Youths get first shots at Lost Trail
Elk race across the meadow above Dahl Lake on the Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge west of Kalispell. The refuge is a popular destination, with a special youth-hunter-only hunt during the first seven days of the general big-game season that starts Sunday. Karen Nichols file photo/Daily Inter Lake
By JIM MANN/Daily Inter Lake
The opening week of the big game hunting season always is busy at the Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge west of Kalispell, and this year probably won't be any different.
Portions of the refuge are open for a novel youth-only hunt for the first seven days of the season that starts Sunday.
"That's kind of a premier National Wildlife Refuge that has incredible hunting opportunities for youth on the front end and everybody on the back end," said Jim Williams, regional wildlife manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
But this year could be more challenging for hunters, according to John Takala, the refuge manager.
"There's a few elk around but not like there has been in the past," Takala said, explaining that a relatively warm and dry fall so far has kept elk dispersed and at higher elevations surrounding the refuge that is nestled into the grasslands of Pleasant Valley.
Elk typically move into that winter range as weather deteriorates and the hunting season progresses.
"We haven't been hearing them bugling in the mornings and evening as much as we have in the past," Takala said, also noting that archery hunters have had poor success around the refuge in recent weeks.
Even so, Takala is expecting the usual strong turnout of hunters ages 12 to 15.
"We do get a pretty good number of kids out here," he said.
Youth hunters must be accompanied by a licensed hunter who is at least 18 to hunt deer or elk on refuge lands that are open.
The refuge covers 9,000 acres, and about half of that land is off-limits to hunting throughout the season. The closed section is a roughly eight-mile long strip in the valley bottom between Pleasant Valley Road and South Pleasant Valley Road.
There are a variety of special rules for the refuge that are detailed in a map pamphlet available at all refuge access points, the refuge headquarters, and at the larger parking areas.
Takala urges all hunters who use the refuge to get a map to be certain of areas that are closed to hunting.
Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com