Slow start to big game hunting season in Northwest Montana

More than 1,600 hunters appeared at Northwest Montana game check stations on Saturday and Sunday — the general hunting season opening weekend.

It was a slow start to the season across the region based on check station results. The overall number of hunters with harvested white-tailed deer and mule deer was down while the number of elk was about the same compared to last year. About 7.2% of hunters checked in with game, compared to 13.2% for the season-opener in 2022.

Region 1 hunters checked in 10 elk, 103 white-tailed deer, white-tailed 44 bucks and 5 mule deer.

The busy check station was on U.S. 2 west of Kalispell, with 800 hunters stopping. The Olney check station saw 417 hunters, Thompson Falls had 216 and the Swan Valley had 209.

Montana’s general deer and elk hunting season runs through Nov. 26. Other general hunting seasons underway include black bear (Sept. 15-Nov. 26), bighorn sheep (Sept. 15-Nov. 26), moose (Sept. 15-Nov. 26), mountain lion (fall season without dogs, Oct. 22-Nov. 27), mountain goat (Sept. 15-Nov. 26), turkey (Sept. 1-Jan. 1), and wolf (Sept. 15-March 15, 2024).

Check stations are open on weekends during general deer and elk hunting season from 10 a.m. to approximately 1.5 hours past sunset. 

Hunters must stop at any check station they encounter whether they harvested an animal or not. The counts at the stations represent a sampling of the harvest and do not represent the complete number of animals taken.

Elk hunting is brow-tined bull only in Region 1 except in Hunting District 170, unless a hunter has an antlerless elk permit. Certain hunting districts also allow hunters who posses a Permit to Hunt from a Vehicle (PTHFV) to harvest an antlerless elk (check regulations for specifics). A brow-tined bull is defined as, “any elk having an antler or antlers with a visible point on the lower half of either main beam that is greater than or equal to four inches long."

Hunters can harvest an either-sex white-tailed deer on their general deer license from Oct. 21-Oct. 27 in most Region 1 hunting districts. Youth ages 10-15 and hunters with a Permit to Hunt from a Vehicle (PTHFV) can still harvest either-sex whitetails throughout most of the region for the remainder of the season (check regulations for specifics). An “either-sex” deer is defined as, “a male or female animal of any age.”

Hunters who purchased the limited 199-20 either-sex white-tailed deer B license can only use that license within the Libby CWD Management Zone. 

Many private lands that were historically owned by corporate timber companies have changed ownership, and hunters should review the Block Management Program for Region 1 to view available public access opportunities and restrictions on private lands.