MILES CITY – With a week and a half left in the general deer and elk season, temperatures have been mostly mild in southeast Montana, but the coming weekend signals a return to more seasonable cold temperatures for hunters.
Most hunters visiting area check stations Nov. 9 and Oct. 26 were satisfied with their outings and had opportunity to harvest what they were after. Hunters near Ashland reported seeing more deer in general than last year, and hunters near Hysham saw more pronghorn and mule deer.
Hunter traffic at stations has been down a bit so far. Harvest success rates have been mixed, varying across the region and by the weekend.
Young hunters have had success, with several harvesting their first deer this season.
Hysham check station (Nov. 9 antelope closer)
Sixty-nine parties and 130 hunters passed through – 10 percent and 15 percent below the 10-year average, respectively. Of those, 48 percent reported a harvest, about 19 percent below long-term average for this weekend.
According to FWP wildlife biologist Steve Atwood, the 16 antelope checked (six bucks, 10 does) surpassed the 10-year average. All 27 mule deer checked were bucks, for about half the long-term average. Whitetail bucks were also about half the 10-year average, with 10 bucks and one doe. Crews checked three elk (two bulls, one cow), which is typical for this weekend of the season.
Hysham check station (Oct. 26 general opener)
Staff visited with 62 parties and 106 hunters – 13 percent and 23 percent below the 10-year average, respectively. Of those, 46 percent reported a harvest, which matches the 10-year average for this weekend.
Crews checked 22 antelope (15 bucks, five does), which is 11 percent under long-term average. Staff also checked 12 mule deer (10 bucks, two does), which is about half the average. Two whitetail bucks came through, just a third of the 10-year average. Three elk (two bulls, one cow) rounded out the total.
Ashland check station (Nov. 9 antelope closer)
Closing weekend of antelope season was a mixed bag for weather conditions in the Ashland area. Saturday morning was windy, with snow in some areas, making hunting more difficult. But Sunday weather was much more enjoyable to be afield, with light winds, a high of 50 degrees and partly sunny skies.
Most hunters were satisfied with their outing and have been observing more deer than the last few years, said FWP wildlife biologist Ryan DeVore.
A total of 77 parties and 144 hunters came through the Ashland check station, with a harvest success rate slightly above average at 35 percent. The number of hunters was 20 percent below average. Harvest included 16 pronghorn (eight bucks, eight does), four elk (one bull, three cows), 29 mule deer (27 bucks, two does), and two whitetail bucks.
Ashland check station (Oct. 26 general opener)
The nice weather for the general season opener made it great for hunters to be afield, and most were satisfied with their outings.
A total of 86 parties and 150 hunters came through the Ashland check station, with a harvest success rate of 30 percent (12 percent below average). The number of hunters is 21 percent below average. Harvest included 20 pronghorn (six bucks, 14 does), seven elk (three branch-antlered bulls, one spike bull, and three cows), 17 mule deer bucks, four white-tailed deer (three bucks, one doe), three sharp-tailed grouse, and one turkey.
Mosby check station (Nov. 9 antelope closer)
The weather for the last weekend of antelope season was windy and cold, with temperatures around 40 degrees at the Mosby check station, said wildlife biologist Cory Allred.
A total of 40 parties and 83 hunters came through the check station. Of the hunters checked, 20 were successful, yielding a harvest success rate of 24 percent, which is 21 percent below last year.
Two pronghorn antelope were brought through (one buck and one doe). Six elk (three bulls and three cows), nine mule deer bucks, and three white-tailed deer (two does and one buck) also were checked.
Overall, most hunters reported being satisfied with their hunts.
Glendive check station (Oct. 26 general opener)
The general season opened with sunny and warm weather, with temperatures around 60 degrees at the Glendive check station. A total of 28 parties and 51 hunters came through. Of the hunters checked, 21 were successful, yielding a harvest success rate just above last year at 41 percent.
Nine mule deer (Seven bucks and two does) and three white-tailed deer (one buck and two does) were checked. Additionally, two pronghorn antelope (one buck and one doe), 19 ring-necked pheasants, and one sharp-tailed grouse were brought through the check station.
Overall, nearly all hunters reported being satisfied with their hunts.
Hunters are still reporting difficulty in finding upland game birds in comparison to last year, but with a little extra effort many were able to find pockets of birds with good numbers. Much of the northeastern portion of Region 7 experienced a hot and dry June followed by frequent late-summer storms that brought heavy rain, strong winds and hail in July. These extreme weather patterns likely played a role in decreasing chick production and survival, contributing to the lower upland game bird numbers observed during this hunting season.
Hunters must stop at biological check stations
Hunters are reminded that stopping at all biological and enforcement check stations is required even if you do not have game. Some biological check stations also have CWD sampling available. The CWD sampling is voluntary, but hunters must still stop at check stations even if they do not opt to have their animal tested. Biological check stations provide an important opportunity for FWP staff to visit with hunters and better understand their experiences, which helps inform management decisions such as the reduction of mule deer B licenses in response to below-average mule deer numbers.
For a complete list of where and when CWD sampling is available, check Facebook at Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks – Region 7.
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