While the first weekend of the general deer and elk season was termed ‘average’ by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the recently completed second weekend was better than expected.

Information and Program manager for District Two Vivaca Crowser provided details of the season’s second week.

“The first two weekend of general deer and elk season in west central Montana were up from where we were last year at this point,” said Crowser. “More deer and elk through the region’s three check stations than we saw last year. Particularly, we’re seeing the elk numbers staying strong in the Bitterroot and coming out of the Big Hole, so its elk numbers that are coming through the Darby check station. Whitetail harvest is also up a little bit.”

Crowser provided the current count of game taken so far in this 2019 hunting season.

“At the region’s three hunter check stations we’ve had 146 elk, 22 mule deer and 113 whitetail deer,” she said. “That’s comparable to 106 elk last year, 27 mule deer and 83 whitetails last year at this time.”

Crowser said the spate of cold weather just before the start of the season helped to bring hunter success numbers up.

“I think what we’re really seeing is the winter weather we’ve had in the fall really bumped harvests and hunter success,” she said. We’re seeing animals in pretty good shape, so things are looking pretty good all in all.”

The season continues until Saturday, December 1 at sunset.

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