The 2024 big game general hunting season opened Oct. 26 and hunters across the western portion of Montana saw mild weather and increased harvest numbers compared to last year’s opening weekend, according to data collected by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
The Daily Montanan reports hundreds more hunters stopped at FWP check stations in Regions 1 and 2 on Oct. 26-27 compared to opening weekend in 2023 and reported larger numbers of big game.
“Opening weekend started off with a bang as hunters brought in relatively good numbers of white-tailed deer, elk, and a handful of mule deer on Saturday,” said Lee Tafelmeyer, FWP Blackfoot area wildlife biologist responsible for the Bonner check station. “Sunday’s harvest dropped slightly but was still steady as hunters brought in animals from across the Blackfoot area.”
The Darby check station in the Bitterroot Valley saw 1,080 hunters, the highest in the last five years and the most reported by a single check station in the state so far.
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“Although it seemed like we had a slow start due to the warm and sunny weather on Saturday, we ended up with a fairly high number of elk through the Darby station by the end of the weekend,” said Rebecca Mowry, FWP Bitterroot area wildlife biologist.
Hunters across the west-central part of Montana in Region 2, comprising the Darby, Bonner, Anaconda and Fish Creek check stations, have reported a total of 107 elk, 18 mule deer, 60 white-tailed deer, two black bears and one moose for an overall success rate of 8.9%. More than 2,300 hunters were out across the region on opening weekend. Last year, hunters brought down 75 elk, 15 mule deer and 39 white-tailed deer in the first weekend.
In northwest Montana, hunter numbers were up by 21% over 2023, with 1,997 individuals stopping by the four agency check stations in Olney, Thompson Falls, Swan Lake and west of Kalispell. Hunters reported 163 white-tailed deer, including 67 bucks, compared to 103 and 44, respectively, last year. Hunters also reported 21 mule deer and 16 elk, compared to 5 and 10, respectively, last year.
Norman Parent of Kalispell with his harvested deer. (FWP photo) The 10% hunter success rate in northwest Montana was up 3% from last year.
Across the Continental Divide, the check station for Region 4 in August reported a total of 194 hunters in 93 groups, a decline from the 10-year average. Game numbers were also below average, with 35 deer and elk, along with two antelope. However, the elk harvest of three antlered bulls and 12 antlerless elk was higher than the average of 12 total elk.
The 2024 general deer and elk season runs Oct. 26-Dec. 1. Other general hunting seasons underway include black bear (Sept. 15-Dec. 1), bighorn sheep (Sept. 15-Dec. 1), moose (Sept. 15-Dec. 1), mountain lion (fall season without dogs, Oct. 26-Dec. 1), mountain goat (Sept. 15-Dec. 1) and most upland game birds until Jan. 1.
Hunters must stop at any check station they encounter whether they harvested an animal or not. The counts at the stations represent a sampling of the harvest and do not represent the complete number of animals taken.
Check stations are open on weekends during general season from 10 a.m. to approximately 1.5 hours past sunset.
Region 1 hunter check station results for Oct. 26-27, 2024. Courtesy FWP.
FWP boosts opportunities for CWD surveillence
Following the first positive chronic wasting disease case in Hunting District 170 earlier this month, FWP officials last week received approval from Montana Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Patrick Tabor to increase the number of 170-00 Deer B licenses for individual hunters to two, in accordance with the state’s CWD Management Plan.
Previously, hunters were allowed to purchase one license. The additional licenses are available to purchase over the counter effective immediately.
FWP officials also urge hunters in Hunting District 170, which covers most of the Flathead Valley, to submit their animals to testing.
CWD testing is voluntary everywhere in the state except for the Libby CWD Management Area, where there are mandatory requirements due to the prevalence of CWD there.
Hunters can bring their animals to any FWP check stations or regional offices, or harvest a lymph node themselves and drop off or mail in the sample.
Any hunter whose animal tests positive for CWD will receive replacement tags as long as they turn over the entire animal including the head.
Daily Montanan is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Daily Montanan maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Darrell Ehrlick for questions: info@dailymontanan.com.
