BILLINGS – The general antelope hunting season opened Saturday, Oct. 10. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists operated biological check stations in Big Timber, Broadview and Billings on both Saturday and Sunday for the opening weekend.
Sunday brought cold temperatures to the area, especially in the region’s northern and eastern hunting districts (HDs). Snow depths reached 12 inches in HDs 516 and 546 by Sunday afternoon. Many hunters returned from the field Saturday or early Sunday to avoid the winter storm.
The Broadview check station, typically the busiest in the region, saw the fewest number of hunters and harvested antelope, while the Big Timber check station was the busiest. Hunter numbers were consistent with last year at the Billings check station.
The youth deer hunt is this Thursday, Oct. 15, and Friday, Oct. 16. These two early days of deer hunting are open to legally licensed hunters aged 12-15 who have completed hunter education and properly certified and legally licensed apprentice hunters aged 10-15. All regulations apply. For more information on youth hunting in Montana, visit: fwp.mt.gov/hunt/youth.
All hunters are required to stop at game check stations, regardless of success. No biological check stations will operate this weekend, Oct. 17-18. In south-central Montana, check stations in Billings, Lavina, Columbus and Big Timber will operate on both Saturday, Oct. 24, and Sunday, Oct. 25, for the opening weekend of the general deer and elk season. The general antelope season is open until Nov. 8.
Hunting regulations for deer, elk and antelope are available online here.
Big Timber Check Station
Over the weekend, 213 hunters visited the Big Timber check station with 120 harvested antelope, an increase for both compared to opening weekend in 2025. Of the harvested antelope, 100 were bucks and 20 were does. Hunter success was highest in the region at the Big Timber check station at 57%, which was identical to the success rate recorded last year.
Thirty-one bird hunters also visited this check station over the weekend, a decrease from last year’s fifty bird hunters.
Broadview Check Station
Hunter numbers were the lowest on record (since 2010) at the Broadview check station. Only 126 hunters visited the check station over the weekend, compared to last year’s 237. Hunter success was 37% at this check station, an increase from last year’s 27%. At this check station, 39 antelope bucks and 7 does and fawns were checked.
FWP staff also checked 23 bird hunters at the Broadview check station, down from the 32 that visited the check station last year.
Billings Check Station
Hunter and harvested antelope numbers at the Billings check station were consistent with numbers recorded last year over the same weekend. Over the weekend, 165 hunters visited this check station with 67 harvested antelope. Of these 67 antelope, 41 were bucks and 26 were does. Hunter success was the same as last year at 41%.
In addition to antelope hunters, FWP staff at the Billings check station checked 25 upland bird hunters, an increase from last year’s 19. Bird hunters reported mixed success.
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