You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Montana hunt
- Thread starter handwerk
- Start date
MTMilitiaman
New member
My family used to take trips to Eastern Montana to hunt speed goats on a fairly regular basis. We haven't went in over ten years. Maybe we were doing something wrong, but it just got too expensive to be practical. We really enjoy hunting and look forward to it all year, but the bottom line is that we expect to get some meat out of the deal. Last time we went was around Roundup, MT. We saw very few animals on public land and private landowners often require payment to hunt on their land. Paying $50 a head to hunt a rancher's land for a chance at an antelope the size of a lab isn't really practical on the cost-benefit analysis, esp after you factor in fuel, lodging, meals, ect. It's fun as heck and my dad and grandpa each bagged an animal, but it is just too expensive for us anymore. Maybe we were just doing something wrong. Your experience may vary.
PhotoRecon
New member
Some landowners here in Central Montana charge and others don't. Most are glad to have hunters harvest antelope, others just want money.
Have to agree with MTMilitiaman on the economics of the situation.
Things may be different in Eastern Montana. You might check with the game wardens in that area on what property owners are seeking hunters and which aren't. You might be able to find BLM land as well.
Have to agree with MTMilitiaman on the economics of the situation.
Things may be different in Eastern Montana. You might check with the game wardens in that area on what property owners are seeking hunters and which aren't. You might be able to find BLM land as well.
Hand,
Do you have preference points for the Deer A tag? If not, drawing one may be difficult. I've hunted the BLM land of Unit 7 for 15 years. The deer hunting can be phenomenal with little to no pressure. However, if you're combining it with a pronghorn hunt, you'll have to hunt the beginning of the deer season when they are not yet in the rut. The middle of November is the best time to hunt deer in that area. I've noticed a steady decline in the pronghorn populations too over the years. They used to be everywhere but the hunting is now very difficult. And, if you've never hunted there, prepare yourself for extreme weather. It's not uncommon to hunt in 60 degree weather one day, rain and horrible wind, mud and slop the next and 10 degree weather and snow the next. It can be REALLY nasty. Also, the BLM is now prohibiting off road travel by all motorized means, including vehicles and ATV's. The BLM land can be very expansive and getting as far away from the main roads is crucial. Prepare to pack your game out, sometimes over several miles. Hope that helps.
NRA4LIFE
Do you have preference points for the Deer A tag? If not, drawing one may be difficult. I've hunted the BLM land of Unit 7 for 15 years. The deer hunting can be phenomenal with little to no pressure. However, if you're combining it with a pronghorn hunt, you'll have to hunt the beginning of the deer season when they are not yet in the rut. The middle of November is the best time to hunt deer in that area. I've noticed a steady decline in the pronghorn populations too over the years. They used to be everywhere but the hunting is now very difficult. And, if you've never hunted there, prepare yourself for extreme weather. It's not uncommon to hunt in 60 degree weather one day, rain and horrible wind, mud and slop the next and 10 degree weather and snow the next. It can be REALLY nasty. Also, the BLM is now prohibiting off road travel by all motorized means, including vehicles and ATV's. The BLM land can be very expansive and getting as far away from the main roads is crucial. Prepare to pack your game out, sometimes over several miles. Hope that helps.
NRA4LIFE
handwerk......
Not sure what region it was but I did a great hunt in Montana back in 95. The 4 of us hunters did a tent camp set-up in the Custer National Forest. I think the nearest town was Otter Creek. Seems like I remember another one building town called Dexter? I guess I should state Otter Creek was a one building general store + post office. Check out some maps of that area. We walked a lot and often were all day without seeing anyone else. One day as I was walking a forest service road an indian drove by with a monster 5x5 Mule deer on his Ranger pickup. It was a very good hunt. Our party ended up with 2 speed goats while at that site. We hunted for the week before in the Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming. We had good luck on Mule deer there. Each of us got a good one. Best of luck......... PS..... I heard that a fire went across the area we hunted the following year??? I would think Mother Nature has got things going real good again by now....?
Not sure what region it was but I did a great hunt in Montana back in 95. The 4 of us hunters did a tent camp set-up in the Custer National Forest. I think the nearest town was Otter Creek. Seems like I remember another one building town called Dexter? I guess I should state Otter Creek was a one building general store + post office. Check out some maps of that area. We walked a lot and often were all day without seeing anyone else. One day as I was walking a forest service road an indian drove by with a monster 5x5 Mule deer on his Ranger pickup. It was a very good hunt. Our party ended up with 2 speed goats while at that site. We hunted for the week before in the Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming. We had good luck on Mule deer there. Each of us got a good one. Best of luck......... PS..... I heard that a fire went across the area we hunted the following year??? I would think Mother Nature has got things going real good again by now....?
Robert M Boren Sr
New member
The reason we stopped was never a money issue ( other than the 100 bucks to cross the ranchers land ). Going and hunting eastern Montana was my vacation and the tags and gas and all that went with it didn't matter. Then the state stepped in with their infinite wisdom and said hey, you have a section of state land in your land, you Have to let people in to hunt it. Well, the fight was on and it really has never settled down. Before that time you could go to any ranch and the land owner was more than glad to let you hunt, in fact they asked you to gut shoot a couple while you're in there. So it really became a hastle to hunt. Yes there's the land management and all, but that was always full and the blm land had hunter behind every sage brush out there. It was really a sad thing to waste. We used to go and get a couple of antelopes and two to three deer a piece, one year they were letting us have 7 deer, but that's what made the trip worth while, was the b tags. I hope that things go back to the way it was, I miss the trips.