GREAT FALLS – As the final week of the general rifle season begins, hunter harvest success as well as the number of hunters venturing afield continues to be lower than average along the southern Rocky Mountain Front, continuing the trend from earlier weeks of the season.
Based on data collected at FWP’s game check station in Augusta through the 5th weekend of the season, the total number of hunters passing through the check station (successful and unsuccessful) is down approximately 28% from a typical year. Actual hunter success (total deer & elk checked compared to total number of hunters checked) is a little more positive at just 4% below the 10-year average.
In addition to the lower number of hunters, the continued mild weather conditions are also impacting hunting success this year. Almost no snow and above normal temperatures has made for difficult hunting conditions, and total deer and elk harvest has fallen to 40% below recent average and the lowest number of big game animals checked since at least 1994. A total of 390 animals have been checked, most of which are deer and elk, although 10 antelope, one mountain goat, five bighorn sheep and one mountain lion have also been checked.
Mule and white-tail deer harvest continues to dominant the harvest tally, amounting to nearly three-quarters of the total big game checked. However, mule and white-tail harvest remain below recent average at 24% and 34%, respectively.
Elk harvest is currently lagging the farthest behind at approximately 60% below the ten-year average. Minimal harvest continues to occur on the ‘Sun River’ elk herd given the mild weather and lack of movement of these elk towards winter range from their backcountry summer habitat.
The HD 442 elk quota remains open to antlerless elk harvest, however it may close before the Thanksgiving weekend given that just a handful of animals remains on the quota. The quota for HD 424 has been met and brow-tined bull hunting will remain valid there until the end of the general rifle hunting season. If the HD 442 quota is met, the season in that district will also remain open to brow-tined bull harvest until the end of the general rifle hunting season.
The general deer and elk seasons runs through Nov. 28. The check station operated by FWP along Main Street in Augusta is the only biological check station in Region 4 and operates seven days a week from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on weekends. Hunters are reminded that they must stop at any check station they pass while hunting, regardless if they have harvested game. Biological check stations are intended primarily for biologists to gather statistical information and trends about animals and hunters.
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2021 Augusta Check Station Harvest – through 5th Sunday of the general rifle season
|
Elk
|
Mule Deer
|
White-tailed Deer
|
|
|
Antlered
|
Antlerless
|
Total
|
Antlered
|
Antlerless
|
Total
|
Antlered
|
Antlerless
|
Total
|
Grand Total
|
No. of Hunters
|
Hunter Success
|
2011
|
96
|
84
|
180
|
142
|
36
|
178
|
135
|
77
|
212
|
570
|
2775
|
20.5%
|
2012
|
101
|
270
|
371
|
170
|
22
|
192
|
113
|
97
|
210
|
773
|
3133
|
24.7%
|
2013
|
96
|
195
|
291
|
214
|
24
|
238
|
121
|
50
|
171
|
700
|
3432
|
20.4%
|
2014
|
120
|
162
|
282
|
149
|
0
|
149
|
143
|
63
|
206
|
637
|
2832
|
22.5%
|
2015
|
108
|
211
|
319
|
177
|
0
|
177
|
136
|
79
|
215
|
711
|
3115
|
22.8%
|
2016
|
92
|
82
|
174
|
174
|
8
|
182
|
160
|
62
|
222
|
578
|
2691
|
21.5%
|
2017
|
159
|
116
|
275
|
175
|
11
|
186
|
137
|
80
|
217
|
678
|
2707
|
25.0%
|
2018
|
70
|
115
|
185
|
143
|
14
|
157
|
110
|
111
|
221
|
563
|
2536
|
22.2%
|
2019
|
74
|
114
|
188
|
141
|
13
|
154
|
108
|
115
|
223
|
565
|
2354
|
24.0%
|
2020
|
72
|
91
|
163
|
115
|
16
|
131
|
126
|
142
|
268
|
562
|
2230
|
25.2%
|
10-yr. avg.
|
98.8
|
144
|
242.8
|
160
|
14.4
|
174.4
|
128.9
|
87.6
|
216.5
|
633.7
|
2780.5
|
22.8%
|
20-yr. avg. |
106.15
|
121.95
|
232.45
|
197
|
27.55
|
224.55
|
118.65
|
84.7
|
203.35
|
629.2
|
2610.35
|
24.1%
|
2021
|
59
|
38
|
97
|
122
|
10
|
132
|
83
|
61
|
144
|
373
|
2003
|
18.6%
|
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