Eastern MT??? Thoughts?

[100percent]

Montana Region 7 Deer Populations Cut In Half - Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals

The Montana deer population survey numbers for 2022 were published late last year and show that mule

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[MTPipeliner]

It’s a big area, so it’s not a uniform impact everywhere but I’d say that they’re probably right based on what I experienced last year.

In some areas I’d estimate that the whitetails took a 75% or greater hit while some others seem like they’re doing fine.

 

[100percent]

I saw similar results with WT last year and the MD numbers weren’t much better. My week was cold, heavy snow and high winds so, chalked it up to weather until I read this... My group struggled to see much better than a 3x. We passed on several older bucks with weak headgear while looking for something better! Better didn’t happen! Habitat looked much better than 21 season but, the deer looked about as bad as the habitat did in 21! Lets hope for an early spring and better moisture this summer!!!

 

[NRA4LIFE]

In my opinion, unit 7 has had a 90+% or greater reduction in mule deer from years past. Areas where I was used to seeing 100 more a day have reduced to zero. First year I won't be applying in 35 years.

 

[t_carlson]

Wait, you mean you can’t keep issuing 6 doe tags person and maintain a healthy population?

I don’t buy the whole “drought” excuse. Most of the R7 deer are within walking distance of an alfalfa or hay pivot.

This is the result of what happens when Randy Newberg and the MT FWP join forces.

 

[brockel]

This is the result of a rapidly growing resident population, a general season that runs from September to almost Christmas now with the traditional season, and 6+doe tags a person. Eastern Montana has always been the spill over for western Montana deer hunters but with the growing resident population it is no longer sustainable. But fwp isn’t going to make any changes

 

[Whitey Fisk 88]

Wait, you mean you can’t keep issuing 6 doe tags person and maintain a healthy population?

I don’t buy the whole “drought” excuse. Most of the R7 deer are within walking distance of an alfalfa or hay pivot.

This is the result of what happens when Randy Newberg and the MT FWP join forces.

Nail on the head. At least Randy had his good time though!! Screw the rest of us!!

 

[Bull_n_heat]

What exactly did Randy Newberg do? He, and 15 other YouTubers, hunt eastern Montana for deer from time to time. I never saw him shoot 6 does though, and he certainly isn't responsible for changes to the habitat that clearly affected deer numbers.

 

[Dos Perros]

Randy got me to go to eastern Montana and we've stroked a few good bucks out of there over the years. Heard 2022 was rough and we were there in 2021 and it was not like years before.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Randy got me to go to eastern Montana and we've stroked a few good bucks out of there over the years. Heard 2022 was rough and we were there in 2021 and it was not like years before.

I’ve been the last 6 years, everyone was a little worse than the last. 22’ was the first year though I didn’t even see a nice one. I spent 11 days looking.

 

[Dos Perros]

I went 2018, 2020, and 2021. Similar story. 2021 I bet we saw 15% of what I saw in 2018, and 0 mature bucks.

 

[Tmac]

We’ve hunted the same ranch in SE MT for 8 years, and MT since 93. We saw the lowest number of deer ever in 2021. Was so bad that we did not hunt the ranch in 22 and may not in 23, we are waiting to see how bad this winter hammered them. It is not looking good. Population was off 75-80% where we hunt in 21. That area has good habitat, but a bad winter kill followed by drought/blue tongue the following summer really sealed the deal.

 

[Erict]

It gets more interesting when you look at a longer term picture. This is from MT FWP - these are ESTIMATES and the disclaimers at the bottom seem to leave a lot of leeway. It's probably at least accurate for TRENDS.

PS - For those who don't know - Region 7 is "SE MT" - the southeastern "1/7th" of the state.

 

[Jon Boy]

I have hunted eastern mt for a very long time. I lived and worked on the custer. Guided in the Terry bad lands. And pretty much have intimate knowledge of most of region 7. The droughts and winters have very little to do with declining numbers. The exuberant doe tags have everything to do with it. Driving around the last several years and seeing 6 mule deer does hanging in camps was pretty damn common on the Custer. Normally im not one to dog on what ever some one wants to shoot. But WTF. A mule deer doe us about the least sporting ungulate and the table fair is far from a white tail. And now we are seeing the product of those decisions.

I haven't been back to hunt in 2 years and don't plan on it any time soon. I've had some incredible over the years and its a crying shame to see how it's gone down hill.

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[100percent]

I wasn’t aware of the 6 doe tags! Wow! What a cluster! Were the deer eating the crops AND all the fence posts or what? i know some have criticized this idea but, it seems management by region would be prudent!….

 

[Jon Boy]

I wasn’t aware of the 6 doe tags! Wow! What a cluster! Were the deer eating the crops AND all the fence posts or what? i know some have criticized this idea but, it seems management by region would be prudent!….

Maybe on private land. There were some pockets of very good deer numbers on public and those are all gone now.

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[j_volt]

I have had a general deer tag in Montana in 2020, 2021, and 2022, and hunted the same general area in region 7 each time. I have seen significantly less deer each year. The only good thing was not stopping every mile to wait for the deer to get off the highway this year.

 

[S.Clancy]

Having hunted R7 for 24 yrs, yes, the last couple years have been bad, especially in the SE. Looking forward to seeing less pressure out there.....

 

[4rcgoat]

I wasn’t aware of the 6 doe tags! Wow! What a cluster! Were the deer eating the crops AND all the fence posts or what? i know some have criticized this idea but, it seems management by region would be prudent!….

No doubt! Down here you get 1 doe tag....and only on private.

 

[nubbin]

Well this is good news! I just applied for a Montana deer tag lol. I went for the first time in 2018 and didn’t have any problem finding deer. I know that the numbers fluctuate greatly up there, but being in Arkansas I’m far removed from keeping up with it! Oh well, still gonna give it a shot if we get drawn. You never know! In this part of Arkansas I’m used to dealing with low deer densities. Will be taking my dad on his first mule deer hunt, knowing him he’s not gonna be picky. I’ll just pray for a wet summer, lord knows we need one down here also after last summer.