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Colstrip, MT area mule deer hunt

Labman1127

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Jul 8, 2020
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I’m a first time poster and long time follower here. I drew a general deer combo tag for MT this fall and will be headed out Mule Deer hunting for the first time. I will know if I am fortunate enough to draw a 700 district antelope tag on August 6th. Hoping for a combo hunt. Also, plan to mix in some sharp tail grouse hunting as well.
I am a life long Ohio archery whitetail hunter so this trip will be a whole new adventure to me as I have never big game hunted the west. I have only bird hunted in the Dakotas a few times. Looking for some general advice, tips and pearls of wisdom from you guys.
I will be hunting the last week of October & 1st week of November. I will be based out of the Colstrip area (about 20 miles north actually) to start my trip as I have some family friends that own a ranch up that way that I will be using as my base camp. I will be hunting their ranch for the first few days and then venturing out to hunt public after that (they have another group coming in to hunt that comes out every year).
I have a forest service cabin rented in Custer for 4 days and then I will be mobile from that point on.
A few questions:
- how are the antelope populations down that way currently?
- how is the sharp tail population looking?
- should I venture up further North into the 700 district to get away from the people pressure around Custer NF?
- is that time frame of last week or October into 1st week of November typically a good time to catch the mule deer pre-rut (trying to time it so I catch that last week of antelope season while hoping to catch some early mule deer rut action).
Any advice is very much appreciated and welcomed. This is a whole new game to me. Thanks,
Bill
 
Welcome aboard.

I'll be in the general area the first and second week of November. It's all new to me as well so I have no advice to give except to have a blast.
 
Probably stay on their ranch if it's sizeable. SE montana mule deer is probably one of the worst beat up subjects on this site. Although some one gets lucky every year.

To answer your question about speedies the populations may be coming back a tad if any at all but it's nothing like it used to be.

Sharp tail I'm not too sure but with how dry it is I'm not guessing it's gonna be a knock outta the park either.

Welcome and good luck
 
The ranch is about 2,500 acres I believe so plenty of room to roam for me their but I will only have limited time to hunt it due to other hunters coming in. Just happy to be able to hunt in the ranch at all!
I have read many of the gloom and doom posts on hear about SE Montana so I am heading into this with realistic expectations. Honestly, I am just excited about the experience and opportunity to enjoy this beautiful area of the country and the hunting is just the icing on the cake! Really just looking for some advice from you experienced guys on here.
 
- how are the antelope populations down that way currently?
- how is the sharp tail population looking?
- should I venture up further North into the 700 district to get away from the people pressure around Custer NF?
- is that time frame of last week or October into 1st week of November typically a good time to catch the mule deer pre-rut (trying to time it so I catch that last week of antelope season while hoping to catch some early mule deer rut action).
1) speed goats pops are fine. Last year there was a big snow storm the last week of October. A lot of the antelope in the southern part of 700 disappeared/migrated. It is hit or miss in that area and unpredictable stuff happens the can change patterns.
2) they are birds. Pops should be on the upswing after some recent down years and moisture has been good this year.
3) you should be able to fine a LOT of area to hunt without have to drive too far north.
4) Mule deer time frame you picked is going to be tough. The bucks will just be starting to move. You may have to burn some boot leather. They will get dumber each day up to about Thanksgiving.
 
Which cabin do you have rented?
Antelope populations are improving, the closer to WY the better. There will be very few antelope on the Custer that late in the year and the ones that are there will be well educated.
Sharptail numbers were good this spring on the dancing grounds and with the numbers of grasshoppers this year I would expect chick survival to be high. It could be a great grouse year.
The Custer is what it is and not even close to what it used to be. There is plenty of Info on the Custer on Hunt Talk. All you can do is try. One good thing about hunting that early is you might just find a nice buck before he moves to private to rut.
 
Which cabin do you have rented?
Antelope populations are improving, the closer to WY the better. There will be very few antelope on the Custer that late in the year and the ones that are there will be well educated.
Sharptail numbers were good this spring on the dancing grounds and with the numbers of grasshoppers this year I would expect chick survival to be high. It could be a great grouse year.
The Custer is what it is and not even close to what it used to be. There is plenty of Info on the Custer on Hunt Talk. All you can do is try. One good thing about hunting that early is you might just find a nice buck before he moves to private to rut.
Thank you! I appreciate the information. Will defiantly try to look for some BLM areas closer to the WY boarder to fill my antelope tag (assuming I get drawn).
 
With all due respect... If you aren’t ambitious enough to do a quick web search and have every single detail of your hunt planned than you might struggle to be successful. I’ve seen it before but if you aren’t a blind horse you will find 2 point water. Have a good hunt always a few 4 points that get shot I like your time frame.
 
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Welcome to the forum! It's been quite awhile since I've been in Colstrip, so hunting specifics I can't help much with. However, enjoy the scenery and unless it's changed since I was last there, get yourself something to eat at June's Bungalow. I will tell you the best buck I saw there last time was in the grassy area right beside Ace hardware, he was a good one.
 
At the very least you'll see a 3 legged Rezdog and a lot of people with CHOP plates cruising around.

I'd pound the private first and any public that it allows you to access. I'm betting you'll find a buck there.
 
Welcome to the forum! It's been quite awhile since I've been in Colstrip, so hunting specifics I can't help much with. However, enjoy the scenery and unless it's changed since I was last there, get yourself something to eat at June's Bungalow. I will tell you the best buck I saw there last time was in the grassy area right beside Ace hardware, he was a good one.
Yep there is some big town deer. Also the Chinese restaurant there is good.
 
i appreciate the info from everyone. Any more info or advice is welcome. I promise you there will be no shortage of effort on my part. Weather permitting and god willing I will be hunting dawn to dusk for 10 straight days (that is unless I am fortunate enough to harvest an animal earlier in the trip, then it will become a gentlemen’s bird hunting trip!). I am driving out over 1,500 miles from Ohio so I will be making the absolute most of my time!
honestly either way, I couldn’t be more excited to enjoy Montana in the fall
and the harvest would just be a bonus.
thanks
 
You won’t find a ton of pressure in the Custer Forest, some ATVs running around maybe.

I’ve hunted out there a bunch, for turkeys, deer, and I’ve been fortunate to draw two limited draw elk permits out there. It’s a special place.

Keep your eyes open for sheds.

There are pronghorn in the transition areas of the Forest, there’s a ton of parks in the woods that’ll hold pronghorn.

Don’t hesitate to buy an OTC turkey tag, there’s a bunch out there, and in the fall, either sex is legal, and you can take em with a rifle.

Have fun! I love it out there, I live in SW MT, but get over there to hunt or recreate every year.
 
I'm guessing that Labman1127 will tip over a good buck in the first few days while on the private. Some of the biggest bucks in Montana come from the area that he'll be hunting the first few days of the season.

Labman1127....I hope that your trip to Big Sky Country ends up being all that you have hoped for. Good Luck and have fun!
 
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