The number of hunters with whitetail deer is up 42 percent compared to last year, according to wildlife managers.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials said a total of 5,599 hunters have checked 328 white-tailed deer, including 243 bucks in the first two weeks of the general hunting season. Hunters have also checked 38 mule deer and 35 elk for a 7.2 percent rate of hunters with game at the six Northwest Montana check stations through Nov. 1. This time last year, FWP reported a success rate of 6.3 percent.
The counts at the six northwest Montana check stations represent a sampling of the harvest and do not represent the complete number of animals taken.
FWP Wildlife Manager Neil Anderson said the number of elk harvested is almost double, but the number of mule deer is down about 30 percent.
Hunters are reminded that it is buck-only for whitetail deer in Northwest Montana. Antlerless whitetail deer remain legal game for youth 12-15 years of age, and some qualifying 10 and 11-year- olds. Mule deer are buck-only for the entire season. Elk are brow-tine bull only, unless a hunter has an antlerless elk license. Spike bull elk are not legal game for any hunter in Region One.
Hunters should refer to the hunting regulations for the hunting district they plan to hunt.
General hunting season began Oct. 24 and ends Nov. 29.
