SE Montana deer hunt

[Graveyard]

Fellow hunters, planning a deer hunt this year in SE Montana with my Dad (79 years young) and my son (16 years old). This will my son's first hunting trip to Montana and the first hunt with my Dad. So this trip is pretty special to me. My Dad is still very capable for getting around even at 79, he's very tough and able to get around quite well. We are coming out for the week of Thanksgiving and will have my truck with a slide in camper on it. So we can be very mobile if needed, can drop the camper easily or leave it on. Depends on the roads and terrain.

We are coming from northern Wisconsin so no chance to get there for scouting. I have the 2018 BMA guide, made some calls to the biologists and have many other maps and am using Google earth as well. All that good stuff for researching trying to narrow things down.

I've also read many of the threads on this site and see many very experienced hunters of this area are on here willing to give advice and direction. Hoping some you out there would be willing to help me narrow things down even further so we can have some productive hunting early on as we learn the area throughout the week.

Also, none of us have ever hunted or harvested a mule deer so simply looking to see deer and have an opp for decent bucks and making some great memories. Whitetails would also be awesome so get into.

Thanks guys

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Start with your Expectations earlier and we can help. Don't know you don't show you.

 

[Tim McCoy]

Just pick a moderate or larger sized bma and make reservations for a few days. Possibly select several. You’ll have plenty of deer to hunt.

 

[kesand72]

Welcome and good luck!

 

[DU4LIFE25]

Like Tim said, pick several BMA's to reserve for the week although you're a bit behind the eight ball on that. If you do find some that you like, call the tech in charge of that BMA and see if there are any openings. There are also the BMA's that you don't need to reserve. Sometimes those are good, other times they've been worked over pretty well. This post may be a little vague but I'm not going to give away all of our secrets or hot spots. Put some miles on your boots and you'l find plenty of deer.

 

[Graveyard]

I'm not expecting anyone to give up their secret spots with this. Just looking for some general direction or area to start in so I have some level of confidence in our first day or two. Main goal is to get my son and Dad into some deer, a 2-3 year old buck is best I'm hoping for so we have some meat and memories. Like I said none of us have ever killed a mule deer. Dad and I are experienced hunters, my son is very green. We can shoot well and can put on plenty of miles.

I'll do my homework with the BMA land and make it happen.

 

[Tim McCoy]

2-3 year old mulies should not be difficult to find.

 

[oldschool.06]

SE MT was hit super hard last winter . There is a good chance you will need to get far from the roads to find something decent the winter kill off was tough . Also the orange army is there right now tearing it up and scaring all the big boys back into the woods . If you arent afraid to get out of the truck you will do well . I'll be there the week before you as I just love Montana and dont care if the winter was real harsh . Good luck

 

[jjgaw]

SE MT was hit super hard last winter . There is a good chance you will need to get far from the roads to find something decent the winter kill off was tough . Also the orange army is there right now tearing it up and scaring all the big boys back into the woods . If you arent afraid to get out of the truck you will do well . I'll be there the week before you as I just love Montana and dont care if the winter was real harsh . Good luck

Oldschool, just curious where you heard the info they had a tough winter with a high kill off? Not suggesting you are wrong, I just heard different from a region 7 biologist around ekalaka who told me they came out of winter with very good numbers, above their prediction actually. I am heading up there in 9 days!

 

[oldschool.06]

The biologists lie or recite old data . From the residents I've spoken too it was the harshest winter in quit a while . I've also seen pics of dead deer from SE Montana. I'm not saying the opportunity isnt there im just saying the lazy road hunters are gonna have to put in some work this year .