Northwest Montana Whitetail harvest lowest in a decade
by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
December 2, 2008
Results at the six northwest Montana check stations indicated that the 2008 hunting season was one of the slowest since 1997.
At the six check stations for the season, 24,995 hunters checked 1,532 white-tailed deer (876 of these were bucks), 219 mule deer, and 147 elk for a 7.6 percent rate of hunters with game. The harvest for whitetails was down about 20 percent compared to last year. Mule deer harvest was down 25 percent, while the elk harvest was about the same as last year. Hunter numbers were up slightly from last year.
Biologists pay close attention to the whitetail buck harvest because that hunting regulation is consistent from year to year. This year’s whitetail buck count at the check stations of 876 was the lowest since 1996. From long-term whitetail deer research in Northwest Montana, biologists know that buck harvest is the best indicator of population trend. Buck harvest at the check stations gives a preview of the overall harvest survey conducted by phone this winter.
"Based on our check station results, it appears as though the whitetail deer population is declining," said FWP Wildlife Manager Jim Williams. Williams listed several factors for the decline including a long, cold winter in some parts of the region resulting in poor fawn survival. This showed up in significantly fewer yearlings brought through the check stations this fall. Predation from mountain lions and wolves, in addition to hunting harvest also has reduced whitetail numbers. Hunting conditions were poor this season with little or no snow, and this also reduced hunter success.
Given these concerns, biologists will be closely monitoring the results of the detailed FWP hunter telephone survey and looking at recommending fewer B-Tags for whitetail deer across the Region next year. The actual game harvest by hunting district will be available in spring as determined by a detailed phone survey of licensed hunters. The check station numbers given above represent only a sample of the total harvest in each hunting district, but trends are usually similar.
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