The 2009 big hunting season in Northwest Montana was the slowest since 1997, a strong indication that the region’s whitetail deer population still is decreasing.

The season closed on Sunday with 22,932 hunters stopping at the six Region One check stations, a decline from last year’s 24,995 hunters.

The whitetail count dropped from 1,532 last year to 1,138 this year, while the mule deer count dropped from 219 last year to 193 this year.

The elk harvest was up: 153 compared to 147 last year.

The percentage of hunters with game dropped from 7.6 percent last year to 6.5 percent this year.

“Based on our check station results, it appears as though the whitetail deer population is still declining,” said Jim Williams, regional wildlife manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

The best indicator of the whitetail decline is the buck harvest because regulations applying to bucks have been consistent over the years. This year’s buck count at the check stations was 797, the lowest since 612 were checked during the 1997 hunting season.

The overall drop in the whitetail harvest largely can be attributed to a sharp reduction in the availability of antlerless deer tags this year, a change that was driven by evidence of a declining population through most of the region.

Williams said the whitetail population has been declining for the last two or three years, mainly because of back-to-back long, cold winters with deep snow at lower elevations. Predation by mountain lions and wolves also has had an impact, along with a generous availability of antlerless deer permits.

“We need a strong fawn crop to survive the winter before we will see significant recovery of the whitetail population,” Williams said.

John Vore, a regional wildlife biologist and whitetail specialist, said that based on field surveys earlier this year and observations during the hunting season, fawn numbers are up in most parts of the region from the low levels of 2007 and 2008. He noted, however, that the overall population is significantly down, particularly west of Kalispell.

Wildlife biologist and mule deer specialist Tim Thier said the mule deer harvest varied across the region.

“At the Olney and Swan Valley check stations, the take of mule deer was actually up,” he said. “In the rest of the region, particularly west of Kalispell, mule deer harvest was way down.”

Regulations for mule deer have been restricted to buck-only in most hunting districts for years.

The elk harvest was the bright spot this year, even though there were relatively mild weather conditions.

“Snow is the driving force for elk harvest,” said Libby area biologist and regional elk specialist Bruce Sterling. “When you have such a mild hunting season it makes it more difficult for hunters to take elk.”

Of the 153 elk that were checked, 72 percent were bulls. The Swan Valley check station reported 27 elk compared to 19 last year. The Thompson Falls check station was, as usual, the busiest for elk, with a count of 48 that matched last year’s number.

Check-station statistics, collected only on weekends, represent only a sampling of the total harvest. A follow-up telephone survey of licensed hunters will provide a far more detailed picture of the season’s results.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com