Hunters better work a little harder if they want venison in the freezer this year.

Western Montana white-tailed deer harvests are about half what they were at this time in 2008, although elk hunters have reported strong success. Hunter numbers are also down about 10 percent from last year’s mark, although that could change with the typical last-week surge to the woods.

“It’s not too surprising folks aren’t finding them where they’re used to looking for them,” said state Fish, Wildlife and Parks wildlife manager Mike Thompson. “Our indications keep pointing to whitetail numbers on more accessible public lands going down over the last several years.”

The easy availability of whitetail doe tags in the past few years appears to have reduced deer populations in the easy-to-reach territory, Thompson said. That combined with increased wolf predation and

other factors appears to have taken its toll. Over-the-counter doe tags

were not offered this

year.

Warm, dry weather with little snow cover has hurt hunter effectiveness in many parts of western Montana as well. But while the hills around Missoula have been bare and brown, country east of Deer Lodge has been enjoying snowfall and well-below-freezing temperatures.

FWP biologist Ray Vinkey said the weather around Philipsburg and Anaconda contributed to a busy weekend at the Anaconda check station. He reported 19 elk last week for a season tally of 66 so far – the highest mark for the first three weeks of the season since 2000. A temporary check station at Hall last week also logged 15 elk from 426 hunters.

That was helped by the one-week bonus time when elk hunters with a bull tag could take an antlerless elk instead. That period ended Nov. 15.

In northwestern Montana’s FWP Region 1, wildlife manager Jim Williams said the mid-season whitetail harvest was just one deer above the record low of 310 set in 1997. Just 5.5 percent of hunters were reporting success by that point, compared to last year’s mark of 6.7 percent.

Weather for the final week of the season is getting a good dose of cold and wet – including some significant mountain snowfall over the weekend.

Thompson had some advice for those still trying to fill the freezer. The rut appears to be in full swing for whitetail bucks, making them easier targets, provided the hunter is in the woods.

“As long as I sit at this desk,” he said, “I’ve never had one (deer) come in and ask me to take it home.”

Reporter Rob Chaney can be reached at

523-5382 or at rchaney@missoulian.com.