General Hunting Season in Southwest Montana Ends with Mixed Hunter Success

Hunter success continued to vary across southwest Montana during the latter half of the general deer and elk hunting season, according to data gathered by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists.

The general season lasted from Oct. 22 through Nov. 27. During that time, FWP staff operated game check stations at various times and locations in southwest Montana, including stations in Alder, Cameron, Canyon Ferry, Divide, Gallatin Canyon and Gardiner. Collectively, they met with 5, 523 hunters who harvested 64 white-tailed deer, 175 mule deer and 552 elk.

Biologists use check stations to collect data on hunter participation and success, as well as the species, sex and age class of the animals harvested. Check station data supplements information collected through hunter harvest phone surveys each year.

The Cameron check station ran each weekend during the general season. Wildlife staff there met with 2,454 hunters who harvested 399 elk—well above the long-term average of 202 elk. The high elk harvest this year can be attributed to heavy snowfall and cold temperatures during the early general season, which concentrated elk on more accessible low-elevation winter ranges. There were also high numbers of elk going into the hunting season, and many private landowners in this area allowed significant and generous access opportunities for elk harvest. Hunter success was also above average this season at the Gallatin Canyon check station at 15 percent.

The Divide check station also ran each weekend during the general season. Biologists there met with 1,401 hunters, and hunter success for the season was 9.7%. The number of hunters was 7% less than last year and 4 percent below the 12-year average. Hunter success this year was slightly higher than last year and the 12-year average.

FWP wildlife staff operated a game check station at Canyon Ferry on the first and final weekends of the general season. During Nov. 26 and 27, FWP staff met with 243 hunters, 6.2% of whom were successful. These figures are below the long-term averages for the final weekend at this check station.

FWP wildlife staff operated a game check station in Alder during the first, third and final weekends of the season. During Nov. 26 and 27, they met with 182 hunters—about 9% fewer than average. Harvest success was about average at 21%.

Wildlife staff ran a check station in Gardiner during the first and second weekends of the season, reporting hunter success rates of about 11 and 17 percent, respectively.