A huge whitetail buck in full velvet is a special trophy that many hunters seek for a host of reasons. In central and northern regions of the US, whitetail deer usually shed their velvet by mid-September, some even sooner. Instead of waiting for the rut, a hunter can begin his scouting in earnest in mid-summer and actually hunt the first week of September. The weather is mild, and days are long, making for a very comfortable sit. Joe Guthrie from Alabama took this huge velvet buck in Montana while hunting with Eric Albus in the Milk River region of Montana.
Look a Lot, Pick a Spot
Bucks in early September can be patterned, especially if they feed on alfalfa, the prominent feed in the Milk River area. I had the privilege of hunting this region 20 years ago at the invitation of Bill Jordan. For the first two days, we watched hayfields morning and afternoon from distant vantage points until we could predict the travel of several great bucks. I had never taken such a patient approach to deer hunting, but the wisdom of this approach soon panned out. My first evening in a stand, I missed the first buck that came buy but connected on a larger one an hour later. It was not quite the size of Stan Pott’s deer, shown above, but a 140-class animal.
September 7, 2024
Montana opens its archery season on September 7 this fall which means that Leap Year give hunters a shorter window of opportunity. The key to succeeding is pre-scouting knowledge. The first evening of my Milk River hunt I watched a bachelor group of seven bucks walk through an open gate instead of passing near an established tree stand. I remember lamenting this travel route when the owner of the ranch suggested, “Why don’t you close the gate?” Duh! We did and the string filed by my tree stand the next evening.
Montana Licensing
Aside from “Big Sky” beauty, a deer hunt in Montana can offer the whitetail hunter a trophy of another kind- mule deer. Whitetail deer in Montana thrive in thick river and creek bottoms, just like in the East, while mule deer prefer open country where their eyesight keeps them safe from predators. Both species love alfalfa. A general deer license is good for a whitetail or mule deer. Bill Jordan and the Realtree Team have hunted with Milk River Outfitters for over 15 years hosting many celebrities, pro-athletes, outdoor writers, and hundreds of hard-working hunters from across the U.S.
Eric Albus is a 4th generation rancher in Montana and along his wife Robin, run Milk River Outfitters. Albus and his guides hunt the Milk River and Powder River drainage, for deer, antelope, and elk. The Montana season opens on September 7th and with pre-season scouting you can score on opening day. www.MilkRiverOutfitters.com