Courtesy Marla Prell, MT FWP
Montana’s big game hunting season arrived with bitter cold over the weekend of October 24 and 25, likely prompting many hunters to stay home a bit longer. Traffic at big game check stations throughout southeastern Montana was down for the opener. Those who did get out enjoyed their time and some success in the field.
Ashland Check Station
“Hunting conditions were tough for opening weekend,” said Wildlife Biologist Ryan DeVore. “The weather felt more like the typical closing weekend of deer and elk season.”
“At the CWD check station on Saturday in Ashland, hunters were struggling to find animals as snow fell from early morning through the night, making visibility poor,” DeVore said. “Several hunters on Saturday were heading back home and didn't stay for Sunday.”
Sunday was bitter, with a low temperature below zero.
Opening weekend was much slower in Ashland than in recent years, according to DeVore. Only 64 hunting parties came through Ashland on Sunday with a total of 126 hunters. Thirty-eight people were successful, for a harvest success of 30 percent.
“For the folks who decided to tough it out in the cold and snow, most had an enjoyable weekend,” he said. “Many of them had a chance at some animals even if they decided not to make a harvest.”
The harvest at Ashland included:
- 5 antelope (4 bucks, 1 doe)
- 23 mule deer (8 bucks, 15 does)
- 7 white-tailed deer (3 bucks, 4 does)
- 6 bull elk, and
- 8 birds, including turkeys and sharp-tailed grouse
CWD sampling locations in southeastern Montana are as follows:
-Hysham (rest area)-Saturday, Sunday, Monday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or dusk if busy
-Ashland (Ashland public school)-Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or dusk if busy
-Broadus (FWP office across from Alderman Oil)-Friday and Monday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or dusk if busy
-Mosby (rest area on Hwy 200)-Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or dusk if busy
-Flowing Wells (rest area at junction of Hwy 200 and Hwy 24)-Friday and Monday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or dusk if busy
-Sidney (Town Pump on south side of town)-Sundays from 10 a.m-4 p.m. or dusk if busy
FWP is also ready to help hunters sample their deer, elk or moose for CWD at its offices:
In southeastern Montana, visit FWP Region 7 Headquarters in Miles City on Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
For more information on CWD, please look online at fwp.mt.gov/cwd.
Big game check station dates, locations and hours include:
Ashland (Ashland public school)- Sunday, Nov. 29 during daylight hours
Wardens also may occasionally set up hunter check stations throughout the region at any time. Please 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.
Reader Comments(0)