Whitetail deer harvest remains strong
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NORTHWEST MONTANA — At the six northwest Montana check stations through Sunday, Nov. 1, a total of 5,599 hunters checked 328 white-tailed deer (243 of these were bucks), 38 mule deer, and 35 elk for a 7.2 percent rate of hunters with game. This compares to a 6.3 percent rate of hunters with game 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 Neil Anderson notes that the number of white-tail deer brought through the check stations is up about 42 percent from last year, the number of elk is almost double, but the number of mule deer is down about 30 percent.
Hunters are reminded that it is buck-only for white-tails in northwest Montana. Antlerless white-tails remain legal game for youth 12-15 years of age (and some qualifying 10 and 11-year-olds, see regulations). Mule deer are buck-only for the entire season. Elk are brow-tine bull only, unless you have an antlerless elk license. Spike bull elk are not legal game for any hunter in Region One. Hunters should refer to the hunting regulations for the hunting district they plan to hunt.
Wolf harvest: Hunters are required to report a wolf harvest to FWP within 24 hours. As of Nov. 2, a total of 16 wolves have been taken by hunters in northwest Montana Region One compared to 13 at this time last year. A total of 50 wolves have been harvested statewide compared to 48 this time last year. The quota in wolf district 110 has been reached and that district is now closed. Wolf hunters should check the current wolf hunting regulations before heading out to the field.
