North-central Montana big game check station ends 2022 season with well below average hunter numbers and harvest

GREAT FALLS – Although a slight improvement over last year, 2022 resulted in one of the slowest hunting seasons in recent memory at FWP’s wildlife check station in Augusta. According to check station records, this year’s hunter numbers were the lowest seen in 30 years, and the number of big game animals passing through the check station was the second lowest total in almost 40 years.

There were 2,222 successful and unsuccessful hunters checked during the five-week season, representing a 37% reduction from the 10-year average. Game wardens and U.S. Forest Service staff patrolling the area also noted the low hunter numbers. Unlike last year when very mild weather was a major factor for low harvest success, this year provided ideal hunting conditions at times with snow and cold arriving early in the season.

A total of 612 big game animals were brought through the check station in 2022, compared to the 10-year average of 819 and 20-year average of 881 animals.  Despite the low numbers, overall harvest success rates were good with more than 27% of hunters successfully harvesting big game vs. the recent average of 23%.

White-tailed deer harvest was consistently below average all season although harvest improved considerably the last week of the season as bucks were rutting, and antlered bucks comprised 58% of the total white-tail harvest. Overall harvest was approximately 10% below the 10- and 20-year averages, but a 33% improvement over last year. Liberal white-tailed seasons were in place for this area and harvest was well distributed within the primary hunting districts monitored at the check station.

Mule deer harvest was also below average at 34% and 49% below the 10-year and 20-year averages. Mule deer harvest was the lowest recorded for this check station for at least the last 25 years.  As is normally the case, a high percentage of the mule deer harvest consists of antlered bucks, with bucks comprising 81% of the total harvest this year. Geographically, the harvest distribution was also fairly consistent across the area, although hunting district 425 had the highest number of mule deer harvested among districts in this area. Of note, this was the first year in many years in which antlerless mule deer harvest was permissible on the Sun River WMA (via a general deer license) and a total of 12 antlerless mule deer were recorded as harvested there.

Total elk harvest this season was approximately 40% below the 10- and 20-year averages, but 62% above last year’s record low numbers. Harvest was approximately a 50/50 split between antlered and antlerless elk, and hunter success this year was best during the middle weeks of the season.

The HD 442 quota finished with 69 elk harvested (42 bulls and 27 antlerless), compared to totals of 50 in 2021 and 62 elk in 2020. The HD 424 quota finished with 12 elk harvested (10 bulls, 2 antlerless).  Both quotas were closed beginning November 15 thereby restricting harvest the remainder of the season to brow-tined bulls only.  Total ‘Sun River elk’ harvest (HDs 424, 425 & 442) passing through the check station amounted to 110 elk (59 bulls, 53 antlerless). A total of 45 elk were checked from HD 422 (21 antlered, 24 antlerless).

24 antlerless elk were checked from HD 425 (Sun River WMA and adjacent lands). All five of the either-sex elk license holders in HD 425 were successful. Unlike last year, the improved success of antlerless elk harvest in this district was due to the early arrival of cold and snowy weather pushing a significant number of Sun River elk to migrate from the backcountry towards their winter range on the Sun River WMA. It was estimated that there were well over 1,000 elk on the Sun River WMA and adjacent private lands by the end of the season.

Seven of the eight either-sex bighorn sheep hunters were successful in sheep districts 421-424, and the average age of the rams taken on these licenses was six years old. This is similar to last year’s average age but slightly below the target average minimum age of 7.5 years set by FWP biologists.  Of note, the MT bighorn sheep auction license holder successfully filled his license this year in HD 424, harvesting an 11.5-year-old ram. 

One black bear was checked at the check station, but a total of 46 have been reported as harvested from the greater Rocky Mtn. Front area by the end of the season. One wolf was brought to the check station and a total of five have been checked in wolf management unit 400 this season. There were also six antelope, one mountain lion, and various game birds checked.

Wildlife biologist Brent Lonner has managed the check station in Augusta for the past 17 years, and recognized the work of check station technicians Kerry Bouchard, Laurie Stone, Devon Rauscher and Jami Bouchard. “Their assistance in helping collect biological data, attention to detail and willingness to be a key source of local information for hunters is invaluable. Thanks also to our FWP crew who helped patrol the local area WMA’s and to our area game wardens for their efforts patrolling and responding to calls in the Augusta area and beyond,” he said.

Lonner also noted that there are a number of factors related to hunter harvest each year such as regulation changes, weather, big game distribution, access and hunter effort.

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