YH88
11-12-2003, 06:25 PM
Bitterroot-area hunters continue to have success bagging deer and elk nearly mid-way into the general big-game season.
As of Monday, 308 elk, 213 mule deer and 87 white-tailed deer were tallied at the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks hunter check station off U.S. 93 south of Darby, an attendant there said Tuesday.
Melissa Emens, who works the check station, said 6,336 hunters have checked in since the season started Nov. 26, though most didn't have game. Overall, though, Emens said big-game hunters continue to have better success this season than last year.
The station has two lanes, one for hunters with game, one for unsuccessful hunters. She said both lines remained "pretty busy" Tuesday.
Despite reports of a slow start elsewhere in Montana, in the Bitterroot big-game hunting got off with a bang of sorts, a FWP biologist said last month. Biologist John Vore has said the Bitterroot has record numbers of elk and strong deer populations. Snow, which was scarce opening day, now blankets much of the Bitterroot and should help hunters track animals.
And from Marty Auch's perspective, the season hasn't slowed. Auch owns Hamilton Packing Co., which processes wild game and other meats.
"We always have a good game season, but this year it seems like it keeps piling and piling on," he said Tuesday.
"When this game season hits, I think everybody who lives in this valley, in this whole state, hunts," said Auch, whose workday starts at about 4:30 a.m. and ends late in the evening.
It might seem so for Auch and his employees, who are extra busy this time of year processing wild game in addition to the usual livestock. For meat processors like Auch, the season started back in September when bow hunters hit the woods. Some 18 employees are on shift, and more than half of them process wild game, Auch said.
"We probably get anywhere from 20 to 30 animals in every day," he said. "Over the weekend we got 40-some animals, and I think 13 or 14 of those were elk."
Employees at Auch's business, which processes a portion of the big game animals taken by local hunters, have seen some "pretty nice" deer and elk this season, Auch said. He noted that one whopper of a mule deer weighed 197 pounds dressed and with the hide removed.
"One guy got a real nice one in the (hunting district) 261 area," Auch said.
Most years, he said, hunting seasons seem to start off busy, then wane somewhat before picking up again as winter weather sets in, aiding hunting conditions. But Auch said this season seems to have remained consistently busy at his business, meaning some hunters are having success.
"This, I think, is going to be one of those years when it just peaks and you stay there," Auch said.
As of Monday, 308 elk, 213 mule deer and 87 white-tailed deer were tallied at the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks hunter check station off U.S. 93 south of Darby, an attendant there said Tuesday.
Melissa Emens, who works the check station, said 6,336 hunters have checked in since the season started Nov. 26, though most didn't have game. Overall, though, Emens said big-game hunters continue to have better success this season than last year.
The station has two lanes, one for hunters with game, one for unsuccessful hunters. She said both lines remained "pretty busy" Tuesday.
Despite reports of a slow start elsewhere in Montana, in the Bitterroot big-game hunting got off with a bang of sorts, a FWP biologist said last month. Biologist John Vore has said the Bitterroot has record numbers of elk and strong deer populations. Snow, which was scarce opening day, now blankets much of the Bitterroot and should help hunters track animals.
And from Marty Auch's perspective, the season hasn't slowed. Auch owns Hamilton Packing Co., which processes wild game and other meats.
"We always have a good game season, but this year it seems like it keeps piling and piling on," he said Tuesday.
"When this game season hits, I think everybody who lives in this valley, in this whole state, hunts," said Auch, whose workday starts at about 4:30 a.m. and ends late in the evening.
It might seem so for Auch and his employees, who are extra busy this time of year processing wild game in addition to the usual livestock. For meat processors like Auch, the season started back in September when bow hunters hit the woods. Some 18 employees are on shift, and more than half of them process wild game, Auch said.
"We probably get anywhere from 20 to 30 animals in every day," he said. "Over the weekend we got 40-some animals, and I think 13 or 14 of those were elk."
Employees at Auch's business, which processes a portion of the big game animals taken by local hunters, have seen some "pretty nice" deer and elk this season, Auch said. He noted that one whopper of a mule deer weighed 197 pounds dressed and with the hide removed.
"One guy got a real nice one in the (hunting district) 261 area," Auch said.
Most years, he said, hunting seasons seem to start off busy, then wane somewhat before picking up again as winter weather sets in, aiding hunting conditions. But Auch said this season seems to have remained consistently busy at his business, meaning some hunters are having success.
"This, I think, is going to be one of those years when it just peaks and you stay there," Auch said.