Hunting Season in Southwest Montana Off to a Great Start

General hunting season in Montana began October 23 and according to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, hunters in southwest Montana have had above-average success so far.

Wildlife biologists with Montana FWP released a recap of Montana's first week of general hunting season and shared data from check stations in southwest Montana. 1,880 hunters were surveyed using data from six game check stations. 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.

The most hunter success was reported at the Alder check station. Out of  330 hunters, about 16% had harvested an animal. That's double the success rate measured during opening weekend last year and is up from the station’s average success rate of 12%.

The Cameron check station also saw above-average hunter success. Roughly 11% of the 579 hunters checked there were successful, compared to a 9.3% average.

Wildlife biologist also collected data at check stations in Divide, Gallatin, Townsend and York. However, success rates at those check stations were within longterm averages.

In total, biologists checked eight white-tailed deer, 27 mule deer and 150 elk. They also checked six pronghorn, one moose and one black bear.

More information about the data collected can be on the Montana FWP website.

General hunting season in Montana runs through November 28. If you plan on hunting, it's important to know about laws and regulations in the state. Also, be aware of your surroundings and have a general knowledge of the area you're hunting in. To learn more about hunting regulations in Montana, click here.