By Robert Lucke
This is the year to get your deer or even two or three. With the mild winter last year and easy spring conditions, area deer are sleek and fat.
All over Montana the general deer season starts this Sunday and runs through November 26th. Along with general deer season, the Montana elk seasons starts Sunday as well.
There is a surplus of antlerless deer tags this season, said Tim Roth of the Havre office of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
"Those tags are for both non-resident and resident," said Roth. "Each person is allowed two of the surplus tags along with their regular A and B tags. Someone could shoot four deer this season."
there are just nothing but places to find deer this year, according to Roth.
"There are just so many places to go," Roth said. "But typically white tail deer can be found along the Milk River Valley in bigger numbers than anywhere else. And mule deer are just all over, everywhere else but in the Milk River Valley."
While there are not a lot of block management areas in the Milk River Valley, there are plenty both north and south of Havre. In fact, Blaine County has the largest number of block management areas of any county in Montana this year.
Roth cautions to really study each block management that a hunter might want to hunt, because they all are private land and each land owner has his own rules and regulations for that particular area and those regulations will not be the same in any other area.
The elk season, which starts this Sunday, allows 10 either sex elk in the Bear Paws, 60 antlerless elk and 10 archery permits of either sex.
Roth said he thinks that if this season is typical, there will be a good number of the either sex permits filled but not nearly as many of the antlerless permits.
Antelope season, which is about half through, has produced some good numbers of success rates. There are plenty of antelope in block management areas too.
Reports of bird hunting in Hill and Blaine Counties has been excellent so far this year.
With the rains and snows of late, there are no problems with areas being closed due to dry conditions.
But do pay attention to block management signs and areas, cautions Roth.
"And be sure that you know and follow tagging rules," said Roth. "Know how to tag and how to properly cut out your tag when you get your game."
For further information and block management booklets, contact the Havre office of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
