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Montana — Mule Deer

MT Mule Deer Unit 281

Total Acres
242,628
Public Land
81%
Wilderness
3%
Elevation
4,103–9,378 ft

Season Dates

YearWeaponDatesTag TypeSex
2026Archery — B-Tag 00Sep 5, 2026 — Oct 18, 2026—female
2026Archery — General Archery — Antlered Buck Mule DeerSep 5, 2026 — Oct 18, 2026—male
2026Archery — General Archery — Either-Sex White-Tailed DeerSep 5, 2026 — Oct 18, 2026—either
2026Muzzleloader — General Muzzleloader — Antlered Buck Mule DeerDec 12, 2026 — Dec 20, 2026—male
2026Muzzleloader — General Muzzleloader — Either-Sex White-Tailed DeerDec 12, 2026 — Dec 20, 2026—either
2026Muzzleloader — General Muzzleloader — Antlered Buck White-Tailed DeerDec 12, 2026 — Dec 20, 2026—male
2026Muzzleloader — B-Tag 00Dec 12, 2026 — Dec 20, 2026—female
2026Rifle — General Rifle — Antlered Buck Mule DeerOct 24, 2026 — Nov 29, 2026—male
2026Rifle — B-Tag 00Oct 24, 2026 — Nov 29, 2026—female
2026Rifle — General Rifle — Antlered Buck White-Tailed DeerOct 31, 2026 — Nov 29, 2026—male
2026Rifle — General Rifle — Either-Sex White-Tailed DeerOct 24, 2026 — Oct 30, 2026—either

Trophy Data

B&C Entries
15
Avg Score
191.6
Top Score
241
Recent (5yr)
1

AI Scout Analysis

# MT 281 Tactical Analysis ## Terrain & Access MT 281 spans 4,100–9,400 ft elevation across 242,628 acres with strong public land access (81%). This high-elevation unit offers mixed terrain ranging from mid-elevation mule deer country to alpine ridges, with abundant Custer National Forest ground. Expect rugged backcountry hunting with good opportunity for both mule deer and whitetail. ## Herd Quality & Population Trophy records from overlapping Lewis and Clark and Powell counties show a...

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Tag Quotas & Applicant Volume

YearWeaponResidencyApplicantsTags issued
4 recent records available — Sign up to see current data
2023B-Tag 00resident14525
2023B-Tag 00nonresident42

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Harvest Data

YearWeaponHuntersHarvestSuccess
8 recent records available — Sign up to see current harvest data
2022014—
202209—
2022057—
20220208—