For those interested in doubling up their hunting pursuits, most of the good whitetail habitat in Missouri River Country also harbors healthy populations of pheasants. Wyoming likely is the first state that comes to mind when hunters think of pronghorn hunting. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit"; As mentioned previously, New Mexico is home to world-class pronghorn hunting. The up-and-coming units in Arizona are 6A, 8, and 5BS.. Yikes! Montana FWP releases 2021 Big Game Hunting Forecast Given the size and range of the mule deer in our area, using horses and mules is a must to cover ground and access the best habitats. Colorado Mule Deer Hunting License fee structure is as follows: DEER Resident adult: $39.75 Resident youth: $15.50 Nonresident adult/fishing combo*: $396.75 Nonresident youth/fishing combo*: $101.50 One final fee is your annual habitat stamp. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website has a fairly easy . They are the Henry Mountains, Antelope Island, the Alton CWMU and the Paunsaugunt. Our hunts take place from open country on the high plains east of the Rockies, to the steep, rugged mountains of the Greys River. Archery season runs in September and most rifle seasons occur during October, with some exceptions. Whitetail deer are also common in the cottonwood studded riparian areas along the river. I ended up filling my tag with my biggest Mule Deer to date on our 2nd day. The .300 Remington Ultra Mag. The breakdown of whitetail per region is as follows: region 1 with 69,094; region 2 with 37,747; region 3 with 23,745; region 4 with 32,657; region 5 with 14,917; region 6 with 14,311; and region 7 with 20,343. Montana Mule Deer Hunts | Montana Deer Hunting - Swan Mountain Outfitters A lot of hunters only hunt or glass in the early mornings and evenings. 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. Subscriber Services. (Clickable areas may appear inaccurately on mobile devices) Show Maps Return to Montana Maps Download BLM Map Index Download Forest Service Map Index Colorado is king of the mule deer, and Eagle County is the king of Colorado mule deer. We publish book and magazines, along with producing videos, DVDs, and TV programs. Region G, The first to die off and probably the first to rebound, or at least we hope. New Mexico, Socorro County117 pronghorn in B&C records 13. Although the region is not heralded as a trophy destination for pronghorn, lucky hunters may encounter outsized bucks. Arizona, Coconino County128 pronghorn in B&C records 12. The answer is landowners. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "bennordquist-20"; Each of these units is worth the wait and gives the hunter an amazing opportunity at Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett bulls, he said. Montana has a lot of country and lot of mule deer. Idaho runs a close second to Colorado when it comes to mule deer hunting. The Bitterroot Valley in Montana is known for and home to some of the State's Best Mule Deer Hunting! Utah has six limited-entry units where trophy quality can be amazing, and a bonus-points system is used, rather than preference points, meaning half the tags in each unit are given to the top points holders and half are awarded in a random draw. Max points are a must to apply for this hunt. Montana's historical mule deer population and harvest breakdown - goHUNT The Top Mule Deer Hunts and Facts to Know in Colorado. If it borders the BMA it becomes part of the BMA. Kevin Steele of Petersen's HUNTING is at the Streamlight booth at SHOT Show 2023 to go over the Bear Trap light from Streamlight. 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. This county should have its own chapter in the record books with over 100 B&C entries for mule deer. Then you have the, Colorado Corner Crossing Here We Go Again, 10 Most Common Big Game Violations Part 8 Hunter Trespassing, To Feed Or Not To Feed. 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. 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." That is 16,660 above the 2020 population estimate and slightly above the 10-year average of 202,033. Jones said the famous Paunsaugunt unit on the southern border with Arizona and the Fillmore/Oak Creek and Vernon units, both in the central part of the state, all produced incredible bucks for hunters in 2018. Lewis and Clark noted the presence of huge herds of antelope mingled with the bison, elk and deer they saw along the Missouri River. I looked at those stats a few years ago and resident landowners were drawing one of those coveted tags every three years on average. Elk thrive amidst this cover. I know that is a lot of doom and gloom for area 270 especially if you are a nonresident. 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. Learn more about Montana Rivers & Ridges and get to know our guides! 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. This hunt can be had with only about six or seven points. For some hunters, pursuing elk, mule deer, and pronghorn in the western United States is a future dream; for others its a yearly routine. From applying for tags early in the year, to buying, preparing, and organizing new gear through the summer, to the trip, long or short, to the hunting grounds, to the excitement that makes it almost impossible to sleep the night before opening day, the anticipation of the hunt can be almost as enjoyable as the hunt itself. 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. Hey Chopperz, as of right now it has only become law for the Big 5. Kevin Steele, Publisher of Petersen's HUNTING talks with JJ Reich of HEVI-Shot about the new offerings for 2023. 