Deer, elk harvest continues at slow pace

A total of 11,842 hunters checked 379 white-tailed deer (294 of these were bucks), 52 mule deer and 64 elk at the Fish, Wildlife and Parks' six Northwest Montana check stations through Nov. 13 for a 4.2 percent rate of hunters with game.

Harvest was down from last year, when 5.3 percent of hunters checked game. The number of white-tailed bucks at the check stations is down 15 percent, while mule deer numbers are down 47 percent, and elk are down 23 percent.

The counts at the six northwest Montana check stations represent a sampling of the harvest and don't represent the complete number of animals taken.

Hunters are reminded that it's bucks-only for whitetails in Northwest Montana. Antlerless whitetails remain legal game for youths 12-15 years of age and some qualifying 11-year olds and for disabled hunters with a permit to hunt from a vehicle.

Mule deer are bucks-only for the entire season. Elk are brow-tine bull only except for youths 12-15 years of age and some qualifying 11-year olds, who can take an antlerless elk. Spike bull elk are not legal game for any hunter in Region 1. Hunters should refer to the hunting regulations for the hunting district they plan to hunt.

Hunters have taken 30 wolves in Region 1 to date. The total quota is 71 for the region. This is a complete count because hunters must call in their harvest within 12 hours. Hunters checked six wolves through the six Region 1 stations. The remainder were checked at FWP headquarters or by wardens.