2005 fall hunting preview

Mild winter means stable big game populations

The 2005 fall hunting seasons in Northwest Montana are approaching, beginning with the Sept. 1 opener for mountain grouse and fall turkey. Archery hunting for deer and elk opens Sept. 3, and black bear season begins Sept. 15. Waterfowl season is scheduled to open Oct. 1, followed by the Oct. 8 pheasant opener.

Region 1 Fish, Wildlife and Parks wildlife program manager Jim Williams has assembled the following outlook for the coming hunting seasons.

? Mountain grouse populations are variable and hard to measure. All three species — ruffed, blue and Franklin grouse — are found in good numbers around Northwest Montana. FWP workers and others have reported seeing numerous broods this summer, but no predictions can be made on numbers available for the fall hunting season.

According to John Grant, FWP manager at Ninepipe Wildlife Management Area, the pheasant, partridge and waterfowl populations generally had good nesting and brood-rearing conditions, so the populations should be slightly better than last year.

This is good news for the upland game bird hunters in Western Montana. Bird population levels vary a lot throughout the region due to the impact and timing of spring rain events.

The area around Ninepipe WMA supports higher population densities of pheasants than the rest of the region. A new hunting map for the greater Ninepipe area is available from FWP free of charge.

For waterfowl, both the Flathead and Mission valleys support significant breeding and migratory waterfowl populations that are available during the fall hunting seasons. A youth waterfowl hunt, scheduled the weekend before the general waterfowl season, offers a terrific opportunity for youngsters to get a start on the season.

? Williams noted that deer and elk populations are good throughout the region.

"The Northwest Montana big game populations have remained stable or have continued to increase annually," he said. "This in part is due to a relatively wet August last year, followed by a relatively mild winter and a very wet spring this year."

Williams added that big game forage quality could not be better.

? White-tailed deer populations are healthy, with average fawn recruitment. FWP biologists classified more than 4,000 white-tailed deer this spring to gauge recruitment and over-winter survival.

The number of fawns per 100 adult ratios ranged from the mid-30s in the Purcell Mountain area of the extreme northwestern corner of the region, to 70 in the Blacktail Mountain foothills of Hunting District 120. The regional average of 47 fawns per 100 adults observed this spring is typical for Northwest Montana whitetails.

Tim Thier, FWP biologist in Eureka, classified approximately 1,000 white-tailed deer in the north Salish and Whitefish mountain complexes during spring ground classification surveys and observed a recruitment rate of 57 fawns per 100 adults.

As far as bucks are concerned, the regional herds continue to show increased numbers of bucks in older-age classes that are checked at regional big game check stations. Based on spring classification surveys and commensurate with the healthy regional deer herds, the FWP Commission increased antlerless white-tailed permits in Hunting Districts 130, 109, 101, 102, 121 and 120 for this fall.

? Continued good winter survival for mule deer fawns and a strong yearling age class typify Northwest Montana's mule deer herds. FWP biologists classified more than 2,000 mule deer this spring throughout the region.

The mule deer fawn per 100 adult ratios ranged from 33 in the Purcell Mountains in Hunting District 100 to 37 in the Galton Mountains just east of Eureka in Hunting District 109. The regional average of 34 mule deer fawns per 100 adults observed this spring is good for Northwest Montana mule deer herds.

Jerry Brown, FWP wildlife biologist in Libby, classified 486 mule deer on the spring census area in the Fisher River area of Hunting District 103 during spring helicopter surveys.

With one exception in HD 103, where special antlerless permits are offered, mule deer hunting in Northwest Montana is limited to antlered bucks.

Mule deer are distributed over a large geographic area in Northwest Montana but are typically hunted at relatively high elevations. Some of the larger mule deer populations can be found in the Whitefish, Salish, Purcell, Swan, and Cabinet Mountain Ranges.

? Northwest Montana elk populations are healthy with improved calf recruitment. FWP biologists classified more than 3,000 elk this spring to gauge recruitment and over-winter survival.

Calves per 100 cow ratios ranged from 20 in the Galton Mountains east of Eureka in Hunting District 109 to 32 in the Lost Trail area of Hunting District 103.

Bruce Sterling, FWP wildlife biologist in Thompson Falls, classified more than 1,500 elk in the Lower Clark Fork area of Hunting District 121 during spring helicopter surveys.

Following FWP's new Elk Plan, the FWP Commission subsequently increased antlerless elk permits in Hunting District 121 to 550 permits to provide more hunting opportunity and manage the population.

For bull elk, general and archery seasons throughout Northwest Montana are limited to brow-tine bulls only. There is a special youth hunting opportunity for antlerless elk. Check hunting regulations for details.