Elk and Deer Harvests Up With Less Than Two Weeks to Go

There’s less than two weeks for general rifle season, but hunters are getting good results, FWP Public Information Officer Vivica Crowser explains.

"We've just concluded our fourth weekend of the season, about a week and a half left, the season runs through the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, the 26th," Crowser said. "Right now we are seven percent above where we were at this point of the season last year and, so far, whitetail harvest appears to be the highlight."

Crowser says the numbers for both deer and elk are up.

"So far, we've seen 625 animals and that includes 320 whitetail 320 white-tailed deer, 48 mule deer, 243 elk, nine black bears, three bighorn sheep and two wolves," Crowser said. "Elk numbers are also up through the Darby check station."

The whitetail harvest is the best we’ve had in western Montana since 2008, while the number of hunters is actually less than normal.