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Hunters and conservation groups say a glut of mule deer tags has contributed to the species' recent decline in eastern Montana.
Andy Wright of Ekalaka says hunting mule deer on public land is becoming an increasingly difficult pursuit. Credit: Amanda Eggert
Grassy, sagebrushy and only occasionally interrupted by sandstone buttes or clumps of pine trees, southeastern Montana has long drawn mule deer hunters from across the state and region. As recently as 2017, Hunters have harvested more than 17,000 mule deer from this region per year, filling their freezers with venison and adding to the tills of local businesses that guide, feed and lodge them.
These days, though, it's almost easier to find elk on public land than it is to spot a mule deer in Carter County, according to local hunters who lament a rise in hunting pressure they say is wrought by...
