Questions about MT license/permit & drawing results

[benjamin2515101]

I plan to hunt Montana Region 3 for Elk &/or Mule deer, but my main interest is quality Mulies. I have been trying to figure out Montana's draw results report but the results don't seem to include the districts south of Livingston, MT.

If you draw a "B" license, is there also a lottery for a permit, or do they go together as long as you buy both. Their website says that a B license is only for a cow/doe. I just can't find all the districts on the results listings and this has me very confused. Please help!

 

[rooster740]

I plan to hunt Montana Region 3 for Elk &/or Mule deer, but my main interest is quality Mulies. I have been trying to figure out Montana's draw results report but the results don't seem to include the districts south of Livingston, MT.

If you draw a "B" license, is there also a lottery for a permit, or do they go together as long as you buy both. Their website says that a B license is only for a cow/doe. I just can't find all the districts on the results listings and this has me very confused. Please help!

I live in this area you ask about. Yes the regulations are confusing and get worse each year, with all of the changes!
First off I will say that the state of Montana does not manage for big mule deer bucks, except in wolf infested area 313! I put on a lot of miles horse back and hunt almost every day and have not seen a buck over 26 inches in years! In this are of Montana you can kill a buck mule deer, or a whitetail doe or a whitetail buck with your regular deer tag, and everything with horns gets shot! This past season there was left over nonresident big game combination licenses, if you do not draw one. The best area to kill a decent buck south of livingston is on or near the yellowstone park line , area 313. This area is only open for mule deer bucks for the first three weeks of the season.
The "b" tags are strictly antlerless. You also need to put in for a special draw unlimited permit to hunt bull elk in area 313 and there are only 25 cow elk permits compared to thousands of permits a few years ago. Our elk are mysteriously gone in a big way( woofshititis)!
The drawing dates are absolutely idiotic! You have to put in for bull elk and select mule deer buck permits before non residents are required to apply for there hunting licenses! How the hell that works out has kept me in a two year state of confussion!
Are you hunting DIY or with an outfitter?
Respond if you have any other questions

 

[benjamin2515101]

Thanks for your reply, Rooster, very helpful. I didn't realize the wolf problem had gotten so bad until I started reading posts under this forum. I plan on doing a DIY hunt, because I have some backcountry experience and I enjoy the solitude. That's why my main focus is mulies, so I won't have as much of a problem packing one out.

Any other MT regions to recommend? And other state recommendations for no preference point mule deer hunts? I have no particular preference for high country, open country, or desert, I am open to them all, I just want a good experience seeing a decent amount of animals. I would prefer something not so densely forested (like the Bob Marshall Wilderness) because I plan to spot and stalk from distance. I would like to get a rifle tag, but I am seriously considering going early archery for low hunter density.

Any ideas would be helpful.

 

[rooster740]

I am in no way trying to discourage you, but being honest. This is beautiful country where i live, that I love to spend time in. I really have no recommendations for deer hunting. I am hearing a lot of talk from all around the state about how there are just no trophy mule deer bucks because of over hunting. In a state that rifle hunts from the last week in Oct thru the rut ( last week in Nov) they do not get a chance to grow big. I typically ride into the back country area 316 that the rifle hunt starts on Sept 15. A guy used to be able to kill at least just a bull on every opening morning trip. Now a guy honestly might see a mountain goat!
I have not shot a deer in years, except a last day tree killing buck on my small Property. I just do not see a shooter buck in the hills, and typically just target elk.

I can help decipher the code of the Montana state fish cop regulations and tell you what I see in he sticks. As far as where to deer hunt I doubt anyone will give away their honey hole but some steering in the right direction is not too much to ask!

 

[LeftyWilbury]

The clearest info I'm finding for the draw reports of 2012 are on page 31 and 32 of the 2013 Deer, Elk, Antelope regs. You can download that pdf from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks :: 2013 Hunting RegulationsTheir "reports" for deer drawing statistics that you can download are indeed incomprehensible and not helped by the fact it's in pdf form. You might also want to check out the harvest reporting page. You can download a csv file and open it in excel and crunch some numbers to find out the success rates in a hunting district (if you've never used excel, that might not be that much fun...). Unfortunately it's won't tell you whether it's a mulie or whitetail harvested, although if you are planning on hunting a district that only allows mulies to be harvested, or the WT population is low, you could assume mulies are being harvested. Also never hurts to give FWP a call in the region you want to hunt and ask to speak to their wildlife biologist. I'm sure they'd be happy to discuss the region.
http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/regulations/

 

[HuntFarther]

If I was trying to do your hunt I would go to the rocky mountain front. It would be a place that some bucks make it and there are really good ones getting killed there each year.

 

[LeftyWilbury]

And this was in the local news today. State makes

Not looking too good for mule deer here these days.

 

[GonzoK34]

Rooster740,

I looked at your facebook photos and I'm impressed with your hunting success. I hunted out of Ovando with WTR Outfitters 6 years ago. WTR was run by Jack Hooker, he has since sold his operation. What I enjoyed most was the ability to get back into the wilderness and honestly work for an elk versus road hunting from a 4x4. We covered allot of country on horse back. This permitted us to get into the deep timber and old burns. Once good sign was found, we dismounted and tied the horse to a tree. Put our packs on and tracked them down. In most cases for some distance.

Your advise is well taken.

Gonzo
SEMPER FIDELIS