Brushbuster
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Got a hunt this November in eastern Montana. Heard some talk about EHD hitting some deer pretty hard in North Dakota and Nebraska so I’m wondering if there was a big die off in eastern Montana?
This winter has been a mild one and that is needed for the mule deer. The drought has taken a toll and mule deer numbers are down over all in the SE part of Montana. Private land is fairing better than the bigger blocks of public were numbers have been in the outhouse for a decade.How do the mule deer look? Are they doing ok this winter?
EHD has very little of any effect on mule deer. If anything the competition it clears out from the whitetails is a good thing. The last three winters have been nonexistent in NE MT and this year was the same. Some rain would help, but drought isn’t nearly as hard on deer in ag areas as it is in true desert areas. I would argue that in areas with farmland a drought is better then a wet year for antler growth as the feed is much more nutrient dense and less bulk. A drought in NE MT is similar in rainfall to a wet year in AZ or S UT. Wet years up here just create a lot of bulky low protein feed and that’s actually worse for the bucks.How do the mule deer look? Are they doing ok this winter?
Really never thought of it that way but that makes a lot of sense. I’ve heard mule deer numbers were down in region 7 and they decided to cut doe tags. Hopefully my region 7 hunt turns out promising. Wasn’t out there last year but I heard it was a bit of a struggle to get on good bucks. But like you said yote, maybe they can thrive with less competition and more ag field feedEHD has very little of any effect on mule deer. If anything the competition it clears out from the whitetails is a good thing. The last three winters have been nonexistent in NE MT and this year was the same. Some rain would help, but drought isn’t nearly as hard on deer in ag areas as it is in true desert areas. I would argue that in areas with farmland a drought is better then a wet year for antler growth as the feed is much more nutrient dense and less bulk. A drought in NE MT is similar in rainfall to a wet year in AZ or S UT. Wet years up here just create a lot of bulky low protein feed and that’s actually worse for the bucks.
I’m up by region 6 and that may be different. It was dry as hell, but the deer always have plenty to eat here. Not like a drought in the desert SW where they literally starve to death. A lot of crops got left standing as they weren’t good enough to waste the fuel on combining and the deer winter in those and do exceptionally well. My farm in central ND was about 20 miles east of the line where EHD wiped out the whitetail. We didn’t lose any and had the best whitetail year I’ve ever seen coming off the easy winter and the droughted feed. Had several bucks that added 40” from 3.5 to 4.5 yrs old.Really never thought of it that way but that makes a lot of sense. I’ve heard mule deer numbers were down in region 7 and they decided to cut doe tags. Hopefully my region 7 hunt turns out promising. Wasn’t out there last year but I heard it was a bit of a struggle to get on good bucks. But like you said yote, maybe they can thrive with less competition and more ag field feed
November 15 to the 20th.When does the rut usually peak in region 7?
nope montana doesn't and they never will license is good for whitetails or mule deer common sense and montana wildlife do not go togetherJust reading through the posts it sounds like Montana doesn't set different quotas for mule deer vs whitetails? If that is true, it would make a lot of sense that they would segment these out. I know they do this in Wyo, Colo, and elsewhere to put more hunting pressure on whitetails.
elk and deer in montana are classified as rodents that need to be exterminated at any and all cost so our govonor and senator daines & his freinds can buy up public land for development but they have to get rid of all those pesky nusiance elk and deer firstSounds like Montana needs to step up and make the change? Unless they are tickled to death with whitetails dominating the landscape?
Mule deer, whitetail, antelope, buffalo, and prairie dogs on private ranch leases totaling about 100,000 acres.
We focus on trophy elk, mule deer, whitetail and antelope and manage our ranches for top quality.
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