174in
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Anybody care to share if they are starting to see any activity? What do you think it will be like by the weekend coming up?
Montana mule deer rut?
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Dinkshooter
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LOL, it will going from now until the last bullet fly's on one of the most redonkulaous long open center fire rifle seasons in the entire west!
I have been out chasing both species of deer hard over the last few days in SW MT. Yesterday I saw close to 100 muley does and fawns, some on low ag, and some in tough high sage with little to no hunting pressure. Not an antler to be seen! Zero evidence of rut activity.
Whitetails, on the other hand, are warming up. At last light I saw a big group of whitetails come out onto private ag, including three really nice bucks. They were very interested in the does, including some aggressive chasing by a really tall 4x4 that I wanted to kill oh so badly.
In my experience, the mulies will rut a little later than the whitetails, at least on the western side of the state. I am going after mountain mulies this coming weekend, and expect the rut to be on by then, but probably not yet peaking. This weekend should be fantastic whitetail hunting, though!
Whitetails, on the other hand, are warming up. At last light I saw a big group of whitetails come out onto private ag, including three really nice bucks. They were very interested in the does, including some aggressive chasing by a really tall 4x4 that I wanted to kill oh so badly.
In my experience, the mulies will rut a little later than the whitetails, at least on the western side of the state. I am going after mountain mulies this coming weekend, and expect the rut to be on by then, but probably not yet peaking. This weekend should be fantastic whitetail hunting, though!
Huh, completely different than my experiences. I've been seeing great rut activity in mule deer since Halloween, and that seems normal for my areas in western MT. The whitetail I've been hunting this week haven't shown any sign of rutting.
This pictures from today. Hard to tell but he's lip curling and way pushing that doe all over the hillside.
406LIFE
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Clear rut activity starting in eastern MT. Another week and should be prime.
8andcounting
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I’m coming on the 17th for 9 days I’m hoping it’s still peaking by then and not done
Elkwhisper
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Friday night we saw little rut activity in either species..... Monday was also slow rut wise despite seeing well over 500 does... probably closer to 1000. Yeah we covered some ground yesterday, trying to get the lay of the land. We did see bucks, but nothing we wanted to shoot... where we could shoot.
Today, we looked at fewer deer probably... but not my much but this guy in particular was pretty interested in the ladies.
Today, we looked at fewer deer probably... but not my much but this guy in particular was pretty interested in the ladies.
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Elkwhisper
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antlerradar
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It is going to a be a busy weekend. Both the deer and the hunters.
That third buck has antlers with some cool funk going on.
That third buck has antlers with some cool funk going on.
Huh, must be weird where I was! I was over by Dillon in some prime muley spots. I was surprised at the lack of bucks with all the does on the move.
Mtnhunter1
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Randy would be correct. It mirrors what has started around our place in S.C. Montana.
Pics from the last few days,,,my best Miller impression,,,,and thank goodness for auto focus.
This FATTY was trailing one of the better looking ladies,,,,he seems to have summered very well!
Better get after them before they are all gone or behind that locked gate.
Good Luck
Pics from the last few days,,,my best Miller impression,,,,and thank goodness for auto focus.
This FATTY was trailing one of the better looking ladies,,,,he seems to have summered very well!
Better get after them before they are all gone or behind that locked gate.
Good Luck
antlerradar
Well-known member
Might be a little late for that locked gate part. I am seeing new bucks show up every day behind the no hunting signs. A real nice one today but it was too dark for pictures.
That last buck looks old. roman nose and a big pot belly.
That last buck looks old. roman nose and a big pot belly.
Mtnhunter1
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Old and LONG. Would be a great candidate to break that boned out pack weight average!
ShootsManyBullets
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I saw some rutting activity at the Trails Inn and Tubbs. Starts heating up a little more after shooting light...
8andcounting
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Week -10 days away from the peak
Highground
Member
Hunted hard last couple days. Monday I saw maybe 20-30 whitetail does without a buck in sight. Also saw nearly 500 muley does on ag being chased by decent bucks...all in no hunting zones. Then yesterday went to Swan valley hiked around 12 miles and saw only one whitetail buck all day amongst a couple dozen does. My experience has shown me that Muleys seem to get going a little sooner in western montana....
8andcounting
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Did you get a good one ? Pics?
ismith
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Memories of my dad shooting his big, rutting, NW Montana mule deer play to Boris and the Crypt Kickers “Monster Mash”.
