Hunting success surpasses last year

The deer and elk harvest has exceeded last year’s numbers at the  six game check stations across Northwest Montana.

Through Sunday, a total of 11,811 hunters had checked 594 whitetail deer (including 528 bucks), 90 mule deer and 45 elk for a 6.2 percentage of hunters with game.

At the same point during the 2012 season, 11,094 hunters had checked 425 whitetails (including 368 bucks), 64 mule deer and 58 elk for a 4.9 percentage of hunters with game.

The check stations, which are open on weekends only, reflect only a fraction of the overall harvest.

Jim Williams, regional wildlife manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, anticipates the harvest should continue at a good pace.

“We expect this trend to hold true, especially if we get good tracking snow,” he said.

Hunters have taken 28 wolves so far in Northwest Montana. Statewide, 80 wolves have been harvested.

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.