In the Augusta area of north-central Montana, the five-week general rifle season began with mild weather for about three weeks, followed by cooler weather and some snow arriving over the last two weeks of the season, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, but the overall harvest finished about 10 percent below recent average with 695 big game animals checked at the station during the 2024 season.

A total of 2,650 hunters stopped at the check station, representing about a 16 percent and 24 percent reduction from the 10 and 20-year averages respectively, although still slightly higher than the last two years, according to FWP.

Despite the lower numbers, overall hunter success rates were slightly above average with 25 percent of hunters successfully harvesting big game. Resident hunters tallied 74 percent of the total harvest, with 71 percent of the total harvest coming off public lands, according to FWP.

The Augusta station is the only biological check station in Region 4 and operates seven days a week during the season.

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White-tailed deer

For much of the season, white-tailed deer harvest trended from average to slightly below average levels. White-tailed deer harvest finished with a total of 271 deer checked, about 8 percent below the 10-year average and 13 percent below the 2023 harvest. Of those deer able to be aged, adult bucks greater than 2.5 years old made up 27 percent of the total white-tail harvest, with an average age of 3.7 years old, four antler points on each side, and an average field dressed weight of 143 pounds, according to FWP. Of the does able to be aged, adult does greater than 2.5 years old made up 21 percent of the total white-tail harvest, with an average age of 4.6 years old, and a field dressed weight of 96 pounds.

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Mule deer

Harvest success on mule deer was above average for much of the season, with 237 mule deer checked, or 13 percent above the 10-year average and the highest harvest since 2017, according to FWP.

As in recent years, most of the mule deer harvest this year consisted of antlered bucks, 76 percent of the total mule deer harvest. Of the mule deer able to be aged, adult bucks greater than 2.5 years old made up 38 percent of the total mule deer harvest, with an average age of 3.9 years old, four antler points on each side, and a field dressed weight of 139 pounds. Of the does aged, adult does greater than 2.5 years old made up 48 percent of the total mule deer harvest, with an average age of 4.6 years old and a field dressed weight of 107 pounds, according to FWP.

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Elk

Some initial movement of migratory Sun River elk arrived at the Sun River Wildlife Management Area began mid-season, and it was estimated that just under half the Sun River herd was present in Hunting District 425 by the end of the season, according to FWP.

Total elk harvest for 2024 was about 32 percent below the 10-year average and the lowest overall harvest since 2021. Antlered elk made up less than half the total harvest at 42 percent of the total.

Of those elk able to be aged, adult bulls greater than 2.5 years old made up 32 percent of the total elk harvest with an average age of 4.9 years old, five antler points on each side, and an average dressed out weight of 440 pounds. Of the cows able to be aged, adult cows greater than 2.5 years old made up 33 percent of the total harvest, with an average age of 7.2 years old and an average dressed out weight of 377 pounds, according to FWP.

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The HD 442 quota closed Nov. 15 and finished with 29 antlered and 34 antlerless elk harvested, similar to the previous two year’s total harvest in the district.

The HD 424 quota was not met and finished with a harvest of nine antlered elk.

A total of 28 antlerless elk were checked from the Sun River WMA and adjacent lands in HD 425, according to FWP.

Total ‘Sun River elk’ harvest from hunting districts 424, 425 and 442 at the check station was 42 antlered and 28 antlerless, similar to the total harvest seen in the previous two years. A total of 23 antlered and 29 antlerless elk were checked from HD 422, according to FWP.

Other species

Hunters with moose and mountain goat licenses on the southern Rocky Mountain Front were successful this fall. Of the eight area bighorn sheep license holders, seven were successful in harvesting sheep. Average age of the rams harvested on the southern RMF was 7.2 years old, according to FWP.

One wolf was checked at the check station and a total of six were harvested in wolf management unit 400 area by the end of the general rifle season. An additional 11 antelope and various game birds were also brought to the check station.

Hunting district regulation changes for deer and elk over time can affect harvest comparisons from year to year and compared to long-term averages. Harvest success is not always a reflection of current local big game populations since annual weather patterns, big game distribution, access and hunter effort heavily influence hunter harvest success, according to FWP.