We chose Montana for a few different reasons, none of which could be overshadowed by the convenience of having their lottery run by mid-April. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Montana. This year we would have limited time and left the idea of the Elk/Combo out of the equation. This hunt has been getting better and better each year and now seems to be producing some very consistent results as of the late. 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. For some hunters, pursuing elk, mule deer, and pronghorn in the western United States is a future dream; for others its a yearly routine. amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; is the caliber that currently holds one of the long range distance records for . 5 Best States for Mule Deer Hunting. Neither of us had ever hunted this area before or knew any landowners. If you have any questions about the general deer hunting opportunities or outfitters in Montana, give us a call. Type 1 BMAs are far simpler and require each hunter to fill out an access permission slip at a designated parking area. Each party can sign up for, at most, 3 consecutive days of hunting on that property. That is 16,660 above the 2020 population estimate and slightly above the 10-year average of 202,033. Subscriber Services. I looked at those stats a few years ago and resident landowners were drawing one of those coveted tags every three years on average. 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. Kevin Steele of Petersen's HUNTING is with Dawn Wehunt of Rock River Arms INC. learning about the new Ascendant platform. 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? Hours of looking at Google Earth do not come close to physically being there. 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. 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. If you have zero points you have a .004% chance of drawing a tag. This would be a great opportunity to bring youth out on a hunt for a reasonable price. ELK HUNTS; . 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. So overall, the Montana mule deer population is up 36.9% the past seven years. Located outside of Laramie this hunt is a bit rough, but nothing like the rugged hunts in the northwest portion of the state. 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. 6 Best Hunting Habitats in Wyoming - The R&K Hunting Company This hunt area is the other limited quota hunt unit inside the general Region G area. If the weather hits just right this hunt can produce some very big bucks held up in the sagebrush waiting for the rut to begin. Although the region is not heralded as a trophy destination for pronghorn, lucky hunters may encounter outsized bucks. Kevin Steele of Petersen's HUNTING is at the Streamlight booth at SHOT Show 2023 to go over the Bear Trap light from Streamlight. Best Montana . Go on more hunts with better information! Applicants with 10 and 12 points also drew four tags respectively. 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). If you have two points, that gives you four chances in the drawing. The Region H hunt can be a very good hunt on the right year for really good bucks. Using this strategy . Elk are found in other areas, but most are located within a few miles of these prime locations. The prairie deer hunts consist of four four-day seasons, which take place Wednesdays through Saturdays in November. It can take six or more points to draw a tag for the rifle season, but the area offers abundant public land, including BLM, state wildlife areas, and National Forest Service property. We've Ranked All Mule Deer Hunting States by Entries Per Square Mile of Total Land Mass. You cannot access without being signed up for that specific BMA. 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. Our hunts take place from open country on the high plains east of the Rockies, to the steep, rugged mountains of the Greys River. The area consistently produces exceptional trophy mule deer, which are the priority on this hunt. 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? Long season dates and hunting deer in the rut will always make for a fun hunt, but dont expect to see many mature mule deer bucks on the landscape in the general units. Montana's Best Hidden Gem for Elk and Deer Hunting 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. Read on to discover some of the best units and areas to consider when applying for elk, mule deer, or pronghorn tags out West. Each year we see and possibly harvest bucks that score 190+ B&C including some that score over 200 B&C inches. Silver Spur Outfitters 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. This has been considered the holy grail of mule deer permits in the Big Sky State for the past couple decades. 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. And every other year at least one or two of the four tags go to landowners. 5 Best States for Mule Deer Hunting | MeatEater Hunting 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. The largest antelope the author has seen taken by a hunter was downed a couple miles north of Fort Peck Reservoir. 