which week for Montana rifle mule deer hunt

[mixedbag]

I pretty much have my archery elk hunt dates figured out for Montana this year.I definitley plan on a 2nd trip out with my rifle to hunt muleys.I've never hunted Montana before so I don't know a thing about the hunting pressure
Would it be better to go right on the opener for a diy hunt or wait till later and the rut?This would also be my first hunt where mule deer will be the focus.Planning on hunting eastern to possibly central Montana for the deer;if that makes a difference
I do have an excellent offer for a guided hunt,but thats going to depend on how much work I get signed in the next month or so.I know its a diy site,but the guided hunt would teach me alot about a deer I don't know too much about
With this economy, I need to figure out a good diy game plan for the hunt
Thanks

 

[Big Fin]

All other things being equal, come out around the 15th of November. Bucks are traveling and even if they are on private today, they may be on adjacent public by tomorrow.

Good luck.

 

[FishN4Eyes]

All other things being equal, come out around the 15th of November. Bucks are traveling and even if they are on private today, they may be on adjacent public by tomorrow.

Good luck.

Yep, totally agree with what Big Fin said.

 

[mdunc8]

I third that

 

[Bambistew]

I really don't think you can go wrong from the 7th of November on. I like the 2nd week of November the best, mostly because there is less hunting pressure compared to the last two weekends. The deer haven't been shot up as much and there tend to be more bucks around.

The bucks tend to be cruising more than being 'locked' down with the does, but all in all you really can't have a bad hunt in November.

Good luck, I wish I had your problem, I love hunting MT deer in November.

 

[----]

Definitely do wait until at least the second week of November though. The rut is such a huge advantage with mule deer its ridiculous.

Last year (going off my notes) I made a twelve mile loop through the drainage I hunt for deer a lot on October 27th. I saw 58 does and not a single buck.

On November 21 I made it four miles in to the same loop when I shot the sixth buck I'd had in rifle range at 9:30 in the morning. Sitting on my buck, I glassed another 15 bucks spread out across the drainage with 2-5 does each.

Obviously, the bucks were still there the first time I was in there, just broke off on their own and probably pretty holed up. You could kill a pretty big buck pre-rut, but by waiting till they're following does it makes the hunt so, so much easier.

You're basically picking a buck out rather than hunting one, which is also why you'll probably be frustrated with the lack of mature bucks you'll see.

 

[mixedbag]

Well that made things very easy for me since you all seem to be in agreement.Thanks for the help

 

[Lawnboy]

On November 21 I made it four miles in to the same loop when I shot the sixth buck I'd had in rifle range at 9:30 in the morning. Sitting on my buck, I glassed another 15 bucks spread out across the drainage with 2-5 does each.

.

Dang Randy! Do you need a friend? We just don't see that over in the Bozeman area. Maybe we can do a hunt swap. I'll take you on an elk hunt over here and you take me to the muleys.

 

[elk_hunter]

No kidding, Lawnboy! Randy11, what does a guy have to do to get you to point him to muleys???

 

[----]

You guys should take note of how many big mule deer I've killed...
Not a lot of quality to go along with the quantity.

 

[Lawnboy]

You guys should take note of how many big mule deer I've killed...
Not a lot of quality to go along with the quantity.

Don't have such an itchy trigger finger. If you've got that many does, I'd have to believe that there is at least 1 lunker around.

 

[belly-deep]

Don't have such an itchy trigger finger. If you've got that many does, I'd have to believe that there is at least 1 lunker around.

That depends on where he's at. There are some places that are simply devoid of big bucks. You could hold out in the Breaks for weeks on end and not see something over the 170" mark.

But just about any mountain range in the Western half of the state is capable of producing 180" deer.

 

[----]

This year's buck was the first I've killed out of there in the five years hunting the drainage. A couple years ago I helped pack out a 180ish buck, saw one more that size in the summer, and found a pretty good shed as well. There are big ones in there every now and then, but not often.

 

[Carrion Carrier]

With everyone else on this one. Around the 18th of November is peak of the rut and bucks just appear.