SE Deer really that much worse than 19/20?

[WYelker]

My son and I hunted in SE MT in 2019 and 2020. We did this under the mentor program and when he was 10 and 11 years old. We had 2 awesome hunts over the week of Thanksgiving. 1 mule deer buck and 3 decent white tail bucks harvested. I am thinking about going back as a fun alterantive hunt to WY. Not interested at all in Mule deer unless we see a monster (I know that will not happen). But we really enjoy the white tails.

I know that everyone says it is way more crowded etc. I also know that nearly 15 years ago people were saying the same. However, Is it more crowded than say 4 years ago? Last time we went EHD had hit hard and the numbers were down, but we still had a good hunt and got away from crowds.

So anyone with experience in the SE... Is it significantly worse than 2019/2020, about the same? Maybe a little better?

 

[Southern Elk]

It gets worse every year. This was the first year that my son and I haven’t made the trip. It’s not worth the 5 hour drive for me.

 

[brockel]

In my area whitetail still haven’t rebounded from the ehd. If our winter continues as it has that will definitely help out. Here’s the mule deer population for each region. Very bottom number is state wide second from bottom is region 7 so almost half of what their numbers were the last time you hunted here

 

[antlerradar]

EHD has hit whitetail the last two years. Doesn't mean you shouldn't come, just don't expect as many as you saw last time. One thing about whitetails, they recover much faster then mule deer.

 

[brockel]

I’d hunt it while you can because it’s never going to get better with fwps decisions.

 

[targetpanic]

We hunted in 2018, 2020 and 2022. There was a VERY noticeable drop in deer populations each time we went out there.