Bridger mule deer

[Brad W]

Don’t wait till the end of the season to get serious. If there is a big buck around he may be chasing does around the neighborhoods on the west side by Thanksgiving.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Why don't you just go shoot that buck off of Baseline Rd and quit fkn around. Don't over think it.

 

[Stone_Ice_1]

Saw a monster, possibly the biggest mule deer I have ever seen in Montana during the summer of 2004 just at the base of the mountains on the west side. In 2007, I was super excited because I drew the tag the first year I applied there. Ended up shooting just your typical 4 point mule deer the weekend before Thanksgiving. 2007 was a terrible year in the Bridgers, the harvest statistics reflect that as many tag holders struggled to find a 4 point. I hunted hard (both boots were laced up really tight) in both Archery and rifle season and never saw a big one. Saw one decent (he might of been 150 but just guessing) the first week of rifle and that was it. I passed him up and a buddy with me that day said I would regret it. I never regretted it as he wasn't a big one. Saw lots of bucks, just nothing big. My buddies did see a guy dragging out a good nontypical (not huge) opening weekend of rifle in the area I was hunting but I didn't see it. Haven't hunted it at all since then as I finished grad school and had better hunting options.

 

[Spedray]

I am not regretting the opportunity to finally hunt this area for deer. Been wanting to give it a go for a long time. Probably should of waited with all the points I had for a better area but I am not getting any younger and those mountains can get pretty steep. I usually get out every weekend after labor day. It will be nice not putting on all the miles and time hunting through out the state. Going to give it all I got. My hunting partner will spend every weekend in August scouting. I have been in every access point before so not going in totally blind. Unfortunately my summer is booked for the rest of the summer but after opening weekend you will know where to find me. Thanks for the words of wisdom.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Our office native montanan swears there's giants out there, he's seen 'em! He says that about everything and everywhere in MT. The dude couldn't find a fault in his home state if his life depended on it.

Wow.. I wasn’t expecting that from ya. Thanks pal

 

[Flatbrimmer]

 

[kwyeewyk]

Wow.. I wasn’t expecting that from ya. Thanks pal

Dude, pretty sure he's actually talking about a guy in his office, at least that's what I read. Are you a Montana native?

 

[Irrelevant]

Wow.. I wasn’t expecting that from ya. Thanks pal

What are you talking about?

 

[Luke_with_a_lab]

In all honesty I've seen more deer in that unit down in peoples yards than up in the mountains. Being that you already have the tag I really don't think its worth wasting the time up in the FS, just door knock until you can get permission on someone's small parcel. Put a blind up on the edge of someone's alfalfa field and arrow the sucker when he comes out for dinner. Just my 2 cents

 

[The Hedgehog]

I am not regretting the opportunity to finally hunt this area for deer. Been wanting to give it a go for a long time. Probably should have waited with all the points I had for a better area but I am not getting any younger and those mountains can get pretty steep. I usually get out every weekend after labor day. It will be nice not putting on all the miles and time hunting through out the state. Going to give it all I got. My hunting partner will spend every weekend in August scouting. I have been in every access point before so not going in totally blind. Unfortunately my summer is booked for the rest of the summer but after opening weekend you will know where to find me. Thanks for the words of wisdom.

Like the enthusiasm - hoping your expectations aren’t high for a big old buck, and more about the hunt in the area. Good luck.

 

[Spedray]

In all honesty I've seen more deer in that unit down in peoples yards than up in the mountains. Being that you already have the tag I really don't think its worth wasting the time up in the FS, just door knock until you can get permission on someone's small parcel. Put a blind up on the edge of someone's alfalfa field and arrow the sucker when he comes out for dinner. Just my 2 cents

Not my style, I know of areas I could make this happen. I want a back country type hunt. It might not boil down to that but that is what I am going gunning for. Lots of time and to make this into what I want it to be. Hopefully I can make it worthwhile.

 

[YoungGun]

As most have said- Springhill seems to be the place everyone sees the older deer, regardless of time of year. That said, my coworker dug a pretty decent buck out of the mountain late in 2020. You never know what could show up- the genetic is here in the state, but until people want to acknowledge that our deer management sucks, we'll be left with sub-par limited entry units and barren general units.

