Harvest numbers increase in third weekend

Big game check stations in Northwest Montana reported an increase in harvest numbers over previous weeks, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks reported on Tuesday.

Region 1 check stations have counted 363 white-tailed deer – including 250 bucks – 52 mule deer and 40 elk.

These numbers are all higher than the 2018 count through the third weekend of the season. Last year, stations had counted 320 white-tailed deer and just 171 white-tailed bucks at this point.

At the U.S. 2 check station west of Kalispell, the overall tally of white-tailed deer jumped from 77 to 136. For white-tail bucks the harvest number increased from 44 to 99.

At the Olney check station, 1,276 hunters had harvested 113 white-tailed deer, including 74 bucks.

“Hunter harvest is expected to keep improving with the onset of peak mating activity among deer,” Neil Anderson, regional wildlife manager for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, said in a press release.

Check stations are only open during the weekends and represent a sampling of the total big game harvest.

The general big game season goes through Dec. 1.