General season opens with mild weather, average hunter success in southwestern Montana

MISSOULA –The 2023 Montana big game general hunting season opened Saturday, Oct. 21, and hunters in the west-central part of the state found warm fall weather and a few less animals than in recent years.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wildlife check stations near Anaconda, Bonner, Fish Creek, and Darby saw 2,132 hunters collectively this weekend. Hunters checked 76 elk, 15 mule deer, 39 white-tailed deer, and one black bear. This compares to 2,016 hunter stops during the 2022 opening weekend and 84 elk, 18 mule deer, 90 white-tailed deer and three black bears.

"Harvest was slower than last year, owing in part to the warm weather, especially on Saturday," said Rebecca Mowry, FWP Bitterroot area wildlife biologist. "Deer harvest has been light so far, and most of the elk we saw through the Darby station were out of the Big Hole Valley."

With the forecast for the week ahead including much cooler temperatures and snow in some locations, hunting conditions may change quickly, prompting more hunter success as animals begin to move around and into some lower elevation areas. Stay tuned to the FWP weekly check station reports to see how harvest is stacking up compared to past seasons.

Hunter wildlife check stations sample a small portion of the effort and harvests across the region, but they track important trends and biological information. Biologists use check stations to see how harvest is shaping up compared to historical averages and to collect information on wildlife age, health and other hunter observations from the field. Hunters must stop at all check stations that they pass, even if they have not harvested any animals. The general big game season runs through Sunday, Nov. 26.

Be bear aware

FWP reminds hunters that bears will remain active throughout the general season, and hunters should be prepared for bear encounters. Montana is bear country. Grizzly bear populations continue to become denser and more widespread in Montana, increasing the likelihood that residents and recreationists will encounter them in more places each year.

People who hunt in places that have or may have grizzly bears-which includes areas of Montana west of Billings-should take special precautions:

Carry bear spray and practice to be prepared to use it immediately.

Look for bear sign and be cautious around creeks and areas with limited visibility.

Hunt with a group of people. Making localized noise can help alert bears to your presence.

Be aware that elk calls and cover scents can attract bears.

Bring the equipment and people needed to help field dress game and remove the meat from the kill site as soon as possible.

If you need to leave part of the meat in the field during retrieval, hang it at least 10 feet off the ground and at least 150 yards from the gut pile. Leave it where it can be observed from a distance of at least 200 yards.

Upon your return, observe the meat with binoculars. If it has been disturbed or if a bear is in the area, leave and call FWP.

For more information and resources on bear safety, visit fwp.mt.gov/bear-aware.