(Havre) – Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Havre hunter check station was active over the opening weekend of general deer and elk season last weekend. The number of hunters checked above the long-term average, despite the cool, wet weather. The youth deer season also coincided with the general season opener, which tends to increase hunter participation. This was the third weekend that the check station has been open.
There were 248 hunters in 108 parties checked, which was down from 2021 but still 7% above the long-term average. During the three weekend the check station has been open, overall hunter numbers (715) are slightly lower than last year and 11% above the long-term average.
The 53-mule deer checked were less than half of last year’s opening weekend and just below the long-term average. White tailed deer harvest over the weekend 6 was below last year and the long-term average. Antelope harvest is down from last year with 163 antelope checked in since general antelope season opened and is 25% below long-term average. There have been five elk brought by the check station this year, which is below the long-term average of seven.
In regard to bird hunting, for the first three weeks the that check station has been open, the pheasant harvest of 393 birds is above last year’s numbers but 26% below the long-term average, Sharp-tailed grouse (28 birds) are well below last year and slightly below the long-term average. Gray (Hungarian) partridge (58) are above both last year and the long-term average.
