Deer hunters having a rough time

The Daily Inter Lake

Three weeks into the big-game hunting season, the Northwest Montana deer harvest is well behind last year’s numbers as well as historic averages.

 The elk harvest, meanwhile, is comparable to last year’s.

Through Nov. 15, a total of 14,768 hunters have stopped at the six check stations in Region One, according to a news release from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

So far, 589 whitetail deer have been checked (compared to 814 at this time last year); 112 mule deer have been checked compared to 135 last year; and 115 elk have been checked compared to 109 last year.

The percentage of hunters with game is 5.5 percent this year, down from 6.7 percent a year ago.

The number of antlerless whitetail deer permits distributed this year was significantly reduced from last year, forcing hunters to rely on finding bucks.

 Hunters have checked 311 bucks this season compared to 396 at this time last year, and that total is close to the record-low 310 bucks in 1997.