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. Unit 22 is open for archery hunting late August to mid September and then December through the end of January. Beginners usually hunt mule deer after some guidance before going for any . Also, having a SOLID pair of binoculars is very important for finding mule deer. Using the OnX off-grid mode I was able to mount my I-pad on my dash and keep my GPS location up to speed in real-time. 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. 7 Comments 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. Colorado is widely regarded as the nation's top mule deer destination. This hunt area is the other limited quota hunt unit inside the general Region G area. That Is The Question, Montana Region 7 Deer Populations Cut In Half, Hunting Big Bucks Deer Hunt with Ike and Guy Eastman, Wyoming Passes 90/10: The Worst Article Youll Read This Year, More Costs Headed Your Way in Wyoming-Maybe. There are few secrets on premium LE units. Thx Guy, We ended up hunting the type 1 BMAs for 6 of the 7 days hunted. The Milk joins the Missouri just below Fort Peck Dam. My partner got through and signed us up for a 2nd one giving us only 1 day on that particular ranch. The Most Coveted Deer Permit in Montana that You Will Never Draw 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%. Our magazine, which is available in print and online,has everything in one location -application info, draw details and odds, fees, hunter requirements, point structure, age restrictions, youth information, weapon restrictions, other tag opportunities, hunt planning, and much more. This county should have its own chapter in the record books with over 100 B&C entries for mule deer. Few places in the hunting world command the attention of mule deer enthusiasts like Eagle County, Colorado. With absolutely no doubt in my mind I can honestly say that Wyomings mule deer are currently at the absolute lowest point in my nearly 30-year career in this business. Deer move throughout the day, typically to change beds as the shade transitions. Its often reported the state is home to more pronghorn than people in a good weather year. Get unlimited access to over ten years of historical drawing and harvest data for over 1,700+ hunt units. Wyoming's Top Deer and Antelope Units - MonsterMuleys.com We shootbrownelk: Big fines, mandatory jail time and loss of licenses. Wyomings Elk Area 7, south of Casper, is a large unit with lots of elk and is about half public land. A fine hunter in his own right, Guy has taken several trophy animals and has become an expert in trophy hunting as well. 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. Our Eastern Montana mule deer hunts are on exclusive and private Montana ranch land and hunting properties. This hunt must be done with a group of three hunters. This hunt can be had with only about six or seven points. | , I (Montana resident), drew this tag this year and was wondering how the hunt went for you. 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. Our Best Mule Deer Hunts Hunting big mule deer bucks in the rut is a great hunt to consider. Learn how your comment data is processed. This country is big, rugged and nothing comes easy here, but the bucks here are by far the largest in the state, historically speaking. In western areas, mule deer hunting has always been fun. However the Task Force is heading down the 90/10 for all species. Montana Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting As you can imagine 270-50 has the highest number of landowner applicants for any deer permit and by far the highest for nonresidents. Toprut allows me to find the tags and hunts that others miss or overlook. The permit is known as 270-50. The key indicators of a rebound are all lining up for the future on this hunt. Bummer for sure, Thanks Guy, Hope all is well with you and the family. The outstanding success rates and superb trophy quality keep this hunt in high demand. Why do they get this fantastic benefit too?!?!? As mentioned previously, New Mexico is home to world-class pronghorn hunting. Pheasant season spans the entire general rifle season for deer and elk. Our Best Mule Deer Hunts | Montana Hunting Outfitter My advice is to pick a unit near where you will live, and learn it. As a general rule, elk density also increases from east to west. The archery season runs September 3-October 16, most rifle seasons run October 22-November 27, and the muzzleloader season runs December 10-18. John Vore, game-management bureau chief for the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks department, reported some hunters tag huge mule deer bucks using boats to access the Missouri River Breaks area where the river separates regions 4 and 7 in the state. This is just another example. Its name is derived from having large ears that resemble that of a mule's. The Top States for Record Mule Deer in the Last 10 Years The permit is known as 270-50. 3. - Dan Alleman D.D.S., Camphill, PA. 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. 