# MT, Low harvest: Elk seasons extended in 20 districts



## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Story available at http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles ... 33-elk.txt

Published on Wednesday, November 26, 2008.
Last modified on 11/26/2008 at 12:46 am

Low harvest: Elk seasons extended in 20 districts
By MARK HENCKEL
Gazette Outdoor Editor

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks announced Tuesday that the elk hunting season will be extended in 18 southwestern and two northeastern Montana hunting districts due to the lack of snow and cold, which resulted in a lower-than-normal elk harvest.

While the general season will end at a half-hour after sunset on Sunday across most of the state, FWP decided on the extended season to try to increase the harvest in these areas to help bring elk herds within management objectives.

"The elk harvest in some key areas was much lower than we hoped for," said Quentin Kujala, chief of wildlife management for FWP in Helena. "Once again, a lack of snow and cold weather - and some difficult public access issues - played a significant role in keeping the harvest below our elk management objectives."

Kujala said that while there are other areas of the state where elk numbers remain over objective, those are typically areas where public access has been difficult and FWP does not expect that to change.

"We're asking for hunter and landowner help in those areas that will remain open," Kujala said. "Hunter harvest across land ownership is needed to help get elk numbers in line with population objectives."

The extended season will run Dec. 1 through Dec. 21 in southwestern Montana's FWP Region 3 and Dec. 1 through Dec. 14 in northeastern Montana's FWP Region 6. The FWP Commission, however, can close any extended season in any hunting district on 24-hour notice. Those closures would occur if the total elk harvest objective in those districts is achieved, or if the bull harvest gets to a level at which a closure on bulls would be necessary.

Hunting districts in Region 3 that will be open from Dec. 1 through Dec. 21 are: 300, 302, 314, 315, 320, 322, 323 (outside the Wall Creek WMA), 324, 325, 326, 327, South of Dad Creek in 328, 330, 333, 360, 362, 390, 393.

The A9/B12 licenses in the Region 3 districts that were issued through the drawing will remain in effect during the extension. Hunters will continue to be able to purchase over-the-counter A9/B12 licenses valid for hunting districts 315 and 393. Hunters holding brow-tined bull/antlerless permits valid for the Wall Creek Wildlife Management Area in district 323-10 will continue to be the only hunters allowed to harvest elk there.

Kujala said that Region 3 will be tracking harvest on an area-by-area basis to assure that the average bull harvest of the previous four years is not exceeded. If the bull harvest limit is approached in an area, that area will be closed to all bull hunting, but the antlerless portion of the season will remain open. To aid in that effort FWP is requesting all successful hunters in FWP Region 3 to call 1-877-397-9453 (1-877-FWP-WILD) within 24 hours to report sex, age and location of their harvest.

Hunting districts in Region 6 that will be open from Dec. 1 through Dec. 14 are: 622 and 631. A9/B12 licenses valid in HD 622 are not valid on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge.

Hunting success during the extended season, particularly in the 18 districts in Region 3, will depend largely on whether snow and cold arrive. If not, expect hunting to be tough. If snow and cold do arrive, hunter success typically improves.

Hunter access came into play in discussions on Monday and Tuesday as the season extensions were being discussed both within and outside of FWP.

FWP commissioners went to a standard five-week season for hunters to harvest elk two years ago. Extensions would be limited to years when unseasonable weather hampered the needed harvest.

In areas where weather doesn't play such a large role but where limited hunter access created an under-harvest situation, seasons would not be extended.

Hunters who have already harvested an elk in 2008 with their general elk license are not eligible to purchase a second general elk license, but they can purchase one of the available A9/B12 licenses that are available for two districts in Region 3.

Some block management areas may not be open for the extended season. Hunters are urged to contact the regional FWP office to determine whether a BMA is open for hunting elk during the season extension.

All other hunting regulations apply during the extended season, including the need to have permission to hunt on private land.

No other general hunting season extensions for deer or elk are planned at this time, Kujala said.

Contact Mark Henckel at [email protected] or at 657-1395.


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