More hunters afield, but success is limited

While the deer harvest picked up during the last two weeks of the 2011 big game hunting season, total counts at six Northwest Montana check stations still lagged behind last year.

"The results at our check stations are an indication that deer and elk populations are still down throughout Northwest Montana," said Jim Williams, regional wildlife manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. "We'll know the details of total harvest for each hunting district after the telephone hunter surveys are completed this spring."

Check stations are open on weekends only during the season, and counts reflect only a sampling of the overall harvest.

As of Sunday, the last day of the season, a total of 18,611 hunters checked 911 whitetail deer - 753 of them bucks - along with 103 mule deer and 121 elk for a 6.1 percent rate of hunters with game.

During the 2010 season, 17,564 hunters had stopped at the check stations with 1,055 whitetail deer - 888 of them bucks - along with 159 mule deer and 158 elk for a 7.8 percent rate of hunters with game.

This year's check station counts were 15 percent lower for whitetail bucks, 35 percent lower for mule deer and 23 percent lower for elk.

Meanwhile, the wolf harvest in Northwest Montana remains open until Dec. 31, and the state is considering extending the season until Jan. 31.

So far, hunters in Northwest Montana have taken 44 wolves, or 62 percent of the regional quota of 71. Quotas for individual wolf hunting districts in Northwest Montana have not been reached and all districts remain open.

Hunters can still purchase wolf hunting licenses but there is a five-day waiting period before the licenses are valid.