Warm weather persists along with hunter success

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BILLINGS -- Hunters experienced some more warm temperatures during the third weekend of Montana’s 2008 general big game season. Although the number of hunters who stopped at Fish, Wildlife and Parks check stations in south central Montana was 43 percent higher last weekend than in 2007, only 39.6 percent were successful.

At the Lavina check station, hunter numbers were still above 2007, and 6 percent below the long-term average. While total mule deer and whitetail harvest was still below average, whitetail buck harvest was higher than average for the third weekend of the season. Despite the weather, elk harvest rose 20 percent above the long-term average.

At Big Timber, big game hunters were up 31 percent compared to 2007. Whitetail harvest was up 30 percent, mule deer harvest up 49 percent, and antelope harvest up 27 percent over last season. Only two elk (one cow and one bull) were checked. The highest hunter success rate of 64 percent was seen during this past weekend since 2004.

At Laurel, the number of hunters were up 47 percent compared to last year’s third weekend of the season although harvest success rates were down from the previous two weekends. Of the mule deer harvested, 65 percent were bucks. Two elk were checked through.

At Columbus, the number of hunters was up 19 percent compared to the same weekend last year. Mule deer harvest was up 21 percent during this same time as last season. Bucks made up 65 percent of the harvest. Whitetail harvest was the same compared to last year and 52 percent harvested were bucks.

Attached is a chart with third-weekend statistics from all of FWP Region 5.

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