Northwest Montana reports slightly lower harvest numbers through the second week of general season

Through the second weekend of Montana’s general big game season, hunter participation in northwest Montana was slightly lower than last year, with overall success rates and harvest numbers seeing moderate declines.   

So far, 3,235 hunters have passed through the four regional check stations, about 7% fewer than last year. A total of 183 white-tailed deer, 24 mule deer bucks, and 23 elk have been reported. The overall percentage of hunters with game is 7.1%, compared to 9.3% in 2025.  

The second week of general season often brings a slower pace of hunting activity following opening weekend. While check station numbers are slightly lower than this time last year, hunters continue to be active across northwest Montana. Data will be monitored in the coming weeks as the season progresses. Montana’s 2026 general season runs through Nov 29.   

“While we’re seeing somewhat lower hunter numbers and harvest totals compared to last year, we are still seeing steady activity across the region,” said Neil Anderson, regional wildlife manager. “It’s not unusual to see participation and harvest numbers fluctuate throughout the season. We’ll continue tracking the numbers as more hunters head into the field; it’s still early to draw any conclusions about how the season will shape up.”     

Check stations are open on weekends during general season from 10 a.m. to approximately 1.5 hours past sunset. The northwest Montana stations are located at U.S. Highway 2 West of Kalispell, Montana Highway 83 north of Swan Lake, Highway 200 west of Thompson Falls, and Highway 93 near Olney.  

Hunters must stop at any check station they encounter whether they harvested an animal or not. The counts at the stations represent a sampling of the harvest and do not represent the complete number of animals taken.