High temps and elk harvests in south-central Montana for opening weekend of the general season

BILLINGS – Saturday, Oct. 26, marked a special occasion for many in Montana, as the 2024 big game general hunting season opened. Hunters in south-central Montana experienced unseasonably warm weather for opening weekend, which led to mixed success. Elk hunters experienced more success than deer hunters in the region.  

In south-central Montana, biological game check stations operated both Saturday and Sunday of opening weekend in Big Timber, Columbus, Lavina and Billings. Just over 1,000 total hunters visited these 4 check stations over opening weekend, a slight increase from the number of hunters over the same weekend last year. In total, FWP staff checked 44 white-tailed deer, 61 mule deer and 84 elk across the 4 check stations.

All hunters are required to stop at game check stations, regardless of success. Check stations in Big Timber, Lavina and Billings will operate only on Sunday until closing weekend, when these stations will operate on both Saturday, Nov. 30, and Sunday, Dec. 1. The Columbus check station will operate both Saturday and Sunday every weekend of the general season. Biological game check stations capture important hunter and harvest trends and help FWP with wildlife management.

Hunting regulations for deer, elk and antelope are available online here.

Governor’s Youth Hunting Story Contest

To celebrate our hunting heritage in Montana, Gov. Greg Gianforte launched the third annual Youth Hunting Story Contest for Montana youth and apprentice hunters ages 10 to 17. The deadline to enter the contest is Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. 

To enter the contest, hunters must submit a story of no more than 500 words and a photo from their 2024 hunt. The governor will select 10 hunters, five aged 10 to 13 and five aged 14 to 17, and announce the winners in late December. The winners will be invited to the Capitol to celebrate with the governor and receive their prizes in January of the new year.

Learn more and enter at youthhunting.mt.gov. 

Big Timber Check Station

The hunter success rate was highest at the Big Timber check station over opening weekend at 35%, which is near the long-term average for opening weekend at this check station.

Elk harvest was the second highest on record at this check station at 33 total elk checked over the weekend. Of these elk, 19 were bulls and 14 were cows. A majority of the elk checked at this station were harvested from private land not enrolled in the Block Management Program.

Harvest for both deer species, however, was below last year and long-term averages. The majority of harvested deer were bucks, and the bucks were generally younger than those observed over the same weekend last year.

Seventeen bird hunters—a mix of both upland and waterfowl hunters—also stopped at the Big Timber check station.

Columbus Check Station

The Columbus check station had the fewest number of hunters over the weekend at 153. This is, however, up from the number of hunters over the same weekend last year.

Hunter success at this check station was consistent with last year at 22% but is below the long-term average. Harvest for both deer species was similar to recent years but below the long-term averages. Elk harvest was consistent with the long-term average.

Two hunting parties at this check station reported grizzly bear sightings while in the field, and many others reported grizzly bear tracks. FWP reminds hunters to be bear aware while hunting in south-central Montana.

Lavina Check Station

Lavina saw the most hunters in the region over opening weekend, with 408 total hunters. This is near the long-term average for opening weekend at this check station. Hunter success, however, was the lowest in the region at this check station at just 14%.

Mule deer harvest for this check station was significantly below average, with 13 checked over opening weekend compared to 28 over the same weekend last year.

Alternatively, white-tailed deer harvest at this check station was significantly above last year’s, and near the long-term average. FWP also checked 21 elk at this check station, which is consistent with recent years and above the long-term average.

Billings Check Station

At the Billings check station, 240 hunters stopped, which is up significantly from the 163 hunters over the same weekend last year. However, hunter numbers were still below the long-term average. Hunter success for the weekend was similar to last year at 20%.

Elk harvest was up significantly for the Billings check station. Last year over opening weekend, only 9 elk were checked, compared to 22 this year. Harvest for both species of deer and antelope were similar to recent years, but mule deer harvest remains significantly below the long-term average.

FWP also checked 25 bird hunters at this check station, the highest number of bird hunters for the region.

Region 5 check station results for opening weekend of 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021. 

Check station	Year	Hunters	White-tailed deer	Mule deer	Antelope	Elk	% Success
Big Timber	2024	232	12	18	18	33	35
	2023	234	26	40	20	28	49
	2022	250	22	20	23	28	37
	2021	213	21	42	11	23	46
Columbus	2024	153	8	17	0	8	22
	2023	131	10	14	0	6	23
	2022	129	12	12	0	10	26
	2021	81	16	14	1	5	44
Lavina	2024	408	17	13	8	21	14
	2023	440	8	28	5	23	15
	2022	551	15	21	2	21	11
	2021	458	12	37	5	14	15
Billings	2024	240	7	13	7	22	20
	2023	163	7	12	7	9	21
	2022	282	5	20	10	8	16
	2021	337	14	49	15	27	32