Elk Harvest Up in Southwest Montana; Hunter Numbers Steady in Opening Days

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Elk harvest was up compared to 2008 in the opening days of the 2009 big game season in southwest Montana. White-tailed deer harvest was on par with 2008 while mule deer harvest was down slightly.
  

Overall on opening weekend about 8.3 percent of hunters harvested game—2,314 hunters passed through the five reporting check stations with 150 elk, 30 mule deer, and 13 white-tailed deer. 
  

Silver City check station northwest of Helena had a big opening with 58 elk checked by hunters. This two-day harvest is about 75 percent of the total for all of 2008. Silver City also saw the most hunters with 722 passing through. Hunters should note that the Silver City check station was moved this year about 300 yards to the northwest on the Lincoln Highway (Highway 279) on the opposite side of the road. 
  

Cameron check station south of Ennis saw double the number of hunters pass through this year as compared to 2008. Elk harvest at the Madison Valley check station was on par with 2008 with 28 elk checked. 

  
Hunters are reminded that immediately after killing a game animal, a hunter must cut out the proper month and day of the kill from the appropriate license and attach it to the animal in a secure and visible manner. Hunters must also leave evidence of sex and species naturally attached before transporting any big game carcass or portion of a carcass. 

  
A new check station is in place this year in Livingston at the U.S. Forest Service district ranger’s office parking lot on Highway 89 to conduct disease surveillance for brucellosis and chronic wasting disease.

  
Hunters in southwest Montana (Regions 3 and 5) are being asked to help with the disease surveillance. For brucellosis research, elk hunters are asked to place a blood-collection kit in their pack prior to going to the field, and collect a blood sample shortly after harvesting an elk. The small, lightweight kits and instructions are available at FWP offices and trailhead kiosks in southwestern Montana. All elk, deer, and moose hunters are asked to donate heads from their harvested game for a chronic wasting disease study. Hunters can drop off heads and fill out a tag at check stations, participating meat processors or an FWP office.

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