Montana antelope in November?

[emtyhopper]

A buddy and I are heading out to Montana from Missouri at the end of this month, planning on being there Halloween morning. We both have general deer tags and I have a region 7 antelope tag.

We are going to hunt the southeast corner the first couple days, hoping to fill my antelope tag quickly so we can really focus on mule deer.

I have hunted antelope in Wyoming a couple times, but earlier in the season. Does anyone have any experience hunting them that late? Any tips or advice?

 

[Schaaf]

They’ll be dropping sheaths by then and most likely be bunched up.

 

[OntarioHunter]

In north central Montana where I hunt antelope season opens early and closes early. Are you sure the season will still be open?

 

[mtmiller]

In north central Montana where I hunt antelope season opens early and closes early. Are you sure the season will still be open?

Do you have opinions on hunting off Interstates?

 

[JEL]

Season goes to November 8 so yes it will be open. The season is the same across the state. I have hunted antelope late and have found the same as Schaaf posted above.

 

[NEWHunter]

Do you have opinions on hunting off Interstates?

Hunting off interstates isn’t so much the problem - its the parking . . .

 

[mtmiller]

Hunting and do interstates isn’t so much the problem - its the parking . . .

touche'

 

[antlerradar]

A buddy and I are heading out to Montana from Missouri at the end of this month, planning on being there Halloween morning. We both have general deer tags and I have a region 7 antelope tag.

We are going to hunt the southwest corner the first couple days, hoping to fill my antelope tag quickly so we can really focus on mule deer.

I have hunted antelope in Wyoming a couple times, but earlier in the season. Does anyone have any experience hunting them that late? Any tips or advice?

Not a lot of public access in the southwest corner of seven. If you have access to private you could have good hunting except for the bucks losing horns. With the pressure on the Custer it is likely that nearly all of the goats will have left by Nov. so that leaves small tracts of BLM and State. Going to be hit or miss at best and most likely heavy on the misses.

 

[emtyhopper]

Not a lot of public access in the southwest corner of seven. If you have access to private you could have good hunting except for the bucks losing horns. With the pressure on the Custer it is likely that nearly all of the goats will have left by Nov. so that leaves small tracts of BLM and State. Going to be hit or miss at best and most likely heavy on the misses.

I meant to say southeast corner....does that help me much? Haha

 

[antlerradar]

I meant to say southeast corner....does that help me much? Haha

Lot of BLM to hunt in the southeast corner. A much better choice.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Do you have opinions on hunting off Interstates?

Season goes to November 8 so yes it will be open. The season is the same across the state. I have hunted antelope late and have found the same as Schaaf posted above.

Yes, that's what I thought. He is from out of state so wanted to make sure he knows the score. He will have only a week to get both deer and antelope. Looks like he is trying to prioritize. From info posted above it looks like he will have some tough choices.

 

[thusby]

Shouldn’t be a problem to find a buck of indiscriminate size this year.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Season goes to November 8 so yes it will be open. The season is the same across the state. I have hunted antelope late and have found the same as Schaaf posted above.

That's what I thought. He's from out of state and just wanted to make sure he was aware (thirty days in November). Sounds like a tight schedule with only a week and wanting to get both deer and antelope. From info posted above, it looks like he'll have some tough decisions.

 

[thusby]

You might want to leave yourself more time for deer. They seemed pretty thin on public where you will be at.

 

[emtyhopper]

You might want to leave yourself more time for deer. They seemed pretty thin on public where you will be at.

I plan on shooting the first antelope buck i see so we can focus mainly on deer. We will be tent camping and very mobile, not set on one area. I'll have 10 days total.

 

[thusby]

That’s a good amount of time. Good luck.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I plan on shooting the first antelope buck i see so we can focus mainly on deer. We will be tent camping and very mobile, not set on one area. I'll have 10 days total.

Might want to explore for meat processor or refrigeration storage options before you get there. The weather is usually cool enough but not always. Recent years it's been warmer. Also CWD restrictions in many Montana districts means processing locally. And as I'm sure you know it's harder to keep cut up meat from spoiling without refrigeration. Anyway, it's something to think about if you haven't already. I'm planning my trip right now and having to deal with the same issues. Looks like I may have to tent camp too. COVID is ramping up back there.

 

[emtyhopper]

Might want to explore for meat processor or refrigeration storage options before you get there. The weather is usually cool enough but not always. Recent years it's been warmer. Also CWD restrictions in many Montana districts means processing locally. And as I'm sure you know it's harder to keep cut up meat from spoiling without refrigeration. Anyway, it's something to think about if you haven't already. I'm planning my trip right now and having to deal with the same issues. Looks like I may have to tent camp too. COVID is ramping up back there.

We will debone our meat, keep it in coolers and keep the water drained. If we're able to kill a deer big enough to shoulder mount we will have a local taxidermist cape and freeze it until we're ready to leave, but it will have to be pretty big.

I really enjoy tent camping, but we are well set up for it.

Good luck on your hunt!

 

[OntarioHunter]

We will debone our meat, keep it in coolers and keep the water drained. If we're able to kill a deer big enough to shoulder mount we will have a local taxidermist cape and freeze it until we're ready to leave, but it will have to be pretty big.

I really enjoy tent camping, but we are well set up for it.

Good luck on your hunt!

And good luck to you too. I'm getting excellent reports on pheasant numbers this year. Man, I am jacked for that! It's been such a struggle the last three seasons. It will be fun not having to put in six or seven miles to get a bird. Nursing a hernia this year (elective surgery all cancelled due to pandemic) so I will appreciate less hiking. May have to eat my deer and elk tags if my brother can't make it over from the West Side. Oh well. Everything is a mess.

Important thing is be safe while you're there. It is getting kinda scary. Have a good friend fighting for life at Kalispell hospital. He's younger than me by a couple of years.

 

[corndog1]

I hunted the last week of the season two years ago and most of the bucks had lost their sheaths and they were in huge groups just like the first response said. There were a few that still had sheaths, so I think you will find one.