Deer harvest remains ahead of last year

The deer harvest continues to outpace last year’s numbers at the six hunting check stations in Northwest Montana.

Through Sunday, Nov. 11, a total of 11,094 hunters have checked 425 whitetail deer (including 368 bucks), 64 mule deer and 58 elk for a 4.9 percent rate of hunters with game.

That compares to last year’s numbers of 11,842 hunters with 379 whitetail deer (including 294 bucks), 52 mule deer and 64 elk.

The number of whitetail bucks is up 25 percent, mule deer numbers are up 23 percent and the number of elk are down 9 percent from the same point during last year’s hunting season.

Regulations are more restrictive this year, particularly for antlerless whitetail deer, and youth hunters cannot harvest antlerless elk in Northwest Montana this year.

So far this year, 17 wolves have been taken in Northwest Montana Region One. Statewide, 55 wolves have been harvested by hunters.