Any good old Montana boys out there that want to point me in the right direction I would like to take my father on a diy mule deer hunt next year it’s on his bucket list and he’s not getting any younger it’s the least I can do for everything he’s done for me but were definitely on a budget so I am looking into the diy option but I have no idea where to start and help would be much appreciated thanks in advance!

The area I'm in has a lot of National Forest and state It's public land if you can acess it through public such as the county road or a river anyone can use it.. There is also a good number of ranches enrolled in what's called Block Management, acess varies, some you sigh in at a box at certain points others you go to a place, usually the ranch headquarters and sign in there. All the info you need you can get from the FWP webite. We get a lot of folks from all over come to this area so there is a lot of pressure. I like the Block Management because they can't drive their stinking side by sides and four wheelers all over lie they do on public. Years ago I had acess to many ranches but no more, owership change , peole leasing, so I've been public for years. Can still put meat in the freezer, more work though

^ this is the best advice I could give you also.

Gird your loins…..
The non resident deer only tag alone and associated tags is 800.00 and change now. Drawing applications must be in before April 1. Your 1600.00 plus underwater before leaving home. Eastern Montana is nice gentle country to hunt but the mule deer are way down in a LOT of those areas. Don’t know on the west half.

Osky

On state, federal, BLM lands I font think you’re allowed to drive heater skelter on any of it? Gotta stay on trails and 2 tracks. Be ready to walk.

Osky

I would get a big bumper,,,,and drive at night. You will get a nice one…..

I`m not from Montana but hunted their for the first time this past year.Did a diy trip for elk and deer.You can buy an elk and deer tag for something like $1300.00.They sell them as a package deal.Their where 3 of us that put in as a group and it took us two years to draw tags.My pictures are all on my phone and I have no idea how to put them on here .If you have on-x I could give you pins of where we killed elk and mule deer.We went with guns and hunted the last week of October and the first week of November but the tags are good for bow or gun.If you go to the Pa convention this year and want more information we could get together and talk.If you put in for a combo tag you also get fishing license and if you like to fish the fishing out their is awsome.

Miles City, Fort Keogh. Call and ask if they still allow walk in hunting. They used to have areas that were open to hunting, first come, first served. It is a government agriculture research facility, 55,000 acres in a block. Rough river breaks that hold a lot of mulies. Lots of BLM land around the area as well.

Yes, that is a great place to hunt but get your ducks in a row and call Miles City District WFP and get all the info you will need for this area.

Nice sounding area

Wow, I didn't realize it was that expensive to hunt out there for a non resident. I'd have a hard time justifying spending over 2 probably more like 3 grand for the chance to shoot an elk or mule deer. I'm adding in the hotel and the trip expenses too. I guess I'll just stick to hunting here in WI.

Thats cheap for hunts now a days.

We only stayed at a hotel one night on our 2 week hunt to get a shower.You do need some good gear such as backpacks and light weight camping gear.

So some dude is looking for hunting advice. You will notice he has never interacted since he posted the thread. I rarely give advice and living in Montana for 40 years I sure as heck am not gonna tell someone I have no clue who they are where he can go kill a big mule deer buck. I guess I am not a good old Montana boy.

What a terrible attitude...he just posted the question a day prior...some people work for a living and cant spend every second with their face planted to a screen

Amen Mid.

In a walk-in hunting area in eastern Montana, if he gets a big buck he will have earned it. In those breaks, you can hile 5 miles and only get 2 miles distance.

deer numbers out here are not good... id save your money honestly

It doesn't hurt anything to tell someone something in a general way, really they could look it up themselves with a map and FWP's website. I sure wouldn't give specifics on a particular spot, bad enough people find them any way. When we moved to this place I took a walk across the road up on the mountain. Found horns off all kinds, old white to new brown. Didn't say a word to anyone (learned that long ago) . A couple years later here's guys, I can get there by crossing the ranch that surrounds us but there is a way by crossing the top of the mountain that's public. When the elk are there I can see them from the livingroom window..