Hunting check-ins down on opening weekend

Hunting turnout and results dipped on the first weekend of the 2017 general deer and elk season, with fewer hunters and kills coming through Northwest Montana’s check stations compared to last year’s opener.

“I haven’t had this few hunters through the check station in a really long time,” said Bruce Sterling, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist in Thompson Falls. According to an agency press release, 3,041 hunters checked 278 white-tailed deer (132 were bucks), four mule deer and 22 elk, making for a 10 percent rate of Region One hunters with game.

By comparison, 3,138 hunters logged a 12.7 percent rate at Region One check stations for last year’s opening weekend.

Despite this overall dip, the participation at individual check stations varied greatly. The Olney and Swan posts saw 82 and 39 more visits, respectively, than in 2016. They also had the strongest results, with 15.2 percent of Swan hunters and 11.7 percent of Olney hunters bagging game.

Meanwhile, both the Canoe Gulch and Thompson Falls check stations saw fewer visitors. Fish, Wildlife and Parks cites poor Sunday weather and hunters’ going elsewhere as the main reasons for these discrepancies.

Overall, mule deer harvest dropped to four, down considerably from the last seven years. “We don’t think mule deer numbers have changed significantly over last year” says Neil Anderson, the agency’s Region One wildlife manager.

However, he pointed out that five weeks of the general season remains.

“The differences we observed in both hunter numbers and in some game numbers, like mule deer, may level out over the remainder of the season. Overall, the percentage of people with game is really quite good for Northwest Montana.”

Wildlife officials remind hunters that they may harvest antlerless whitetails on a general license until Friday, Oct. 27. Starting Saturday, Oct. 28, only antlered buck whitetails are legal on a general license, until the last week of the season.

From Nov. 20 to 26, when the season ends, hunters can harvest an antlerless whitetail on private property (excluding corporate timber lands) on a general license. Apprentice and youth hunters under the age of 16 can harvest antlerless whitetails all season long.

Mule deer are buck only and elk are brow-tine bull only. Check Montana’s hunting regulations, available at http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/regulations, for the district you plan to hunt.

Reporter Patrick Reilly can be reached at preilly@dailyinterlake.com, or at 758-4407.