Montana public land B&C mule deer

[mtmuley]

Back in the early-mid 1950's my dad was a pilot, flying for Lynch's out of Billings. In the winter he'd have his plane kitted out with skis to deliver groceries and mail to isolated ranches. Over coffee in the kitchen at any given ranch he said there was inevitably several huge mule deer racks stuck on the wall. When he'd ask what they were shot with, the answer was usually "220 Swift." Makes you wonder how many B&C bucks are stashed away all over West Dakota (Eastern MT). The 50's were probably the halcyon days of great bucks in MT.

My Grandfather, Father and uncle hunted the Sweetgrass Hills back in the "day". I still remember the mule deer racks in a pile in a shed at my Grandparents house in Ferdig. I wasn't there when they moved into town. (Shelby) No idea what happened to the antlers. mtmuley

 

[antlerradar]

Back in the early-mid 1950's my dad was a pilot, flying for Lynch's out of Billings. In the winter he'd have his plane kitted out with skis to deliver groceries and mail to isolated ranches. Over coffee in the kitchen at any given ranch he said there was inevitably several huge mule deer racks stuck on the wall. When he'd ask what they were shot with, the answer was usually "220 Swift." Makes you wonder how many B&C bucks are stashed away all over West Dakota (Eastern MT). The 50's were probably the halcyon days of great bucks in MT.

My Grandfather flew with Lynch's often in the 50's. One day they crashed twice.

 

[antlerradar]

I have seen five bucks that I think would make B&C, four awards and one all time. Four to the five lived on Public
The one I shot with archery in 2005
This buck lived on private, netted 186 and was only four years old. I am confident he would have made the all time book in a year or two.
In 88 I found huge deer on the forest that I am sure was better than 190 net. He had everything. Only saw him once.
I found these shed in the 90's. I saw him a few times the next year, but someone else shot him. Netted 218+ non typical and has a 194 frame.

 

[MTGomer]

I know of 3 200”+ non typical that were taken east of Missoula many years ago. One is mounted terribly and deteriorating in an old ranch house. The other is in the rafters at the same ranch.

Another is in a house of someone else, down the road about 3 miles. I don’t recall the exact years but none were more recent than the 1960s

 

[Brad]

My Grandfather flew with Lynch's often in the 50's. One day they crashed twice.

Lol, that's probably true. How my dad got his job - a Lynch's pilot killed himself on some mountain. Mary Lynch heard about my dad (ex USAF) who was teaching flying in Cody on the weekends and driving a YNP sightseeing bus during the week. She drove down there to offer him a dead mans job. He took it

 

[seeth07]

A lot of really big bucks from the old days in Montana won't net 180. My dad shot a 35-inch buck in the 60s that is big, it doesn't. My younger brother shot a 31 inch buck in the 80s that is a big heavy buck its teeth were worn out, it doesn't. Many of the old dead bucks I have seen have too much trash to net well. There are hundreds of big bucks hanging in obscure places in MT that are not legit B&C bucks, even at 180. There were never more than a few that would net 190.

To me a legit net score is useful to weed out the bullshitters, but is a buck that misses the cutoff because of being unsymmetrical, or trashy, not big? I am not saying that B&C should change anything, just that their net minimums are not the determining factor if a buck is big or not.

The original argument for the net scoring system was because it was believed that having typical - symmetrical antler growth was in indicator of health. At a large scale view, a 5x2 buck is likely due to poor genetics/health and this thought process is certainly true. However, a buck having two extra 2" kickers off his G2 on just one side I don't feel indicates anything about genetics or health.

I really wish we would move to the volume measurement. To me, the shear amount of antler mass is the best indicator of a bucks size because it is directly related to energy in. The more energy a buck can put into his antler production, the healthier he is.

 

[antlerradar]

during the 50's and 60's B&C bucks were much more common. I can think of four bucks taken with in 5 miles of my house better than 190 typical
I have picture of two and measured the other two. One is a big massive buck with a 195 inch typical frame and some nontypical points. The other is a square buck, 32 wide,20 inch G2's and all forks over 14 inches, but very thin antlered. 196 inch typical frame with a 6 inch inline.
This buck was entered in the 1964 book at 192 6/8, dropped out when the minimum was raised to 195,and was never reentered when the minimum dropped to 190. typical frame of 200+

I do not have a score on this buck but am confident it is close to 190.

 

[antlerradar]

The buck the guy with the red suspenders is holding is a great buck, not sure if he is 190+, but 180 for sure. Same guy shot the thin antlered buck in my post above. The hunters are from York, PA and hunted with my father and a neighbor in the 60's and early 70's. They took a lot of really big deer.

 

[R.K.]

I’m getting A few things from this thread.

Big deer existed in the past. Some big deer still exist. A deer needs to be a lot bigger than you think to be big. Not everybody enters their big deer in the books, but I’m not sure how this is any different from any other state.

And last but not least, I’m getting the distinct urge to go chase a mature (but non book) mule deer, possibly driving five hours to camp out in the snow, but I’m also getting the distinct feeling that having three days to find and shoot one of them is an uphill battle I probably won’t win.

 

[mtmuley]

And last but not least, I’m getting the distinct urge to go chase a mature (but non book) mule deer, possibly driving five hours to camp out in the snow, but I’m also getting the distinct feeling that having three days to find and shoot one of them is an uphill battle I probably won’t win.

Do it. mtmuley

 

[R.K.]

Do it. mtmuley

Knew I could count on some folks here to be a good influence. And as much as I'd love to get even a 150-160" deer in the mountains, I feel like my chances are infinitely better for a mature deer if I look "north" instead.

 

[BRI]

My biggest deer was in 1994 on private land near Lewistown. I measured him at 174 gross. We were fortunate to hunt this ranch for about 5 years and maybe saw a couple bigger. My dad killed one west of Missoula in 1985 that scored 175. Biggest bodied buck we've ever seen.

 

[NDGuy]

View attachment 238315

Nets are for fishing

 

[SwaggyD]

Nets are for fishing

Been waiting for someone to say that!!

 

[Hunter4Life78]

Thinking the OP used the work "legit" meaning scored.

Lots of internet Boone bucks are scored with a tape having the first 6" broke off.

lol

 

[brockel]

Someday I’ll score this. I always forget how old it is but I’m thinking it’s over 30 years old

 

[rogerthat]

Someday I’ll score this. I always forget how old it is but I’m thinking it’s over 30 years old
View attachment 238649

233” gross that’s my guess

 

[brockel]

233” gross that’s my guess

I don’t even have a guess on the mess. The picture doesn’t do the main frame justice

 

[Hunter4Life78]

I don’t even have a guess on the mess. The picture doesn’t do the main frame justice

That is gnarly!! Wicked cool!!!

 

[antlerradar]

Lots of really good deer don't come close to 180 net. Those are some great bucks MTTW