More opportunity..

Idaho you can get a tag over the counter. Plenty of public lands to hunt. Whitetail hunting, at least in the southern half of the state, is mostly on private lands. But plenty of public lands to go around. Good habitats hold deer. The better elk units require a draw, but Idaho doesn't use a point system so your chances are as good as anyone.

Montana requires you to put in for a non-resident draw, but for the last 5-6 years non-resident tags have gone undersubscribed so everyone draws, or you can wait until after the draw to just by a tag on-line. Montana also allows up to 7 deer tags, depending on how the herds are doing. Antlerless mule deer tags have an initial draw, but in good years, on most units, there will be surplus tags. Whitetail doe tags are OTC and region specific. I've hunted areas east of Great Falls, and if you are really serious, I can send you a map showing a specific area on public lands where you'll find both mule and whitetail. Hunting mid November, a 20 inch 4 point mule deer are EASY to find. Bigger than that are not rare, but are fewer. Buck-Doe ratios are close to 1:1.

I grew up in Idaho and have moved back this past year. But I'm more excited to go back to Montana in 2016. I'll get tags in both and go back to my old haunts in both states. Should be a good year.

I'd say Idaho has good deer hunting, but Montana has freaking fantastic- I've never experienced anything like it - kind of hunting. The season is 6 weeks long, and extends most of the month of November, so it includes the rut. And hunting the rut when the bucks are just silly is a really good time. Montana is absolutely worth the couple extra hours of driving.