Hunting harvest shows decline
Kathleen Woodford Mineral Independent | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 11 months AGO
Becky McGuffey from Superior poses with a buck she got hunting this year. It was her second one, and she shot it near Superior. She started hunting in 2014. (Photo courtesy of Becky McGuffey).
BELOW: Jess Buss shot her first mule deer buck this year in Mineral County. (Photo courtesy of Jess Buss).
Lane DiGiando (11) from Superior shot her first doe near Superior while hunting with her dad this year. (Photo courtesy of Kate DiGiando).
Hill sisters from St Regis, Macy (front) who is 13, Madison (19) and Emma (far back, 17) had a successful hunt this year near Dillon. Macy and Emma shot their first elk, and Emma also got an antelope. (Photo courtesy of Tina Hill).
Sam Doughty (10) from Alberton poses with his first doe shot near Garnett. Behind him is his younger brother, Wyatt, and grandpa, Richard Doughty. (Photo courtesy of Matt Doughty).
General rifle season ended on Nov. 25 and a report for Region 2 during the third week of hunting by Fish, Wildlife & Parks showed a decline in the number of hunters and harvest. The total number of hunters in 2018 was 8,027, down from 9,317 for the same time period last year, with a total of 616 animals harvested compared to 818 in 2017.
Of those, 209 were elk this year, 66 mule deer, 329 white-tailed deer, six black bear, two moose, three sheep, no goats and one wolf. In 2017, there were 280 elk, 63 mule deer, 461 white-tailed deer, nine black bear, no moose, two sheep, no goats and two wolves.
The report stated that colder weather and a bit of snow mid-season helped bump harvest over the past few weeks, but without significant weather changes, FWP expects harvest totals to remain steady and end on par with last year. End of the season numbers are not yet available.
In Mineral County, Facebook was full of happy hunters who posted their successes, including Becky McGuffey, who bagged her second buck.
“My Dad was a great hunter but I never had the patience for the long hikes, the cold weather, and to practice shooting year round to hunt myself,” she said. “I married a hunter, moved from Missoula to Superior and went along hunting with him and was inspired to hunt when he shot his first bull elk in 2013.”
She said she started hunting the next year, “I really enjoy being in the woods now as an adult and get out every chance I can. Mineral County is a great place to enjoy public land. There are so many great hiking trails and high lakes! Now my dream is to get elk.”
Hunting is a great activity for families, and the Hill clan in St. Regis managed to take a trip to Dillon where sisters Macy (13), Madison (19) and Emma (17) enjoyed a successful trip. Macy got her first animal, which was an elk, along with Emma, who also shot her first elk. Madison had gotten her first elk when she was 11 years old. The day before, Emma also shot an antelope, the first one for anyone in their immediate family, said their mother, Tina Hill.