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.". Pronghorn tags in both states can be very difficult to draw. A good friend with the same luck in the lottery as me decided we were tired of waiting, we need to go hunting. This hunt is generally booked after the hunter has secured a permit. Arizona, Coconino County128 pronghorn in B&C records 12. At Silver Spur Outfitters, we have many years of experience and have been in business since 1993. Montana New Mexico, Rio Arriba County113 typical mule deer in B&C records 15. 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. Be ready to glass all day. The application for antelope licenses is June 1. 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. . A very tough spot indeed. The unit is overrun with hunters. Since we pride our hunters and offer great quality hunting guides, we are 100% fair chase. If you are a regular nonresident this means you are in the pool of 8,543 applicants for four tags. He had two suggestions for hunters who approach drawing an elk tag in different ways in the state. 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 2021 state estimate was 293,950, which is down 34,363 from 2020. Habitat stamps cost $10.00 and you must have one to hunt anything in Colorado. Elk Hunting, Deer, Bear, MT Lion Montana Guided Hunts Registration for each BMA is different. 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. Hobo Hilton. 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. We decided to apply for deer only as we had done a combo tag 2 years prior on a bow hunt. Best States to Hunt Mule Deer | onX Hunt A Muley Doe decoy is a must in Unit 76.The situation in Unit 76 is representative of several OTC mule deer units in Idaho. 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 northeastern portion of the state has the highest number of pronghorn and provides an opportunity to see a large number of animals during the hunt, while still providing an opportunity at a trophy buck. The zone we hunted also had leftover antlerless tags available for $100 apiece. 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. The average harvest fell from 3,000 to 500 in . All Petersen's Hunting subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. I fully expect 10 preference points to be a requirement to hunt here with 100% surety. Best in the West: Coveted Hunting Tags for Western States | onX Since the draw odds are slim for this area we cant book a hunt for this unit specifically. I was able to download 10-mile by 10-mile maps of our hunt area knowing we would be out of cell coverage. $5,900/Hunter. This is done by a scorecard placed in a dropbox on the location of each BMA. WTF!! This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. 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 up-and-coming units in Arizona are 6A, 8, and 5BS.. 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. All Petersen's Hunting subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. 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. Kevin Steele from Petersen's HUNTING speaks to Jordan Egli of Burris Optics about the all-new Veracity PH Riflescope. I would not go back without it! Western Hunt Co. Post-season 2019 counts in the Pioneer Mountains elk . The Top Mule Deer Hunts and Facts to Know in Colorado. 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. The type 2s were crawling with other hunters and the quality of deer we saw on these properties was not what we were after. Over the last 25+ years, this trip has proven to be a favorite for WTA clients. Best Montana Moose Hunts 2020 Galleries. So that is 7 permits skimmed off the top immediately for residents. The winter was very mild on these deer and the buck to doe ratio is very, very good right now. The deadline for nonresident applications for archery and rifle elk licenses is March 15. Kali Parmley of Gun Dog Magazine talks to George Thompson from Benelli USA about the new features from the Benelli line in 2023. Needless to say, hunting mule deer in Wyoming in its current capacity is going to probably be less than ideal. 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. Historically, a hunter with some gumption has a legitimate chance at a 180 buck here and many bigger have been harvested. This is a very solid hunt in my opinion for the meager three or four point spend. Due to this fact, many of those folks hunting elk shot mule deer, as well. Hunt of a lifetime: Best mule deer districts work of - Missoulian Hunters need to realize that . ARIZONA'S BEST OVER-THE-COUNTER MULE DEER UNITS - Montana Decoy Wyoming Residents hate Nonresident hunters when they are hunting in Wyoming, these Nonresidents are the source of all the problems with landowner issues, Poaching, poor herd populations and the like But boy do Wyoming People love Nonresidents when they are fighting next to their sons and daughters in the mountains of Afghanistan and when that Minnesota Mayo Clinic Surgeon saves their fathers life because no Doctor in Wyoming has the skill set to do the operation. Snow cover is more likely at this time, making deer more visible.