Best Over-the Counter hunt

[WVPackHunter]

Hey folks. What are your thoughts on the best state for an over-the-counter muledeer tag?

If I get to muledeer hunt this year, it may be on short notice - so I'm left with the OTC option.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Check if Montana has any leftovers. Last year they did until late in the year.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Idaho usually has plenty of tags also

 

[PlainsHunter]

Montana is showing 1,069 Deer Combo tags left as of this morning.

fwp.mt.gov

 

[sneakypete]

Wow, I'm surprised that many out of 4,000 tags.

 

[Alabama]

Wow, I'm surprised that many out of 4,000 tags.

Have you looked at the price? That's crazy just for a tag. Their trophy species and antelope are reasonable but elk is borderline too expensive and deer is outrageous.

 

[tdcour]

Are you looking for archery or rifle?

 

[In God We Trust]

Nebraska has deer tags for 200.00! You have to hunt hard to find a buck over 2.5 years old but there are some out there. There is a decent amount of public land in the NW corner. Not great genetics but a decent hunt. The bow season runs from Sept 1st - Dec 31st

 

[hoshour]

Colorado is the king of mule deer states. Their leftover tags go on sale Aug 5.

I don't see a copy of the list on their site, I think only those applicants that marked the box on the application got the list. That doesn't mean a hunt planner might not be able to tell you, or maybe somebody on here would be willing to fill you in.

 

[southernidahohunter]

Idaho has some great over-the-counter tags for mule deer.

 

[AT Hiker]

Nebraska has deer tags for 200.00! You have to hunt hard to find a buck over 2.5 years old but there are some out there. There is a decent amount of public land in the NW corner. Not great genetics but a decent hunt. The bow season runs from Sept 1st - Dec 31st

I spent a week in this spring in Chadron and Crawford, and only seen a handful of deer. Actually seen more elk than deer.

I personally would not waster my time there unless I had some goon intel, between the fires and disease NE took a BIG hit.

 

[tdcour]

If you are doing archery South Dakota has OTC tags for state wide, east river, or west river.

 

[dzlfarmboy]

I'm looking to try Idaho this fall for OTC mule deer. One thing that's appealing to me is they allow the option to harvest a Bear, wolf, or mt lion in place of your general tag. As long as they fall under the same season. Which for someone new to western hunting is great opportunity.

 

[25contender]

Yea there are tons of license left!!

Big Game Combos: 2,134
Elk Combos: 1,841
Deer Combos: 1,069

Montana is showing 1,069 Deer Combo tags left as of this morning.

fwp.mt.gov

 

[Musket Man]

I'm looking to try Idaho this fall for OTC mule deer. One thing that's appealing to me is they allow the option to harvest a Bear, wolf, or mt lion in place of your general tag. As long as they fall under the same season. Which for someone new to western hunting is great opportunity.

You can get a wolf tag for under $35. Also there are some zones where you can get reduced price bear and lion tags for under $35. Something to consider if you hunt those areas.

 

[dzlfarmboy]

You can get a wolf tag for under $35. Also there are some zones where you can get reduced price bear and lion tags for under $35. Something to consider if you hunt those areas.

That's good to know, be a first time for me out there. But it's just nice having those options to make the most out of my yearly one time hunt from the east coast.

 

[HuskyMusky]

Way to go MT! haha.

Seriously when a non-res has to pay 43x what a res pays for a bull elk tag...

What are the odds MT sells all of those tags?

Yea there are tons of license left!!

Big Game Combos: 2,134
Elk Combos: 1,841
Deer Combos: 1,069

 

[Shooter]

MT will not come close to selling out all of there elk combos or big game combos. They will come close to selling all of there deer combos.

 

[droptine]

Purchased a surplus Montana big game general. with fees and the whole ball of wax, $997 and change! Whoooh!! That's a lot of $$.But that's where I want to go. Been really studying harvest reports, population densities and google earth till I think I wore it out!! LOL I figure I'll prolly get a one shot chance at either mulie or an elk at best! Hope I don't screw it up!

 

[BKC]

Colorado is the king of mule deer states. Their leftover tags go on sale Aug 5.

I don't see a copy of the list on their site, I think only those applicants that marked the box on the application got the list. That doesn't mean a hunt planner might not be able to tell you, or maybe somebody on here would be willing to fill you in.

Hoshour, You are very uninformed, Colorado is nowhere near the King of mule deer states! We have had terrible winters and dry summers. This has taken our deer numbers down in all areas. You are lucky to see any mature deer bigger than a small forkie. I would hunt all the other states!