Montana 2020

[thusby]

Time to increase the prices again.

 

[tzone]

Can I ask how long you've been hunting NE Montana? And what caliber buck you're after?

I'm not trying to be a dick or prove a point, I'm just trying to figure out why there's such a huge discrepancy in hunter satisfaction for Montana deer.

I'm not who your question is directed at but I'll throw in my $0.02. Hunting mostly in MN and WI on public land only... There are double the hunters in MN and almost triple the amount of hunters in WI that MT sees in a typical year. And Montana is a much bigger state than MN or WI. Pretty much double in size. Not everybody is a trophy deer hunter. I'd be willing to wager that even less from the east are. Most of the guys I know that travel west to hunt, whether it be MT, ID, WY, or SD, are looking for a good time, something different than what we're used to, and generally we see A LOT more deer out west.

Where we hunt in MN I've only seen one or two other people back where we hunt. In WI, it's a different story. Probably 6-20 people a day depending on weather and what day of the week it is.

I've only hunted in SD as far as western states go. But I'm looking for the things I posted above. As far as what caliber of deer I'm after, I would like a deer that is a good representation of the area. I have no interest in what it scores. But I know what a dink is, what monster is, and what's in between.

 

[8andcounting]

View attachment 127367

How would that happen? This is from 2019 and it looks like 1 point was 100% for deer?

I find that table inaccurate. They cap the NR deer combos at 4600 . So I find it hard to believe they sold double that amount .

 

[Tiredofthebickering]

I find that table inaccurate. They cap the NR deer combos at 4600 . So I find it hard to believe they sold double that amount .

*shrug* I pulled it right from the MT website. I won't defend it one way or the other. https://myfwp.mt.gov/fwpPub/drawingStatistics

 

[8andcounting]

*shrug* I pulled it right from the MT website. I won't defend it one way or the other. https://myfwp.mt.gov/fwpPub/drawingStatistics

Yeh I looked it up too . Also looked up the number of deer combos available and it’s 4600 and 17000 big game and elk combos

 

[Tiredofthebickering]

Yeh I looked it up too . Also looked up the number of deer combos available and it’s 4600 and 17000 big game and elk combos

 

[8andcounting]

*shrug* I pulled it right from the MT website. I won't defend it one way or the other. https://myfwp.mt.gov/fwpPub/drawingStatistics

Thanks for the info I just don’t understand it . But thanks for finding it . Good luck to all

 

[LCH]

Thanks for the info I just don’t understand it . But thanks for finding it . Good luck to all

There ought to be a bit of mystery and voodoo in the draw process, keeps things interesting

 

[8andcounting]

As long as I draw I don’t really care

 

[Shangobango]

My son and I will be somewhere in Region 7 from Oct. 31 through Nov 15th. We have 2 points apiece so should be a lock to draw. Good luck and let us know how your trip goes!

 

[Contra]

Never hunted out of state, isn't most time buying an out of state hunting license major expensive?

 

[Tiredofthebickering]

Never hunted out of state, isn't most time buying an out of state hunting license major expensive?

....

Yes.

 

[1_pointer]

Yea there’s some decent stuff here in Indiana. Just not a ton. Just majority of prime hunting ground is leased and it’s insane the money you fork out now with all the third party leasing companies

In some parts of the state yes, in others not so much. If it has tillable, you are going to spend a lot more to buy or lease. I bought where I did because of cost and have public land as a neighbor doesn't suck.

 

[Fsmith]

I'm not who your question is directed at but I'll throw in my $0.02. Hunting mostly in MN and WI on public land only... There are double the hunters in MN and almost triple the amount of hunters in WI that MT sees in a typical year. And Montana is a much bigger state than MN or WI. Pretty much double in size. Not everybody is a trophy deer hunter. I'd be willing to wager that even less from the east are. Most of the guys I know that travel west to hunt, whether it be MT, ID, WY, or SD, are looking for a good time, something different than what we're used to, and generally we see A LOT more deer out west.

Where we hunt in MN I've only seen one or two other people back where we hunt. In WI, it's a different story. Probably 6-20 people a day depending on weather and what day of the week it is.

I've only hunted in SD as far as western states go. But I'm looking for the things I posted above. As far as what caliber of deer I'm after, I would like a deer that is a good representation of the area. I have no interest in what it scores. But I know what a dink is, what monster is, and what's in between.

Deer per square mile in Wisconsin and Minnesota per the states governing agencies put the deer numbers much higher than deer per square mile in Montana

 

[tzone]

Deer per square mile in Wisconsin and Minnesota per the states governing agencies put the deer numbers much higher than deer per square mile in Montana

We could probably debate that until we both turn blue. And it's completely reginoal on the numbers. There is no way in the northern forested regions of MN there is more deer/sq mile. But the farm country in central and southern MN/WI probably even that number out. I'm not saying there are more deer in MT. I'm saying I see far fewer people than we do in WI.

I also think we see more deer in the west because we can see for a looooong ways compared to hunting in the northern forests of MN/WI. I don't hunt the farm country or either state. The two areas I've hunted between SD and MN/WI are 180* different from each other. Which is a big reason why we go. Something different.

 

[thusby]

I also think we see more deer in the west because we can see for a looooong ways compared to hunting in the northern forests of MN/WI.

More deer are seen out west, per hunting trip, due to topography and cover. The furthest I can see in a typical Wisconsin hunting day is 50-75 yards in front of me, which ends up with me seeing 2-3 deer per day. If the topography of Wisconsin was like east Montana, I would be seeing 100-200 deer per glassing session.

 

[tzone]

More deer are seen out west, per hunting trip, due to topography and cover. The furthest I can see in a typical Wisconsin hunting day is 50-75 yards in front of me, which ends up with me seeing 2-3 deer per day. If the topography of Wisconsin was like east Montana, I would be seeing 100-200 deer per glassing session.

Exactly right. Until I hunted elsewhere, my furthest shot was right at 100 yds. And that was the absolute MAX I could even see from that spot.

 

[Jim Bradbury]

We stayed in a wall tent right off the main road. Take the best sleeping bag you can get your hands on. It was below zero damn near every night for ten days. You will pass about four out of state rigs to each Montana rig. Lots of Non-residents me included. Have fun

 

[bowhunterjae]

Tryin to decide if my buddy and I should apply as a party with one point between the two or us, or apply separately and then if he doesn't get drawn with zero points, I can just go out there by myself.

I'm just mildly perturbed I texted him last summer weekly to remind him to buy a point and then a week after the deadline he texts me "hey can I still buy a point for mule deer in Montana?"

Not dedicated! Make sure he is 100% in or find another partner! Sorry to be brash but you need commitment to be a great hunting partner.

 

[OverlordBear]

View attachment 124808

First & Last day "decent" buck, in a lot of people's eyes.


View attachment 124809

Actual "decent, solid, representative of the species, hog, shooter, no-brainer, get your gun up and send it" buck.

This second one doesn’t exist on public land lol