Deer Season Scaled Back

Thu., Sept. 24, 1998

Montana Big Game

The most restrictive deer hunting regulations in recent Montana history will be in effect this season.

The number of non-resident hunters pursuing deer in Montana this fall will be fewer than in recent years due to a decision by the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission.

The commission decided that nearly 1,200 non-resident deer licenses available for the 1998 season will not be sold to hunters visiting the state this fall.

Under Montana law, 17,000 Big Game Combination licenses are available to non-resident hunters. The license consists of elk, deer, upland game bird and a full-season fishing license. It represented the only license a non-resident could obtain to legally hunt elk in Montana.

Now, the commission has the authority to sell elk-only Big Game Combination licenses. The commission also has the authority to determine the use of any of the deer licenses that could be reissued.

Nearly 1,200 non-resident hunters applied for and received the elk-only license for 1998. The decision not to reissue the 1,200 deer licenses was made in the long-term interests of Montana’s deer population, said FWP director Patrick Graham.

Big-game records contacts

Following are the authorities for hunters interested in listings or scoring for big-game records:

Boone and Crockett Club, Old Milwaukee Depot, 250 Station Dr., Missoula, MT 59801-2753, telephone (406) 542-1888, fax (406) 542-0784, deals with the largest game animals taken by any legal hunting method.

Pope and Young Club, P.O. Box 548, Chatfield, MN 55923, telephone and fax (507) 867-4144, deals with big-game trophies taken by bowhunters.

ARCHERS FEEL CRUNCH Even archers are feeling the crunch of declining Montana mule deer herds. Montana has eliminated either-sex hunting for mule deer during special archery-only seasons in many hunting districts. In other words, antlerless mule deer cannot be taken legally by bowhunters in most hunting districts this year, says the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department. Specific regulations vary by district.

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