SE MT Deer Hunting

[mconway951]

Hey guys looking at doing a SE MT fall deer hunt this year prob the first 2 weeks of November. Just wondering how the hunting is there i have heard good things but have never been to that part of the state. i have hunted antelope in SD just on the border and seemed to see quite a few mule deer in that area in Oct. I heard the winter was harsh in 2010-2011 how has this year been?
I was thinking the custer nat forest land, and BLM land could be good. but what is Block managment land and how do i find out what land that is and how to get onto it?
Also thinking i am just going to put in for deer tag since i would doubt i will see many elk on public land or am i wrong do i stand a chance at an elk?
Thanks in advance for any help you can give.
Mike

 

[Musket Man]

Eastern Montana was a fun hunt the times I have gone. I hunted around the Jordan area. But I haven't gone in a few years. Killed a nice buck last time I went on block management. Not a monster but he was an old mature deer. Block management is private land open to public hunting. some you have to contact the owner for permission and others you just sign in and go hunting. The areas are all posted along the roads and there is info on them on the FPW web site. Almost all of eastern MT is limited quota for elk. General elk zones are mostly on the western side of the state.

 

[Bitterroot Bulls]

The hunting can be really good. Elk is a draw. Deer numbers are still down, but this mild winter should have helped. Try to find some walk-in block management. Call the Region 7 MT Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Headquarters and they can send you Block Management info:

FWP Region 7 Headquarters
352 I-94 Business Loop
Miles City, MT 59301
Phone: (406) 234-0900
Fax: (406) 234-4368
E-mail: fwprg72@mt.gov

Office Hours:
Monday-Friday, 8 AM-5 PM

 

[mconway951]

Thanks guys i found the fact it was draw last night while doing more research, if i put in for the bonus point in the system and keep doing this over the years will this help me someday when i do want to apply for a draw type hunt in MT.
I think i am gonna take a road trip out there this summer if i draw my deer only tag which when i talked to some people at FWP said it was like 80% draw on deer last year.
How do doe tags work out there do you apply while apply for your original lic or is there any doe tags to be had?

 

[HuskyMusky]

Thanks guys i found the fact it was draw last night while doing more research, if i put in for the bonus point in the system and keep doing this over the years will this help me someday when i do want to apply for a draw type hunt in MT.
I think i am gonna take a road trip out there this summer if i draw my deer only tag which when i talked to some people at FWP said it was like 80% draw on deer last year.
How do doe tags work out there do you apply while apply for your original lic or is there any doe tags to be had?

doe/cow tags tend to be type B tags, ie a 2nd tag.

there's pref points and bonus points now for elk/deer in MT, the pref points refer to the general tags, ie the big game combo, or elk combo or deer combo, and the bonus points refer to special limited entry deer/elk tags.

it's pretty goofy/complicated, good luck.

it's not certain whether or not there will be a points only period this year, which there should be but no official word yet!

btw paying $50 for a pref point for the big game or elk combo doesn't make much since since draw rates are 100%, but paying $20 for a bonus point for the special limited entry elk/deer tags does. Paying $50 for a deer combo point might make sense though since deer tags usually are sold out and aren't 100% draws.

 

[Musket Man]

Last time I hunter E MT # years ago you could buy up to 6 doe tags OTC. Draw odds are really good since MT raised their prices. Last year they even had elk/deer combo tags left over. but they sold out in a day or 2 after the draw. If you didnt draw the deer only tag you could probably buy a leftover deer/elk combo tag after the draw if you really want to go this year.

 

[mconway951]

Well i drew my tag for deer hunting so i am excited to get out to MT this summer and do some scouting. I am thinking of heading out there in late august after the block managment booklets come out. I am wondering how to go about getting a doe tag now.

 

[Musket Man]

When I got doe tags I just bought them at sportsmens warehouse (or any licens agent). They are specific to areas and mule deer or white tail. So decide on a general hunting area before you buy any. I want to say they were just under 200 at that time. I think that was in 2007.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Hey guys looking at doing a SE MT fall deer hunt this year prob the first 2 weeks of November.

Mike, in your earlier post you mentioned hunting the first two weeks of November. If you are able to swing it, it typically mid November until Thanksgiving is the very best hunting with the deer rut in full swing. I'd check this out with a few more guys since I have only hunted SE Montana one time, but that was what I was told. We hunted a "marginal" block management area and the hunting was fantastic!

 

[Musket Man]

Good point UH. From what I know it takes some cold weather to really kick the rut in. It was a fairly mild year when I killed the buck in the pics. I believe it was 8 to 10 days before season ended. The old buck I killed was starting to rut pretty good but none of the younger bucks I saw were rutting yet.

 

[Bitterroot Bulls]

Good point UH. From what I know it takes some cold weather to really kick the rut in. It was a fairly mild year when I killed the buck in the pics. I believe it was 8 to 10 days before season ended. The old buck I killed was starting to rut pretty good but none of the younger bucks I saw were rutting yet.

From my experience the little guys get rutty earlier in Eastern MT. The last weekend of the season it seems like the older deer come out of nowhere.

 

[Musket Man]

I think I was always there just before the rut because I went west for elk the last week of the season