Deer, elk harvest up over last year

Whitetail deer harvest rebounded this weekend and elk harvest in northwest Montana is up as compared to last year.

At the six northwest Montana check stations through Sunday a total of 11,891 hunters checked 669 white-tailed deer (528 of these were bucks), 93 mule deer, and 61 elk for a 6.9 percent rate of hunters with game. Overall, harvest was up somewhat as compared to last year when 6.2 percent of hunters checked game. Elk harvest is up 60 percent.

Hunter numbers are up six percent as compared to last year.

According to FWP Region One Supervisor Neil Anderson, the deer harvest should continue at a good pace.

“Despite a relatively mild weekend, hunters were still finding game, and we are starting to see more mature bucks come through the check stations. With cooler temperatures, snow forecasted for early in the week, and the rut getting into full swing, hunters should have an advantage over the next two weeks,” he said.

In the North Fork, the number of whitetail deer taken is more than double last year, with 34 whitetails reported compared to 15 last season. The season ends Nov. 29.