Now that the local big game hunting season has been put to bed for the year, we figured a wrap up of the season was in order.
From talking to folks around the county, the first phrase on everyone’s lips tended to be something along the lines of “There were a lot of hunters.”
With good game numbers in the area, a world record bull elk taken in 2016 near Birney, and Montana FWP’s hunting outlooks saying to go east and south for game, our area continues to fill up with hunters.
This sentiment was echoed by Broadus area FWP Biologist Ryan DeVore, who noted that check station numbers have steadily increased over the past three years. DeVore operates a check station in Ashland several times a season, with the final Thanksgiving weekend check station collecting data on 169 hunters in 83 parties, which compared to 153 hunters in 79 parties during the final weekend in 2017. Success rates for the final weekend were at 47 per cent.
DeVore said that of the hunters he talked to, most indicated seeing good numbers of game, and overall had pretty good success.
DeVore’s assessment was echoed in talking to local hunters, who saw good numbers of mule deer, and a lot of elk, as well as good antelope numbers. Some of these good game numbers came as a surprise, after the horrible drought in the summer of 2017, and especially the terrible winter of 17-18. One thing that may have saved a lot of deer last winter was the late onset – December remained warm and clear, which helps those mule deer and whitetail recover from the rut.
Another big help was having good game populations going into the winter. DeVore said that the last big downturn in game numbers came in 2011-12, so numbers are now quite good. This also meant that trophy quality was on the increase, with a number of mule deer reaching that age class where they really start to build some mass.
Locals also noted seeing a good number of mature mule deer this year; DeVore hopes that if we have a decent winter, next year’s trophy quality for mule deer will be even better, as they gain more age.
One thing that may have a big effect on mule deer numbers is the number of mule deer doe tags given out.
11,000 tags were available in Region 7, which is quite frankly an absurd amount of tags. According to an FWP hunting forecast released in September, mule deer numbers are 28 per cent above the long term average. The report quoted John Ensign, Region 7 Wildlife Manager saying “Deer can and do have the ability to eat themselves out of house and home. When deer numbers are high like they are right now, they impact winter browse. As that browse component declines, so does the number of deer that the landscape can support.”
While Ensign’s comment is no doubt true, in talking to local hunters, not one supporter could be found who was in favor of killing 11,000 does out of the area – most found it counterintuitive to kill such a huge number. An individual could purchase up to seven deer tags, so in theory one person could kill seven mule deer does, a number which seems excessive to even the most blood thirsty of hunters. Several folks indicated they bought mule deer doe tags, and burned the tags to save deer – for every doe tag burned, another doe would at least get the chance to survive the winter.
Whitetail seem to be doing well, as bluetongue or its cousin, epizootic hemorrhagic disease, hasn’t swept up or down the river in a few years, allowing bucks to gain some age and antler growth.
For the past two seasons, FWP has been looking for CWD, or Chronic Wasting Disease, in several parts of Montana. In 2019, our area will be under the microscope to see if CWD is out there in the herds. DeVore mentioned that if anyone sees an animal exhibiting the signs of CWD, he’d like to check out the animal. In looking for CWD, according to USGS documents the most obvious sign is progressive weight loss. Numerous behavioral changes also have been reported, including decreased social interaction, loss of awareness, and loss of fear of humans. Diseased animals also may exhibit increased drinking, urination, and excessive salivation.
Elk numbers have been reported as exceptional, with those hunters willing to put in the time able to fill their freezers, though those same elk numbers have also been playing havoc with rancher’s alfalfa fields, fences, and haystacks.
Antelope seem to have done well – local taxidermist Shawn Wahl of Powder River Taxidermy said that four bucks were brought in which he figured would be close to if not over 80 inches. He said that in his 17 years as a taxidermist in Broadus, that’s the largest number of antelope of that size he’s seen come through his shop.
Paul Klar of Cat Tracks Taxidermy in Broadus also noted some good sized heads coming through his shop. Both taxidermists noted that numbers of hunters seeking taxidermy work was down slightly from last year.
Jeff Considine of Broadus Meats indicated an uptick in numbers compared to last season. Broadus Meats keeps good data on the numbers of animals brought through their facilities for processing, and as of the Monday following the season (meaning more animals were likely inbound after aging or when people could make it to town), Broadus Meats had processed 1334 animals since the beginning of antelope season in August. 1017 of those animals came since the opening of rifle deer in October, and Jeff figured they processed around 80 head of elk. Last year’s total was 1270, which meant this season was a banner year for killing and processing. Jeff said that the last time their numbers were this high was during the 90s, when they cut up around 1300-1400 animals per season.
The increase in hunter numbers over the past few years has been both a boon and a bane for locals. In the case of taxidermists, meat processors, bars, hotels, and other local businesses, the increase in hunters means more money, and the ability to hire more locals and keep more money in the community. Broadus is a “happening place” in hunting season, and a tremendous amount of money flows into the community during this time.
Yet for many of these same folks, the increase in hunter numbers also has a downside. Nearly every little chunk of public ground seemed to have a vehicle parked on it, all season. One local reported that on a weekend drive from Broadus up and around Moorhead, 49 out of state and non-local hunter vehicles were counted! Reports of trespassers came in from landowners all over the countryside, as well as near daily talk of out of staters parked in the middle of the county road on a blind hill, doors thrown open spotting game.
The Game Warden from Broadus, Kyle Queer, got to hear the brunt of the complaints regarding hunter malfeasance, and said in an interview that the biggest issue he dealt with was trespassing complaints. Other issues which he saw to a lesser extent included shooting from the road, and wasted game. In his travels, Kyle saw a lot of out of stater plates, and noted that he saw few issues with locals. He commented that overall, the number of complaints weren’t overly high considering the sheer number of hunters out there in the hills.
However one may feel about hunters, the fact is that they contribute greatly to our local economy, and aren’t going away anytime soon. So perhaps the best advice is something heard from a gristled old rancher: “Go out and enjoy your fall in the hills with family, friends, and nature. If a person can figure out a way to make a buck or two off the hunters, by all means do so. And when the hunters are gone, we can have the place back to ourselves.”
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