Region 6 Havre check station results after opening weekend of general hunting season released

From Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ Havre hunter check station was very active over the weekend of general deer and elk opener, Oct. 23-24, with the number of hunters checked being well-above the long-term average.

This was the third weekend that the check station has been open, as the station began collecting data Oct. 9 and 10 for the opening weekend of pheasant and general antelope.

“This was the most hunters checked this weekend for at least the last 12 years,” said Havre-area biologist Scott Hemmer, who manages the check station. “The youth deer hunt fell on the two days prior to the opening of the general season, which may have contributed to the increase in hunter numbers this year.” 

There were 333 hunters in 150 parties checked, which was about double the number from 2020 and 33 percent above the long-term average. During the three weeks the check station has been open, overall hunter numbers, 550, are up 33 percent from last year and are 15 percent above the long-term average.

Many of those hunters were also successful, especially with mule deer. The 114 mule deer checked was the highest number observed over the opening weekend in the last 20 years, and well above the long-term average of 57.

White-tailed deer harvest over the weekend, 22, was up slightly from last year and the long-term average. For the year, whitetail harvest, 31, at the check station is slightly higher than last year, and 68 percent more than the long-term average.

“Hunters reported they are seeing good numbers of mule deer, but white-tailed deer reports were mixed,” added Hemmer. “The epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) outbreak this year, especially in the eastern half of Region 6 along the Milk and Missouri Rivers and their associated drainages, seems to have increased mortality and thus lowered numbers in some areas.”

Antelope harvest is up from last year, with 173 antelope checked in since general antelope season opened. This is still 21 percent below long-term average.

“Antelope harvest, although still below long-term average at the check station, is still the highest it’s been since 2009,” Hemmer said. “Over the first weekend of general antelope, the majority of hunters reported seeing at least some antelope and success was good, with 86% of parties being successful in harvesting at least one antelope.”

There have been 10 elk brought by the check station this year, which is just above the long-term average of eight. Five of those 10 elk were cows that were checked over the general opening weekend.

For the first three weeks that the check station has been open, the pheasant harvest of 332 birds is just below last year’s numbers and 39 percent below the long-term average. Sharp-tailed grouse, 127 birds, are well above both last year and the long-term average. Gray (Hungarian) partridge, 50, are above both last year and the long-term average. Lastly, waterfowl harvest has generally been good, with 46 ducks brought by the check station.

“Hunters have had mixed reports on upland birds, which we expected due to the drought conditions this year,” said Hemmer. “Reports indicate better numbers of upland birds in the far eastern half of the region, and patchy bird numbers found in other areas.”

People are asked to remember that all hunters are required by law to stop as directed at all designated check stations on their way to and from hunting, even if they have no game to be checked. There is an option to have animals sampled for CWD if desired. Hunters need to follow all directions and signs from FWP staff as they work diligently to check game, answer questions, and get hunters on their way.

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