Wyoming - Montana connection

SteveE · Feb 6, 2018

I need a pal in Wyoming. Looking for a Wyoming resident who hunts or plans to hunt Montana.

I spend a ton of time figuring out Montanas best hunts. I've been at it close to 30 years. We have some great spots and not so great spots and some of these tags are available every year to those that know.

Looking for a seasoned Wyoming resident looking to exchange this type of info thru private messages.

I'm not starving so looking for areas that produce 170 type deer and 300 type bulls. I prefer to hunt often over building points! I have no problem eating a tag - i did not fill my WY region A deer tag last year.

Anybody in the same boat and looking for some Montana help?

callsalot · Feb 6, 2018

Wish I could help. I've hunted both these states but am not a resident of either and don't have enough knowledge but it sounds like a pretty good win, win so hope you team up with someone.
Good luck.

mta5672 · Feb 6, 2018

Do you archery hunt?

SteveE · Feb 6, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Feb-06-18 AT 05:32PM (MST)[p]Yes. Archery, rifle, backpack and or truck camp equipped.

SteveE · Feb 16, 2018

>Do you archery hunt?

Is this a hint or do you not like archers

The suspense is killin me...

Nobody hunts MT??

BuzzH · Feb 16, 2018

I hunt both, and Wyoming is 10 times better hunting than Montana.

If not for family, I wouldn't even buy the OTC come home to hunt deer tag.

Probably why you're having trouble finding someone from Wyoming that hunts Montana...no reason to.

SteveE · Feb 18, 2018

BuzzH!! That made me laugh, because of my own stupidity.

I bought a leftover region A tag last year because of you

. Glanced at a map - plenty of public. Buzz says WY is great. I have killed good bucks just north in MT. Internet people say hunts suck all the time where I find success so I purchased.... Then I did more research. Wyoming does not have near the county roads that MT does. As you know, no legal access to the majority of public land.

The few accessible sections had heavy pressure but I could of killed numerous younger bucks.

That felt to tight for me, so I headed for plan D, the Black Hills. Great stuff for a whitetail hunter which is not me but so fun to hike, camp out and visit with some locals who were very friendly.

It was a great trip! Not the area for me but was a great adventure.

I would like to buy you a beer some day and talk history. I agree with you on some faults of MTFWP but honestly feel the tide is SLOWLY changing for the good. Guys like Shane Colton of Billings on the commission is already helping. People arguing on the internet

are creating discussions on important topics.

Good luck in 2018!

BuzzH · Feb 18, 2018

The saddest part about Montana is the squandered potential...it should bury Wyoming damn near across the board.

It doesn't.

I'm not a person that believes everything should be limited quota, as I think Residents need an opportunity to hunt every year if we're going to attract new hunters and maintain the traditional part of family hunting, etc.

But, just not sold Montana needs to keep 11 weeks of brown its down to do that...

The only hunting that is better now, than when I left Montana 18 years ago (I could easily argue since I started hunting in 1979 there) is turkey, lion, and wolves. Everything else is worse...deer, elk, moose, sheep, goat, pronghorn.

Sad.

SteveE · Feb 18, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Feb-18-18 AT 01:49PM (MST)[p]The older I get the more I realize I'm not always right. I get surprised and learn something new every year. I respect your opinions - i know you have done it.

But...

If MT?s problem is 11 weeks then why can I kill better bucks just north of Wyomings Region A in SE MT? I believe WY?s dates are 3 weeks long Nov. 1 - Nov. 21. WY has way less public access. Seems backwards.

MT has some great habitat areas that close early to buck hunting - Nov. 12ish.
I have been in these areas chasing elk into late November. The quality of bucks is crap. Quanity it seems to help but zero big bucks come out of these units. Fly either direction a couple hundred miles, in units with 11 weeks of hunting and I have done ok.

I have killed a gross 170ish buck the last 4 years. If this winter doesnt kill us out again I'm confident I can do it in 2018. That is better for me. Every year one buddy manages to kill a 200ish buck. Not lots of them but someone scratches one out every year. It takes 6+ years to grow bucks like that. We have devestating winters about every 5 years.

