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FLATHEADBEACON.COM NEWS DECEMBER 4, 2013 | 7

Hunting Season Ends with Slightly More Whitetail Deer, Fewer Elk

By DILLON TABISH of the Beacon
vest was up by 40. A total of 431 elk were checked at with 20.
three stations in Anaconda, Bonner and Darby.
The state’s wolf hunt continues until March 15. As
The big game hunting season concluded across The whitetail harvest in Region Two was nearly of Dec. 1, hunters in Northwest Montana have tagged
the state last weekend with slightly more hunters identical to last year, with 534 whitetail deer checked 32 wolves. Statewide, hunters have taken 93 wolves,
aield and a better whitetail deer harvest reported in and 151 mule deer.
which is slightly more than last year at this time.
Northwest Montana.
The counts at check stations represent a sampling Hunters can still purchase a wolf hunting license,

A total of 18,262 hunters stopped at the six check of the harvest and do not represent the complete but there is a 24-hour waiting period before it is valid.
stations in Region One, nearly 630 more than last number of animals taken. Details of total harvest for Wolf trapping begins Dec. 15. Trappers must pur-
season, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and each hunting district will be known after telephone chase a furbearer trapping license and have com-
Parks. There were 1,112 whitetail deer checked, in- hunter surveys are completed this spring.
pleted the wolf trapping certiication course to trap
cluding 985 bucks. Last fall, FWP reported 941 total In Region One, the area around state Highway 2 wolves. The bag limit is ive wolves per hunter/trap-
and 830 bucks. FWP staf checked a total of 134 mule saw the most hunters, 6,832, and the best deer har- per in any combination of hunting or trapping.
deer, three more than last season and 31 more than vest, with 407 whitetail and 53 mule deer checked, ac- FWP will present its recommendations for next

2011.
cording to FWP. The Swan Valley ranked second with hunting season to the Fish and Wildlife Commission
Elk numbers in this corner of the state continued 3,445 hunters and third in whitetail deer harvested, on Dec. 12 and the Commission will adopt tentative
to slightly decline again this season. Hunters report- with 214. Olney drew the third most hunters, 2,685, proposals for public comment, likely to open in Janu-
ed 56 elk, seven fewer than last season, 65 fewer than and saw the second best whitetail harvest, with 265 ary.
2011 and 102 fewer than 2010.
checked. The Thompson Falls area produced the best [email protected]
In Region Two, in west-central Montana, elk har-
elk harvest, with 24 tagged. Highway 2 was second

for bait or other purposes. Meat may not Anderson and others urge precau- within 24 hours of the time they take an for salvage.
be sold.
tion when salvaging road kill. FWP is animal into their possession.
•A person who salvages the road kill
•It is unlawful to dispose of animal advising anyone who takes home road •A person may use a salvage permit must take the entire animal, including
carcasses or parts within 200 yards of kill to closely check the meat, just like to possess an animal killed only by ve- the entrails if it is gutted on site.
any highway, road, street, or alley or any big game harvest. FWP reminds hicular collision.
•It’s advised to turn on vehicle haz-
upon public property.
residents that consuming road kill is at •Only whitetail deer, mule deer, an- ard lights while salvaging an animal,

•Permits are not eligible on Indian their own risk.
telope, elk and moose may be salvaged.
and people should do so quickly to re-
reservations.
“People need to be aware that if (the •The animal must be killed after the duce traic hazards. Any person who is
For more information, visit http:// road kill has) been there awhile you may collision and drivers cannot dispatch of picking up an animal must comply with
fwp.mt.gov/hunting/licenses/salvage- not want to eat it,” Aasheim said.
it themselves. A law enforcement oi- all highway rules and regulations while
Permit.html
Here are some of the rules and guide- cer may, however, when on the scene of removing the animal.
[email protected]
lines for salvaging road kill:
a collision, kill an animal injured in the •Salvaged meat must be used for hu-
•A person must obtain a permit
collision and that animal may be taken
man consumption. It may not be used

he health insurance is afordable,

and the information and assistance to sign up is free.

As part of national health care reform, all Americans will be required to have health insurance beginning

January 1, 2014, or risk a tax penalty. he goal is to make coverage more accessible and afordable for those

who do not currently have health insurance or have limited coverage.

— Montana Health Insurance Marketplace Enrollment Fairs —

Free and Open to the Public

Providence St. Joseph Medical Center – Byrnes Conference Center in Polson

providence.org/montana
Saturday, December 14, 9 AM – 2 PM
Call 406-329-5740 for more information.