Hunt success catches up to last year

The whitetail deer harvest has been picking up, matching last year’s numbers at Northwest Montana check stations for the first three weekends of the season.

Since hunting season opened Oct. 26, a total of 8,695 hunters have stopped at the six area check stations with 341 whitetail deer (including 290 bucks), 71 mule deer and 36 elk for a 5.3 percentage of hunters with game.

That compares to last year’s 8,130 hunters stopping with 341 whitetail deer (including 290 bucks), 42 mule deer and 47 elk for a 5.3 percentage of hunters with game.

Check stations are open only on weekends.

“Whitetail harvest is starting to pick up, and the next three weeks should be really good for hunters,” said Jim Williams, regional wildlife manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

There were 71 mule deer counted at check stations — the best mule-deer hunting has been since at least 2010, when 60 were harvested three weeks into the season.

This year’s regulations for whitetails and mule deer allow essentially buck-only hunting for the vast majority of Northwest Montana.

Hunters have taken 25 wolves so far in Northwest Montana. Statewide, 73 wolves have been harvested through Nov. 12.

The general hunting season for deer and elk lasts through Dec. 1.

Wolf hunting season is open until March 15, 2014, while wolf trapping is open through Feb. 28.