Deer and elk harvest remains slow

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks reports that the number of deer and elk checked at the six Northwest Montana game stations has been slower than last season.

Through Nov. 3, a total of 5,575 hunters checked 197 white-tailed deer (162 of these were bucks), 48 mule deer and 28 elk for a 4.7 percent rate of hunters with game.

The success rate was 5.7 percent last year. The counts at the six Northwest Montana check stations represent a sampling of the harvest and do not represent the complete number of animals taken.

FWP wildlife manager Jim Williams predicted that, based on standard trends, the deer and elk harvest should pick up each weekend until the end of the hunting season.

The North Fork game station saw 370 hunters with nine whitetails, four white-tailed bucks, one mule deer and no elk for a 2.7 percent success rate — significantly better than last year, when the success rate was 0.8 percent.

The Swan game station reported a significant drop in numbers, with the success rate declining from 8.2 percent last year to 2.8 percent this year. A total of 1,093 hunters checked 27 whitetails, 22 white-tailed bucks, four mule deer and no elk.

The Olney game station recorded the highest success rate at 7.7 percent, compared to 7.2 percent last year. A total of 788 hunters checked 54 whitetails, 48 white-tailed bucks, three mule deer and four elk.

A total of 28 elk were checked at all six Northwest Montana game stations, down from 35 last year. Game stations on U.S. 2 west of Kalispell and at Thompson Falls both checked 11 elk.

Eighteen wolves have been taken by hunters in Northwest Montana, and 57 wolves have been taken statewide. Wolf hunters should check the current wolf hunting regulations before heading out to the field. Hunters are required to report a wolf harvest to FWP within 24 hours.

Hunters are reminded that it’s buck-only for whitetails in Northwest Montana. Antlerless whitetails remain legal game for youths 12-15 years of age (and some qualifying 11-year-olds).

Mule deer are bucks-only for the entire season. Elk are brow-tine bull only. 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.