Best of luck and look out for Yoga bae with her Cali plated Audi and her dog "Bridger" on every trail.

 

[Spedray]

As most have said- Springhill seems to be the place everyone sees the older deer, regardless of time of year. That said, my coworker dug a pretty decent buck out of the mountain late in 2020. You never know what could show up- the genetic is here in the state, but until people want to acknowledge that our deer management sucks, we'll be left with sub-par limited entry units and barren general units.

Best of luck and look out for Yoga bae with her Cali plated Audi and her dog "Bridger" on every trail.


View attachment 284600View attachment 284601

That’s the type I am looking for. Not a monster but a good buck with some small trash, mass and decent width. I would be happy to find something similar. Kind of looks like a buck I saw in 2020, the last time I was in there around thanksgiving. Found a couple good spots up high that look promising. Can’t wait for September to roll around. I know the wife will be happy I am not running 2 1/2 hours every week to go hunt my normal spots!

 

[tops911]

I am rather shocked at the lack of mule deer in Montana. I live in the south west part and it looks to be perfect mulie habitat and I rarely see any bucks and very few does.

 

[mtmuley]

I am rather shocked at the lack of mule deer in Montana. I live in the south west part and it looks to be perfect mulie habitat and I rarely see any bucks and very few does.

Search function. You will read for hours. mtmuley

 

[The Hedgehog]

That’s the type I am looking for. Not a monster but a good buck with some small trash, mass and decent width. I would be happy to find something similar. Kind of looks like a buck I saw in 2020, the last time I was in there around thanksgiving. Found a couple good spots up high that look promising. Can’t wait for September to roll around. I know the wife will be happy I am not running 2 1/2 hours every week to go hunt my normal spots!

That’s the kind of buck you’re looking for?

Good luck with that.

 

[The Hedgehog]

I’ve been talking with a friend who has a mtn goat permit in Bridgers. My opinions are polar opposite of the mule deer.

It’s like do you shoot an all-time B&C with short hair with maybe an arrow, or so you wait for hair and have to work harder and worse case only get a Billy that scores 47-49.

The buck in that picture above is in the top 5% or less than those killed. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m betting I’m not wrong.

 

[antlerradar]

The buck in that picture above is in the top 5% or less than those killed. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m betting I’m not wrong.

That buck is top 5%? The Bridgers has got to be one of the best trophy units in the state. That buck is a 1 percenter where I hunt.

 

[YoungGun]

The buck in that picture above is in the top 5% or less than those killed. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m betting I’m not wrong.

Would definitely agree that those bucks are not common in the Bridgers- maaaybe top 5% on private, definitely top 1% on huntable public. This same coworker would tell you he spent a lot of days just trying to find a 4x4 on public that wasn't a 2-3 year old, and that he got lucky coming across this buck. Hopefully you'll have some of the same luck, but I'd be prepared to enjoy the sunsets and see your biggest deer on the way to the trailheads, and not beyond them.

Not trying to be pessimistic, but the only way that tag would be worth limited entry status would be if they threw the Bangtails into the unit, and made them walk-in only while keeping the tag numbers the same. That'll never happen.

 

[Spedray]

Would definitely agree that those bucks are not common in the Bridgers- maaaybe top 5% on private, definitely top 1% on huntable public. This same coworker would tell you he spent a lot of days just trying to find a 4x4 on public that wasn't a 2-3 year old, and that he got lucky coming across this buck. Hopefully you'll have some of the same luck, but I'd be prepared to enjoy the sunsets and see your biggest deer on the way to the trailheads, and not beyond them.

Not trying to be pessimistic, but the only way that tag would be worth limited entry status would be if they threw the Bangtails into the unit, and made them walk-in only while keeping the tag numbers the same. That'll never happen.

I don’t have a problem eating the tag if I can find an elk at some point. I have always been able to pull out an elk out of there when I needed one. I figure I’ll spend over 30 days hunting the unit. I hunt every weekend after Labor Day till thanksgiving. Already have 10 days off to hunt the rut for deer in November. My dad had the tag 5 years ago and hunted all the high country and settled on a 165” buck. I know there is still some decent ones hanging around.