVI-Shot about the new offerings for 2023. This hunt should take about five or six points to draw this year with a random draw of about 10% for those with less than five points. Hunt mule deer with Ike and Guy Eastman during an October snowstorm. A type 2 BMA has a limited number of hunters allowed on that property per day. Dan Pickar The landscape is big. The West side of the Bighorns is a mule deer producing factory on a good year. Area 78-1, The French Creek hunt was turned from a general hunt into a limited quota hunt about ten years ago and the hunt here seems to be getting better and better each year. Archery hunting is also conducted on a "draw-only" basis, but the odds are better. 28. These tags aren't easy to draw but it's worth the wait. Introducing the Veracity PH from Burris, the perfect combination of reliability, quality, and technology delivering a simple aiming solutiona tool for the hunter that just works. Unit 22. WTF!! She said it currently takes six preference points to be guaranteed a pronghorn tag in the draw in Area 73 but added the state allots 25 percent of the total quota in each area to a random drawing of all applicants who chose the area as their first choice. Historically, the bucks are actually larger in this region than they are in Region G, however they are harder to get to and there are less of them. Alcazar recommended units 7 and 8 in the north-central part of the state, near the Wyoming border, for hunters looking for areas with lots of public land and good potential for trophies. For nonresidents the statistics are even worse. 14,019 Views. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Region H, This general hunt region consists of a big, rugged region adjacent to the famed Region G area we spoke about above. This hunt unit sits smack dab in the middle of the famed Carbon County, one of the best trophy producing buck counties in the entire country, and this area sits in the best big buck country in the second best big buck county in the state, what more could you ask for? Mule Deer The Bitterroot Valley has long been known as the best place to take a trophy buck, and it is no secret as the draw odds have been horrible for units 261, 262, and 270. We publish book and magazines, along with producing videos, DVDs, and TV programs. One change that took place for 2022 is a handful of mule deer units that used to be unlimited went to general. Mike Ornoski has bowhunted in Arizona for more than 35 years. Hard-charging hunters, however, can take to the Missouri Breaks, hiking for miles in wild country in search of a trophy buck. Hunt those areas during archery season. Each year we see and possibly harvest bucks that score 190+ B&C including some that score over 200 B&C inches. Public land is not a problem here. 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. Mule Deer- Limited Entry Units 87 & 89 - Worldwide Trophy Adventures. Please call us to match you up with the best hunt to fit your specific needs and budget! Antlered: A deer with an antler or antlers at least 3 inches in length. 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. Colorado is king of the mule deer, and Eagle County is the king of Colorado mule deer. Much of this acreage is leased for crops, making it excellent habitat for whitetails. Because nonresidents are in the same pool, there are 8,543 applicants in the total pool. This hunt is one of only two limited quota hunts inside the Region G zone where 15 lucky applicants will hunt for big rut staged high country deer during the final two weeks of the month of October. Mule Deer All Petersen's Hunting subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. He had two suggestions for hunters who approach drawing an elk tag in different ways in the state. Best States to Hunt Mule Deer June 9, 2022 onX Indigenous to western North America, mule deer are found west of the 100th meridian from 23 degrees to 60 degrees N. Much larger than whitetail deer, a buck mule deer can weigh between 130 and 280 pounds. This hunt should take 12 to 14 points to draw this year. 406-342-5475 tlp@rangeweb.net . Learn how your comment data is processed. Montana. They also tend to offer less public hunting ground. After months of kicking the idea around exactly what we would do, the real planning started in early March as applications are due March 15th for deer, elk and deer/elk combination tags. 2 Hunters - 1 Guide. Credit: Photo Courtesy Missouri River Country. On the south side of the reservoir, whitetails are found along the Musselshell River as it meanders toward the Missouri. The best thing about Montana Whitetails is that Keith and Bob are bowhunters and understand the quarry and the strategy to harvest big bucks. We shootbrownelk: Big fines, mandatory jail time and loss of licenses. That's why oftentimes, the all-time records list you see aren't the most accurate depictions of where big deer are truly . With a mild winter and wet spring, I really think there could be some gems in these hills for those who hunt hard this fall. My best MT bucks came from heavily timbered units that have limited glassing opportunities. $5,900/Hunter. This is a very limited, late season hunt with hunt dates during most of the month of November. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. I lost count at 450 phone call attempts to register the morning the 2 we really wanted became available. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit"; Restrict a few more units to QDM, that is make a few units similar to how the Boyz East of the Mississippi did it, they know what a mature whitetail is and dont shoot 2 year olds. My advice is to pick a unit near where you will live, and learn it. Being small in size, they are easy to hunt. amzn_assoc_linkid = "3d18066eea5f32622cb88644951f608f"; This can make finding a trophy buck something difficult to do on public land. The adventure is big. 5 Comments Thx Guy, The key indicators of a rebound are all lining up for the future on this hunt. Colorado unit 57, which includes areas 57, 58, and 581 northwest of Canon City, produces quality pronghorn bucks, Alcazar said. Warm weather was more to blame than anything else; however, this could point to a potential bumper crop of sorts for mature bucks this year. The more popular areas for whitetail are along the river systems and large agricultural areas throughout the eastern part of the state. 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. Give my best to your Dad, Be well my friend John McGannon WildEats, Isnt the 90/10 split for the trophy species onlygoat, sheep, bear ect? 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. READY TO GO ON YOUR EASTERN MONTANA MULE DEER HUNT? Clark "Bart" Bartkowski's mule deer hunt of a lifetime happened this year after drawing one of the coveted mule deer permits for the East Fork of the Bitterroot. Its late July and Im either on a boat or in my office and the expectation of the ever-familiar chime of a new email notification goes off on my phone. This is an action packed hunt during the rut. In western areas, mule deer hunting has always been fun. Read on to discover some of the best units and areas to consider when applying for elk, mule deer, or pronghorn tags out West. DESIGNED BY. 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. Over the past years we have taken many trophy deer with both a gun and bow. Our guided mule deer hunts offer the highest opportunity for a trophy you can display with pride. This hunt is very accessible and roaded with lots of open hillsides and meadows to glass up bucks feeding on the edges. Archery and muzzleloader tags in those units will require fewer points.. 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. Hunter success here has drifted steadily up over the past five years and now nearly reaches about 70% on the best years. In Montana, Region 3 in the southwest corner of the state covers nearly 12 million acres, more than half of which is public land managed by the BLM or Forest Service. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; 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. So overall, the Montana mule deer population is up 36.9% the past seven years. 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. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park's website has a fairly easy " HUNT PLANNER " section that can guide applicants through finding zones and units best suited for their type of hunt as well as draw statistics.