262-00-B: F ANY G 100% 0 ArchEquip, shotgun . This area is mountainous and does contain about 25% wilderness at the very top of the unit. Unlike our other hunts, we dont provide lodging and meals. Skip B: Let the Flower Children howl. MONTANA: 2020 big game hunting forecast - fairfieldsuntimes.com We cover Units 240, 250, 261, 262, and 270 for Mule Deer Draw Tag Hunters! However, there are no guarantees a nonresident will even get a tag. The Interstate Commerce Clause, The Fairness Doctrine in the Constitution and other legal concepts can all be looked at again and Court Rulings Reversed. Over the last three years, all non-resident permits were drawn by non-resident landowners in unit 261, and 7 out of 12 tags for unit 270 were drawn by non-resident landowners. 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. Nevada, Washoe County114 pronghorn in B&C records 14. With the versatility to guide you on a Western Montana elk hunt, a spring bear hunt or an Eastern Montana trophy mule deer hunt. Registration for each BMA is different. Mule deer can also be found on more open prairie and agricultural areas, especially in places offering patches of bedding cover. 2. 20. Lodging, groceries and other services are found in towns such as Glasgow and Malta. You cannot access without being signed up for that specific BMA. Kevin Steele from Petersen's HUNTING speaks to Jordan Egli of Burris Optics about the all-new Veracity PH Riflescope. Eastern Montana Mule Deer Hunts | Montana Rivers & Ridges Both state and federally managed public lands sprawl across thousands upon thousands of acres of prime habitat. ELK HUNTS; . Our Memberships Include The Most Accurate Draw Odds Available, Join Now! Again, pay close attention to the regulations to make sure you are properly licensed to hunt mule deer. The deer in Unit 76 are extremely call shy - due to hunting pressure and predation - but this has made them more visual creatures. Max points will be required for a chance at this hunt and nearly every hunter (89%) on this hunt walks away with a buck by the end of the season. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. Each hunter must also sign out upon completion of their hunt. 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. The guys are , Bow hunt public land mule deer with Brian Barney on this episode of Beyond the , Darby is beautiful we stayed there right before all this Corona virus shut us all down but I dont think I would waste my time applying for such a limited hunt with such bad odds there has to be some better sleeper units if you do your research. We have an extremely limited number of very high-demand mule deer tags available for hunters during the January rut. 12,440 Views. The bowhunting here can be very lucrative. The hunting season for these species coincides with the archery season for big game. Years of development and pushing the limits of what is possible in a rifle optic have led up to this moment. They open up for call-in registration at different times. This is a very solid hunt in my opinion for the meager three or four point spend. Post-season 2019 counts in the Pioneer Mountains elk . Please call us to match you up with the best hunt to fit your specific needs and budget! Elk, mule deer, and pronghorn are three iconic species among the big-game animals hunters pursue throughout the western United States. 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. Almost feels like a time share that well never get to use. Statistically, the most coveted deer permit in Montana is just outside Darby in the southernmost portion of the Bitterroot Valley. An objective level that was recently adjusted downward possibly in an effort to make the situation look not quite so bad. My wife and I are finally entering a drawing for a mule deer hunt in Montana. 16 years worth of buying points all for 1.5% better odds than someone with zero points. We ended up hunting the type 1 BMAs for 6 of the 7 days hunted. Me and my buddies have ben putting in for that tag for 15-plus years and still havent drawn. 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. These guides are somewhat confusing, so read them and get to know the area you plan on hunting. 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. A very tough spot indeed. Draw units will typically take a number of years and points to draw a tag and have more trophy class deer. Beginners usually hunt mule deer after some guidance before going for any . Needless to say, hunting mule deer in Wyoming in its current capacity is going to probably be less than ideal. Theres good news and bad news for hunters who want to pursue mule deer in the west, however. 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. Montana's 2022 mule deer breakdown 2021 was a fairly quiet season in Montana with very few notable bucks being taken. The Milk joins the Missouri just below Fort Peck Dam. Eastmans Publishing, Inc. is a multimedia corporation whose roots are grounded in the ethics of fair chase hunting. A type 1 BMA is walk-in access with sign up at designated entrances. Whitetail deer are also native to Missouri River Country. Each party can sign up for, at most, 3 consecutive days of hunting on that property. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks 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. So overall, the Montana mule deer population is up 36.9% the past seven years. Kevin Steele from Petersen's HUNTING speaks to Jordan Egli of Burris Optics about the all-new Veracity PH Riflescope. Although the numbers are down here from the objective by about 25%, the big buck potential here should be very, very good this year. Montana OutWest Outfitters The biggest typical mule deer shot in Montana last year came from 270 and the unit produces 160-inch bucks for hunters who are patient and hunt the higher clearings and meadows. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; 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. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; 1579 N Main Street Ste 100 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. Tag holders can expect to see 20+ quality bucks per day. Guided Montana hunting in the Missouri Breaks, Bull Mountains and Snowy Colorado. 