GREAT FALLS – The third weekend of the general rifle season was the busiest so far at FWP’s biological check station in Augusta, with just over 300 hunters and 62 animals checked. At just past two full weeks of the season, the total number of hunters checked there is 1,182 individuals, which is slightly above average.
Despite the mild weather in place, which tends to limit movements of wildlife, the overall big game harvest remains near average for the southern Rocky Mountain Front area. Through the third Sunday of the season, a total of 261 deer and elk have come through the check station. Antlered bucks make up 66 percent of the 174 total deer harvested. Overall elk harvest continues to be slightly above average with approximately 63 percent antlered bulls and 37 percent of the harvest being antlerless elk.
In addition to the recorded deer and elk harvest, six antelope, one bighorn sheep, one black bear, one mountain goat, one mountain lion and a variety of upland game birds and waterfowl have been brought through the station.
The general deer and elk seasons run through Sunday, Nov. 30.
