Mule deer around Garnet Ghost town

[steamfitter]

Im curious has anyone hunted for mule deer around the ghost town area. I know its a draw area for mule deer and i have been all over this country seeings how i live up the garnet range road but the 6 years i have been here i have never seen a large muley. I have seen large whitetail and a few elk not many but i dont understand why its a draw for muleys. Just wondering.

 

[THWAK1]

I think that it why it is a draw area...not many mule deer. I hunted over near there back in the 90's w/a friend from Missoula (back before 200 is as nice as it is now and they thinned the forests). We didn't end up shooting any deer nor did we see anything that was worth shooting. I was told it used to be a better area, sure looks like it, but too many deer killed in conjunction w/elk hunting or whatever and it's close proximity to Missoula means it gets hit pretty hard. My 2 cents worth. Good luck...some beautiful country up there.

 

[----]

I agree with Thwak. There's just not that many mule deer in there.
I was working between Missoula and Drummond all last fall and winter, and saw a couple decent bucks in the unit just off I-90, and in the Bearmouth canyon. Really nothing you couldn't shoot in a general unit though.

 

[belly-deep]

I know someone who had the tag a couple years ago. He ended up shooting a dink.

Shhhhhhh.....don't tell Eastmans....IIRC, it was one of their "recommended units" within the last few years

 

[steamfitter]

I thought maybe it was just me i have seen decent bucks but not eye poppers. I have seen some big whitetail .

 

[----]

I thought maybe it was just me i have seen decent bucks but not eye poppers. I have seen some big whitetail .

I'd all but guarantee you there's more 150" whitetail in that unit than 150" mule deer.

 

[BRI]

Here's the biggest buck I've seen in that unit.

 

[steamfitter]

Thats bigger than anything i have seen. I know during hunting season its like daytona 500 on the roads i mean i live up the range road and walk to all the places i hunt around there and you definitly dont see much by the road.I saw a whitelail 3 years in a row that had to go 170 the last year i saw him but didnt see him this past season and never saw a muley buck