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 Looking at maps sent to us by the state we found what looked to be really large areas of BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) that were accessible by vehicle. The average harvest fell from 3,000 to 500 in . All Rights Reserved. If you are a regular nonresident this means you are in the pool of 8,543 applicants for four tags. Unit 102 has been a desirable hunter destination for trophy mule deer in Wyoming over the past two decades. Using this strategy . The winter was very mild on these deer and the buck to doe ratio is very, very good right now. Montana mule deer herds are showing a small improvement in quality, but herds are stable to declining in most areas of the state. Archery: Sept. 2 - Oct. 15 Youth, deer only: Oct. 19 - Oct. 20 General: Oct. 21 - Nov. 26 Shoulder seasons: Aug. 15 - Feb. 15, varying dates before and/or after the archery and general seasons Muzzleloader: Dec. 9 - 17 This is an action packed hunt during the rut. This showed us what private, BLM, BMA and State lands were. Eastmans Publishing, Inc. is a holding company engaged in publishing. Located outside of Laramie this hunt is a bit rough, but nothing like the rugged hunts in the northwest portion of the state. 380 is a joke. 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. Hopefully this change will help increase the age class of the bucks in those units. . 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. I fully expect 10 preference points to be a requirement to hunt here with 100% surety. Statewide, mule deer populations in Montana during there 2018 season were hovering around 334,965, which is down 13.23% from a peak in 2017, but still vastly higher than the low in 2012 of 211,361. The rifle season dates allow hunters to hunt the rut. Holders may not hunt Antlered Buck Mule Deer in any other HD. 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. Table Mountain Outfitters provides many private leases, which allow you the best opportunity to harvest a trophy animal without the pressure from other deer hunters. Colorado unit 57, which includes areas 57, 58, and 581 northwest of Canon City, produces quality pronghorn bucks, Alcazar said. Pretty bummed to read this. 5. Sand Hill country GMUs 31, 32, and 33 in the southeast corner of the state also are capable of producing B&C bucks. My best MT bucks came from heavily timbered units that have limited glassing opportunities. Access is getting harder to come by as many landowners in the area have grown tired of being asked for permission to hunt their land. 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. Idaho. The Courts can and do go back and modify rulings from the bench when situations change. 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. 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. That buck displaced two former world-record bucks, both from Arizona, that were tied at the top spot with scores of 95 B&C points. Kali Parmley of Gun Dog Magazine talks to George Thompson from Benelli USA about the new features from the Benelli line in 2023. Book your next hunt in Wyoming with expert hunting guides at R & K Hunting today. The Big Sandy, late hunt is a true wildcard hunt with some very solid big buck potential. So unfair and biased. Much of Montana is unposted even where public access lies. At Silver Spur Outfitters, we have many years of experience and have been in business since 1993. Our 2nd ranch sign in trailer ended up approximately 30 miles from the ranch and in the opposite direction of where we had lodged. The key indicators of a rebound are all lining up for the future on this hunt. 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. Why do they get this fantastic benefit too?!?!? Each year we see and possibly harvest bucks that score 190+ B&C including some that score over 200 B&C inches. The 2021 mule deer population estimate is the lowest since 2014. Adamc55; Dec 2, 2022; Sniper's Hide Fieldcraft ; Replies 10 Views 236. 406-342-5475 tlp@rangeweb.net . Best Montana Mule Deer Hunts 2020 Galleries. Guy Eastman, Editor-In-Chief 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. Dec 2, 2022. 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. If you have two points, that gives you four chances in the drawing. Since the draw odds are slim for this area we cant book a hunt for this unit specifically. This hunt is generally booked after the hunter has secured a permit. 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. 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. This long window should offer the option of hunting the pre, peak and post rut. There are a handful of good limited-entry units, and most of them give a hunter a good hunt for an average buck. Get up above the ATV trails and leave the mule deer call in the pack. Some of the biggest bull elk in Montana call the Breaks home. I think it might be time for a class action law suit against the State of Wyoming on tag allocation. This is an extremely hard tag to draw with sheep like draw odds. Due to the fact that we are not providing lodging or meals, this is a lower budget hunt, but NOT a lower budget hunting experience! Resident applicants for this permit are increasing 300-1000 per year proving that the popularity hasnt waned. This country is big, rugged and nothing comes easy here, but the bucks here are by far the largest in the state, historically speaking. 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. Copyright 2023 Eastmans' Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Guys TOP 5 Picks for Wyoming Mule Deer 2022. Western Hunt Co. Unit 22. Guy's TOP 5 Picks for Wyoming Mule Deer 2022 . Colorado is widely regarded as the nation's top mule deer destination. We shootbrownelk: Big fines, mandatory jail time and loss of licenses. 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. With that said, I hope these choices help you out and this year is what it is. Muleys can be spotted from roads (very early morning is the best time to glass) and stalked, offering a relatively easy hunt.