Here at Montana Whitetails we can offer fantastic rifle hunts for whitetail deer on our private ranches. With over 10,000 acres of private land we can offer a very successful rifle hunt from spot and stalk and tree stand hunting, to natural terrain ground blinds watching brush choked coulees and travel corridors in the open prairie where some of these big bucks call home and are tough to bowhunt!
We do specialize in archery hunts and focus most of our advertising to that market. However, we can provide an awesome whitetail deer rifle hunt on our private leases. We do have some river bottom that can be hunted with either bow or rifle. Don’t be fooled by the small percentage of river bottom land available to rifles, there are an abundance of mature trophy class whitetail bucks in these areas where archery hunting them is difficult. Large areas of thick willows and tag alders broken up by small meadows and few trees, bordered by vast expanses of agriculture, make for some awesome big buck habitat. This also creates tougher bow hunting conditions, but awesome gun hunting. Most rifle stands are set along the edge’s of large thickets bordering open meadows where whitetail movement can be observed in these openings between willow thickets.
We also have large tracts of more open habitat outside the river bottom that holds some impressive trophy whitetail bucks. These areas are most productive when sitting on hillside watches overlooking brushy creek bottoms surrounded by more open prairie or sage brush, or draws leading from bedding cover to agriculture in our vast prairie land outside the river bottom. Early morning and evening watches are the most productive during late October. During November, all day can be very productive when mature bucks try to nudge estrous does into these smaller secluded thickets in these vast open areas outside the river bottom.
Limited Rifle Hunters: We take a limited number of rifle whitetail deer hunters per year. With this limited number of gun hunters on a vast area of approximately 10,000 acres of private property, we have the luxury to gun hunt several areas in the same day or try to hunt one particular buck. Some areas never even get hunted certain years do to most of our clients archery hunting our riverbottom areas. This gives our gun hunters a really good opportunity to harvest bucks that haven't been pressured all season!
What to Expect: Our land has an excellent whitetail deer population with a buck-to-doe ratio that is very healthy, mature bucks being the rule, not the exception. Very limited pressure ensures a quality hunting experience in which hunters should expect to see plenty of bucks during their weeks hunt with us.
By limiting this hunting pressure, we are able to increase the age structure of our bucks in the 3-1/2 to 5-1/2 year age class. We have now reached a point where we have a very healthy, sustained age group of mature bucks of this caliber on our leases. This unique opportunity gives our rifle hunters a high success rate on trophy class bucks along with the interaction of observing a large whitetail deer herd in a relaxed atmosphere.
Success Rates: We've enjoyed 100% shot opportunities on our Montana whitetail deer gun hunts. Average shots in the field can range from 50 yards out of tree stands to 300 yards in the open prairie. So bring a flat shooting rifle sighted in I would suggest 1 inch high at 100 yards should be perfect. Most shots will range between that 75 and 200 yard range depending on which situation your faced with from day to day.
Your Hunt: Once hunters arrive in camp, each whitetail deer hunter will be assigned to a ranch and can hunt that ranch through the week. Gun hunters will be placed in our rifle hunting areas. All stands or ground blinds/natural blinds on every ranch will provide opportunities on one day or another.
We are strongly focused on increasing opportunities for our hunters. These are wild free roaming whitetails and different bucks will be passing through these areas with each new day. Being patient is certainly hard when hunting is narrowed down to a short period of time. Gun hunters have the peace of mind that once they see a buck there looking for, the odds are good your going to get that buck if you make the shot count. Rest assure that your guide will do everything within his knowledge and experience to allow you to harvest your buck within your 5 day hunt. You will be placed according to wind direction, pre-week & current observations, crop rotation, up-to-date buck sightings, past travel recurrence such as yearly travel corridors as in fence lines, field edges, brushy creek draws, & river bottom willow thickets. Hunters will benefit from long distance scouting by the guides after hunters are dropped off to pin point new buck (daylight) travel patterns that are changing and can be adapted too quickly under the right conditions.
Antler Restrictions: We do have a 115" minimum here at Montana Whitetails, Inc. as proper buck management is vital to the success of our future clients, and business goals. A buck is just reaching its potential at 3.5 years of age and is most evident at 4 and 5. It is our intent to give each one of our clients an opportunity at a buck of this size or larger. This will assure our age structure of mature bucks to be sustained for years to come and to give future hunters the same rewards of harvesting a mature trophy Montana whitetail buck as you have today. A good rule of thumb to stick with: A buck with an inside spread that is to the tips of it’s ears is 15-16", along with good mass, and better than average tine length should put the buck at 120" or better which is what we encourage our hunters to shoot for. This may help you in the field when considering a buck is a shooter. As far as field scoring a trophy whitetail buck on the hoof, this only comes from experience. Young bucks have long legs, a thin neck, a slim body and an overall lanky appearance. Characteristics of a older whitetail buck often appear more structurally mature, fully muscled shoulders, legs that appear more proportional to their increased body mass and heavy swelling in their necks during the rut. They also may have a sagging back and a belly line even with their chest. Following these guidelines and management principals, combined with our experience and resources allows Montana Whitetails, Inc. to provide one of the most rewarding hunting experiences in the country today! There is no trophy fees applied for harvesting any buck over the 115" minimum. Bucks under the 115" minimum are subject to a $500 charge.
Please contact us with any questions about our Montana whitetail deer rifle hunting trips as we are very flexible to accommodate your needs and interests.
DATES & RATES
Prices include meals, lodging, and transportation pick-up/delivery to camp from Bozeman airport. License cost are the responsibility of the hunter/client. License costs subject to change yearly outside the control of Montana Whitetails, Inc.
5 Day Rifle Trophy Whitetail Deer Hunt: $5,495.00
7 Day Rifle Trophy Elk/Whitetail Deer Combo Hunt $11,495.00
GRATUITIES GREATLY APPRECIATED:
Gratuities are greatly appreciated by the guides and cook as this is a significant portion of their income. This is a reflection to them of a job well done. An average guide tip is typically 15-20% of the cost of the hunt. If you feel that your guide exceeded expectations, that will often be rewarded by exceeding 20%.
TYPICAL HUNT DATES:
- Rifle Deer Hunts are from Sat to Thurs - Arrive Sat., Depart Thur., Hunt 4 days Sunday - Wed.
- All Combo Hunts are from Sat to Sat, arrive Sat, Depart following Sat, hunt 6 days, Sun - Fri.
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RIFLE WEEKS
Hunt #7 Fourth week in Oct.
Hunt #8 First week in Nov.
Hunt #9 Second week in Nov.
Hunt #10 Third week in Nov. (Rut Hunt)
Hunt #11 Fourth week in Nov. (Rut Hunt)
(Please check with us for the current dates set by Montana FWP)
Back to the Whitetail Deer Page
Get More Information on our Montana Whitetail Deer Hunting Trips:
September Archery | October Archery | November Archery | November Rifle
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