RE: Over the counter mule deer tag??
Not sure how eastern MT tags work, but this past fall was there hunting antelope, and I have never seen so many mule deer in my life! let me repeat, never seen so many mule deer in my life!!
Way more does than bucks, but still when you see a 1000 or 2000 deer on your drive back in the evening, a few of those are bucks....not a place for Boone and Crockett racked bucks, but I think you sould be able to draw a tag easily if not OTC, and for managment sake, shoot about 10 does for each buck you take.
I was in the SE region, near Broadus. Could be a fun hunt on short notice I suppose and a good do it yourself style, everyone would shoot something I'm sure, though not sure how many bucks....certainly you could kill a few dozen does a piece!