BILLINGS – Warm temperatures and moderate winds greeted south central Montana hunters over the weekend for the opening days of the state’s general rifle hunting season. The number of hunters and harvested animals counted at Fish, Wildlife & Parks check stations were mixed, but generally somewhat lower than in 2019. FWP did not operate check stations in 2020 because of COVID-19.
Here are some details from FWP’s four south central Montana check stations, operated both Saturday and Sunday of the opening weekend:
LAVINA
The 458 hunters who stopped at FWP’s Lavina check station over the weekend were the most since 2015, well ahead of the 381 from 2019 and 11 percent more than the long-term average of 413. Of those who stopped, 15 percent had harvested an animal – identical to the same weekend in 2019 but below the long-term average of 22 percent.
FWP wildlife biologist Ashley Taylor said hunters checked 37 mule deer, compared to 13 two years ago and 19 percent above the long-term average. They had 12 white-tailed deer – just one fewer than the same weekend in 2019. Hunters had 14 elk, the fewest since 2013, 23 percent below the long-term average and 10 fewer than two years ago.
BILLINGS HEIGHTS
The number of hunters who stopped at FWP’s Billings Heights check station over the weekend was down from 2019, but those who stopped were more successful than two years ago.
FWP wildlife biologist Megan O’Reilly counted 337 hunters over two days, down from 434 in 2019 and jut shy of the average from the four years that the station has operated. Of those who stopped, 32 percent had harvested an animal, up from 26 percent in 2019 and the four-year average of 30 percent.
Hunters who stopped had 14 white-tailed deer, down slightly