Horrible winters and doe harvest on public lands are the biggey in my book. Those 11 weeks spread the pressure and let people live as they choose.

Again, I appreciate your experience and what you say on matters. I used to believe 11 weeks was the killer but not so sure anymore. We need some limited quotas scattered through out imo.

Edit: And do you feel WY is better today then 1979 when you started hunting?

COSA · Feb 18, 2018

Going to agree with Buzz. Moved to MT from WY a few years ago, piss poor management by fwp for mule deer. As a MT resident, my mule deer season is focused on other states. We continue to hunt mule deer until thanksgiving so everyone can shoot a forky off the road; we don't hunt elk with a rifle in September? I've lived in a few western states, and MT FWP is by far the poorest at managing their wildlife

SteveE · Feb 19, 2018

>Going to agree with Buzz. Moved
>to MT from WY a
>few years ago, piss poor
>management by fwp for mule
>deer. As a MT resident,
>my mule deer season is
>focused on other states. We
>continue to hunt mule deer
>until thanksgiving so everyone can
>shoot a forky off the
>road; we don't hunt elk
>with a rifle in September?
>I've lived in a few
>western states, and MT FWP
>is by far the poorest
>at managing their wildlife

Historically I agree with Buzz too but its 2018. Times are changing. For the better imo.

We do hunt elk with rifle in September. I do it every single year.

We have multiple, huge deer units that close early November. Very, very few archery hunters so these deer are hunted 3 weeks every year. Do you hunt them?

Exactly what I love about MT. You can live to the fullest if you want to take part.

It is -15 below zero and I have 18 inches of rock hard snow ice hard pack in my yard. My snow blower cant get thru it.
The 2 point you are upset about will starve this year regardless. The family that shot it off the road will eat it and have a great adventure.

FWP and mule deer have it tough in MT.
Here is one of the dead heads from this year. I find them every year on the wintet range. Numerous 3 year old bucks young and strong. Winter is brutal here and kills a huge amount of deer. Some years it nearly cleans them out.

http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/67815413827bd7af04105af4467ae7e879ef3.jpeg

If 160 - 170 type bucks can be had on general tags and we dont have overcrowding with short seasons I think the glass is looking half full.

These posts always turn political...
Anybody want to share honey holes

http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/143974864a6425b5346348d55129cda3522a1.jpeg

PM me COSA. I would be happy to point you to some better areas if you are not liking MT.

TOPGUN · Feb 19, 2018

Very nice buck SteveE!

SteveE · Feb 20, 2018

Thank you TOPGUN

SteveE · Feb 20, 2018

And seriously, no one hunts MT cause it sucks? Really??

I will never break any records so I don't stress over scores but I feel like the experience is world class.

http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/7006410afb7e89ee045e198e8b6c855870cca.jpeg

All general tag, public land.

http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/3073034617dff1f7c4e47977bcfcb3b745c54.jpeg

http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/768269a0633dc77c04db2aad6dd1184e6f614.jpeg

Cabin fever is killing me...

http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2018/3603849a05865e076437ba3a70af21969e4cf.jpeg

mulecreek · Feb 20, 2018

Nice bucks!

BuzzH · Feb 20, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Feb-20-18 AT 02:37PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Feb-20-18 AT 02:36?PM (MST)

Nice bucks for Montana, and I don't think anybody is denying that hunting Montana for deer is fun.

These are all general tags too, in WY. I really need to get after the mule deer again. Sort of been on an elk kick lately.

A few of mine:

A couple others from general areas in Wyoming that I helped friends with, both shot the same year, both over 190 gross:

Last couple times I hunted mule deer in Montana, several years ago:

BBB · Feb 20, 2018

SteveE,

PM sent

SteveE · Feb 20, 2018

Awesome bucks Buzz!

Not saying MT has anything on WY.

Region A was unimpressive but that was my own fault. I knew what I signed up for.

Thanks for those that sent pm?s!