Shelby, Montana Deer quality????

crazyelk

FNG
Joined
Jun 4, 2013
Messages
33
After 30 years of friendship my buddy just told me he has uncles in Montana with lots of land. Now that I got him into hunting he brings it up. Anyway we got the Green light to come.
Has anyone hunted around there can you share what quality of deer they have? Pics?
We won't be hunting elk there but it's a possibility for the future so if you have pics of those too would love to see them. Thanks
 
Joined
Mar 21, 2012
Messages
1,164
Location
Missoula, MT
Decent muley numbers but whitetail are down from what they were five years ago.

Since you will have access to lots of private land, the trophy quality that you will experience is likely way different from everyone that will be hunting public and block management. I would be asking the uncle what he is seeing for quality. I'm guessing it will be higher than the meat forkies and occasional 4x4 that other hunters are seeing.
 

bhylton

WKR
Joined
Jan 28, 2015
Messages
570
Location
-MT-
plenty of mule deer around it seems. ive hunted unit 401 many times on public land and never have trouble getting a deer. access is tough but if you have private land it could be great
 

cowboy

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 13, 2015
Messages
141
Location
Mt/Id/SD
Ask how far your contacts land is from the Canadian border. If it is close or on the border, plan on being there to hunt right after the Canadian Providence's deer season opens. The deer get a lot of pressure from Canada and they don't stop to show their passports at Customs Port of Entry. I have seen some very nice deer come out of that area. My definition of nice is anything above 180" on mule deer.
 

Kameero

FNG
Joined
Apr 6, 2016
Messages
14
If your on or adjacent to farm land near the Marias River expect some really good whitetail.
 

mtmuley

WKR
Joined
Mar 5, 2017
Messages
585
Location
Montana
Where's the uncles land in proximity to Shelby? PM me a name, bet it's familiar. My family is from North of Shelby (Has been for generations) and still has private land there. Private may make a difference depending on how much ground they have and where it is. The Sweetgrass Hills get absolutely pounded. Used to hunt it as a kid. Went on an elk hunt with a buddy that drew, and was amazed at the pressure. The best mule deer country is leased. Whitetails are there, but hard to hunt in the lower farmland. I did happen to see more mule deer on my antelope hunt last year than I have in awhile. I have permission to hunt 10's of thousands of acres of private up there, but don't make the trip for deer. mtmuley
 
Top