Andrew McKean
Deer harvest spikes in last week of Region 6 hunting season While elk harvest has lagged season long in northeastern Montana, deer hunting activity and harvest have been well above last year’s pace. Data from Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Havre check station on U.S. Highway 2 indicates that deer harvest was up 40 percent from last year and buck harvest ranged between 17 and 25 percent above last year. However, elk harvest was well off last year’s level, with hunting activity about 25 percent behind 2006 and harvest 28 percent off the pace. The total number of mule deer hunters checked at the Havre station was 888, and they submitted 760 deer, 445 of which were antlered bucks and 315 antlerless deer, for inspection, aging and voluntary chronic wasting disease testing. For 2006 757 mule deer hunters checked 541 deer. Just over 220 white-tailed deer hunters submitted 226 whitetails at the check station, including 98 bucks and 128 antlerless deer. That was about 40 percent above last year’s hunting success and a 17 percent increase in whitetail bucks. For all of 2007, only 90 elk hunters and 45 elk were checked at the Havre station, compared to 121 hunters with 62 elk last year. The slow harvest, coupled with elk populations that are well above objectives, is one reason the rifle season for antlerless elk has been extended in portions of Region 6 through Dec. 9. The FWP Commission approved the extension for antlerless elk only in the following Region 6 hunting districts: 620, 621, 622, 630, 631, 632, 680 and 690. Only hunters with unfilled rifle permits can participate in the hunt, and only antlerless elk may be harvested. All other rules, including the requirements to wear at least 400 square inches of hunter orange, obtain landowner permission to hunt private land, and all other rules in effect during the normal 5-week rifle season, must be followed in the extended elk season. --- FWP ---
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