After a slow start to big game rifle season in west-central Montana, deer harvest is now in line with the five-year average. Elk harvest continues to lag behind, but the recent snowstorm may help bring totals closer to average by the close of general season on Nov. 25. Mule deer harvest, which started the season 26 percent behind the five-year average, is now up two percent. White-tailed deer harvest was nine percent below average after week one, and now tallies in three percent above. Elk harvest is down 16 percent from last year at this time and 14 percent below the five-year average, due in part to the warmer than average temperatures and little moisture that predominated the first four weeks of the season. Temperatures dropped and snow began to fall around the region just as west-central Montana’s check stations began to close their doors on Sunday night. “This unexpected snowstorm has changed and improved hunting conditions around the region, especially for elk,” said Mike Thompson, FWP Regional 2 Wildlife Manager. “This winter weather has the potential to help elk harvest jump back to close to average levels in the final week of the season.” Through Nov. 18, the three west-central Montana check stations reported 20,729 hunters that checked 600 elk, 440 mule deer, 827 white-tailed deer, two black bears, two moose, and 12 bighorn sheep for 9.1 percent of hunters with game. Last year at this time, 21,547 hunters had checked 717 elk, 424 mule deer, 1,137 white-tailed deer, seven black bears, three moose, and 16 bighorn sheep for 10.7 percent of hunters with game. -fwp-
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