KALISPELL — Montana’s general deer and elk hunting season concluded last weekend and the overall harvest results at game check stations in northwest Montana showed increased success compared to last year.
More than 10,800 hunters stopped at regional check stations this season, and approximately 10 percent of them had successfully harvested game, compared to 9 percent a year ago. A total of 954 white-tailed deer, including 745 bucks, were reported at the four weekend check stations. Last year hunters checked 761 white-tailed deer, including 567 bucks. Check station results showed a slightly smaller mule deer harvest – 92 deer checked this year compared to 97 a year ago – and the elk harvest was slightly above last year – 62 harvested this year compared to 51 a year ago.
Hunters still have opportunities into winter. Certain areas have continued elk hunting opportunities, and there is also Montana’s Muzzleloader Heritage season for deer and elk, Dec. 14-22, 2024.
As the season wraps up, Montana hunters can thank landowners for access and share stories through an online portal. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is offering this opportunity to say thank you to landowners who have provided access and helped to make your hunting season great. FWP will collect these expressions of gratitude and share them with the specific landowners at the end of the season. Notes can be submitted online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/thank-a-landowner-2024.
For a summary of the latest check station results in northwest Montana, click the link below.
Muzzleloader Heritage Hunting Season
- The Muzzleloader Heritage hunting season is Dec. 14-22, 2024.
- During the muzzleloader heritage season, a person may take a deer or elk with any unused license or permit that is valid on the last day of the general hunting season (i.e., Dec. 1, 2024).
- Hunters can use plain lead projectiles and a muzzleloading rifle that is charged with loose black powder, loose pyrodex, or an equivalent loose black powder substitute and ignited by a flintlock, wheel lock, matchlock or percussion mechanism using a percussion or musket cap.
- The muzzleloading rifle must be a minimum of .45 caliber and may not have more than two barrels.
- During the Muzzleloader Heritage season, hunters may not use a muzzleloading rifle that requires insertion of a cap or primer into the open breech of the barrel (inline), is capable of being loaded from the breech, or is mounted with an optical magnification device.
- Use of pre-prepared paper or metallic cartridges, sabots, gas checks or other similar power and range-enhancing manufactured loads that enclose the projectile from the rifling or bore of the firearm is also prohibited.
- Many of Montana’s Wildlife Management Areas have seasonal closures from Dec. 2 through May 14. Before heading to the field, hunters should review the regulations for each hunting district they plan to hunt. A list of WMAs and seasonal closure dates are available online at https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/wildlife-management-areas.
