southeast montana opener

[rifleman]

in 2005 i hunted the broadus area the second week of the general season. all in 4 in my party had great success that second week of the season. we saw virtually no others hunters. i was just wondering if anyone knows what the hunting pressure is like around the opener of the general season? if i get drawn this year, around the opener may be a better time for me to go. i've been told the locals don't usually come out until the rut hits, which again is not a time i would be able to hunt. any info you have would be appreciated.

 

[antlerradar]

I have hunted SE Mt for 25 years. In the past there was a lot of pressure opening week but now most people wate for the rut. I think you are smart to hunt early. Three of my Four best bucks were taken in the first or second week of the season. As the rut starts the bucks start looking for does and often this will move them from public land to private land. Hunt early, the hunting is harder but if you put in some time walking and glassing you will do just fine.

Antlerradar

 

[wazzu99]

Is there much public land around the Broadus area. I have never been in that area but thought most was private??

Wazzu99

 

[rifleman]

lots of block management ranches in the area. in 2005 we went 5 for 5 and only 1 of those deer was shot on a private ranch. i was there the week before the season opened this past fall hunting antelope and saw some very nice bucks on both public land and the block management ranches we were hunting.

 

[SalVelinus]

Good advice. Also, be aware that the mule deer rut isn't quite like the whitetail rut in that it isn't really a short week long breeding sprint, it is more like a month long marathon. It is not unusual to see big bucks with does during the first week of Nov. and breeding continues into December. Of course there is a peak of the rut in mid Nov. I have hunted that area extensively and shot some pretty good bucks, all in the first couple weeks of season. As anyone will tell you, hunt and glass hard, get away from the roads, and look for smaller, isolated parcels of state/blm land that aren't easily accessible. These areas are often overlooked by nonresidents and residents alike. Get some blm maps for the area you plan to hunt to identify these areas. Believe me, there are plenty of them.

 

[wjt]

Had great success in 2001 and 2003 hunting block managementin Broadus area. Outfitters have a lot of land there tied up. Watch out for roads and truck/suv tires. They use shale or simular material on roads. I had 8 flats in 5 days. Had one patched and only got 5 miles down road and same tire went flat ( 11 inches from old patch). If possible have better than 4 ply tires. I had a rental (4 ply). Nice people in area . Rancher gave me a tire when I had 2 flats same time and said to leave it in town at filling station and he would pick up later. Descent mulies but most were not real wide.

 

[rifleman]

i know what you mean. last year we were hunting antelope on a bma north of broadus and put, what i call, a $200 rock thru my bfg all-terrain. we're heading up oct. 17 to do some scouting before the opener. we were fortunate to get reservations on 2 big ranches we've hunted before. also we're going to look at some blm and state land in the area as well.