It’s settled: Whitetail deer hunting will be limited to bucks only in northwestern Montana for the next two years.

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission recently approved the biggest change in Northwest Montana’s Region 1 as part of overall season regulations for 2010 and 2011.

The region’s leadership in Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks originally proposed regulations that would allow hunters to harvest either bucks or does with their primary license during the first two weeks of the season.

But in subsequent meetings with hunters, and at a formal hearing in Kalispell in January, most hunters vigorously opposed the two-week provision because of concerns about the region’s whitetail population noticeably declining over the last couple years.

“Hunters are in a very cautious mode and are advocating for a restrictive hunting package,” said Jim Williams, the regional wildlife manager.

Williams noted that the department received hundreds of comments on the issue, both online and at meetings, and hunters definitely had an influence.

Another significant change approved by the state commission is that the next two hunting seasons will open on a Saturday, rather than the long-running tradition of a Sunday opener.

Williams explained that the change involves adding a day onto the five-week general season, which will still close on a Sunday.

The commission also approved a regulation that will allow youth hunters, ages 12-15, to hunt for deer on the Thursday and Friday preceding the Saturday opener.

Another Region 1 regulation change allows unlimited spring turkey licenses to be sold over the counter in Lincoln County and western Sanders County. Turkey licenses previously were available by drawing only in those counties, while they have been available over the counter in Flathead County for years.

(Jim Mann is a reporter for the Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell).