Hunt timing question

[VAspeedgoat]

I am in the very beginning stages of planning my son/sons first hunting trip and needed some advise. Initially this trip was to be a pronghorn hunt for my oldest son that will be 12 next year. Two things have worked to possibly change this. The first and biggest reason is that October is a terrible time for me to get away due to corn and soybean harvest. A November hunt for mule deer would suit much better. Also playing into the equation is that my youngest will be 10 in 2018. He could get a license in Montana and we could do both sons on the same trip to save money.

Any advise would be appreciated but in particular what I was wondering is if I go towards the end of the season, possibly Thanksgiving week, will the deer be scarce and spooky? I don't feel we have to fill tags to have a great time but there's a difference when you aren't seeing anything. Thanks.

 

[Hunting Wife]

In my experience, the second week of November can be great. Bucks are starting to get active, and you don't have quite the crowds that tend to show up that holiday week. The last week of the season can be a zoo, depending on where you go. Worth the trade off, especially if you are trying to get a couple of young men excited about hunting, to go a tad earlier IMO.

 

[El Jason]

I've shot my biggest three bucks between Halloween and Veteran's Day.

That said, by Thanksgiving week the 2 and 3 year old bucks will be about as wary as a blonde chick with a half a bottle of vodka in her. I agree with Hunting Wife, I'd go the week before Turkey Day.

 

[LukeDuke]

I've hunted MT many times over thanksgiving week as it is usually the best time for our family to get together at mom and dads. They live in central mt. Thanksgiving week has been in the 50's some yrs and well below 0 in others. Near our place, the whitetails are usually wrapping up the rut by the beginning of thanksgiving week. I've also hunted the 2nd week of nov a handful of times. Seems that is a good time to hit the mule deer rut, at least in our area. You will see deer in MT and have a great time.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

Early November is probably better. Later can be so bitterly cold that no kid will have a good time.

 

[brockel]

Seems like second week in November is when the rut kicks in over here on the eastern side of the state

 

[el unit]

Second and third weeks in November seem to have plenty of deer action over in the SW part of MT.