The general deer and elk season opens this Saturday with legal shooting hours a half hour before sunrise and ending a half hour after sunset.

Hunting is more than a tradition. It’s one of the largest reasons people live in the Big Sky County, and especially western Montana where the area is well known for ample game. Wolves have redistributed critters and it’s also known that mountain lions and bears have a larger impact on populations.

Over 90% of the county is open for public hunting but it’s also some of the most vertical hunting in the state, otherwise known as "young man’s (woman’s) hunting grounds" but the baby-boomers still make up a large part of the hunting community.

“I strongly advise reading the 2022 hunting regulations this year because there are some significant changes that have taken place,” shared Sgt. Dan Curtin with the FWP Region 2.

“The B-tag (cow elk) through the drawing is the general B-tag and the B-tag OTC (over the counter) is generally more prescriptive, normally it’s only to be used on private property in certain districts or portions of districts. The B-tag (general) is normally for the entire district.”

Curtin again repeats that everyone should read the regulations this year as there are some Block Management areas that the OTC B-tag is not honored, even though it’s private property. The 2022 Hunting Access Guide will clarify which Block Management areas the OTC B-tag is legal.

That information as well as all of the regulations are available at FWP Regional Offices and can be downloaded from their website www.fwp.mt.gov as well as in booklet form FWP License Providers in many sporting goods stores.

“As far a Block Management, they are all different depending on how the landowners would like it structured. On some, there is no official permission needed at all. You just show up and hunt the area. Others, you do have to get the daily coupon and sign in daily, but other ones you sign in once for the entire (hunting) season,” he explained.

“And do know the individual rules when it comes to how many vehicles are allowed as some (Block Management) have limits. Once that number has been met, that area is considered occupied.”

When hunting in HD 202, remember you must have been drawn for a mule deer buck permit which is used in conjunction with your general deer license for that area. HD 201 has swelled in size.

“In our region, we did condense some hunting districts to simplify the regulations a little bit. We removed HD 203 and incorporated HD 201 into it. It’s definitely different from last year,” Curtin said.

When it comes to CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) it remains a danger and FWP is again supplying dumpsters for carcasses after butchering.

“I’m not 100% certain of where the dumpsters are going to be (in Mineral County) but they will be marked. Otherwise, hunters will have to take them to a designated landfill. Any parts of the vertebrae and skull are the biggest threat of spreading the disease. Again, reading the regulations is very important this year with the changes that have been made and don’t hesitate to call us if anyone has any questions at all. (406) 642-5500 is our office on Spurgin Road in Missoula.”

Understanding that everyone makes blunders, Curtin said, “If anybody ever makes a mistake and does something that they didn’t intend to do, don’t be reluctant to call a local game warden and it will be easy to resolve that way. We’re more than happy to work with people that make an honest mistake.”