OUTDOORS: Havre Game Check Station results for the 2020 general hunting season are in

Montana FWP

The final results are in from the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Havre game check station for the 2020 hunting season. The check station was open for eight weekends from Oct. 10 - the open of general antelope - through Nov. 29 - the end of the deer/elk general season.

Overall, hunter numbers were just above average this year and mule deer harvest was well above average. Other big game and upland bird harvests were below long-term average, but compared to the last few years, most hunters reported that it was a good year for almost all species.

Biologists gather a lot of valuable information and biological data on game animals brought through check stations. FWP appreciates all hunters' cooperation in this effort. Note that the harvest data described below includes only animals that were brought through the Havre check station and is only a partial representation of the region-wide harvest.

Hunter numbers, at 1,777, were up 2 percent from 2019, and 5 percent above the long-term average.

"Hunter participation was highly variable this year. There was lower than average participation during the first half of the season, and much higher participation during the last three weeks. Most of this was likely due to tough weather conditions during the beginning of the general season," said Havre-area biologist Scott Hemmer, who manages the station.

"Deer hunter reports on their hunting experience and success were good this year," Hemmer said. "In fact, we had the highest number of mule deer ever checked."

Mule deer totaled 782 for the year, which was up 15 percent from last year and 53 percent above the long-term average.

"The increased mule deer B-licenses issued this year likely contributed to the higher mule deer harvest," Hemmer said. "Additionally, mule deer populations are up across the region. We also had the highest number of bucks ever recorded at the check station this year."

For the year, 149 white-tailed deer were brought by the station, which was 35 percent higher than 2019, but still 3 percent below the long-term average.

"Hunters reported seeing good white-tailed deer numbers in most areas, despite EHD outbreaks scattered across the region," Hemmer noted.

Antelope harvest, whose general season ended on Nov. 8, saw the highest numbers since 2010 but was still 37 percent below the long-term average. 164 antelope were brought by the check station this year, which was more than double the 2019 numbers.

"Antelope populations and license quotas in many districts have both been on an upward trend but are still below the long-term average due in part to several severe winters in the last 10 years," said Hemmer. "In addition, antelope hunter reports were highly variable depending on location, and this may have been due to antelope moving and concentrating earlier this year due to early fall snowstorms."

For the year, 37 elk were charted, which is above last year and 6 percent below the long-term average.

"Reports from elk hunters this year were less favorable," Hemmer said. "Difficult weather limited hunter access in some areas and other hunters reported difficulty in finding elk on publicly accessible property."

Upland bird harvest this year was below average, though hunters reported better numbers than they had seen in the last three years. For the eight weeks that the check station was open, the pheasant harvest of 467 birds is slightly below last year by 7 percent, and still below the long-term average by -41 percent. The sharp-tailed grous harvest of 97 birds was well above last year's total, but about 20 percent below the long-term average. Hungarian partridge harvest, 30 birds, was a few more than last year but about half of the long-term average.

"Overall, it appeared to be a good season for hunters this year," Hemmer said. "We sure appreciate and enjoy visiting with the hunters that come by the check station, and it's great to hear stories about a successful hunt."