2024 Opening Weekend Report for Augusta Check Station

GREAT FALLS – Hunters in north-central Montana opened the 2024 general big game season on Saturday morning with warm, dry, and windy weather, resulting in fewer hunters afield along with a reduction in harvest success by hunters at the FWP check station in Augusta.

A total of 194 hunters in 93 groups stopped at the Augusta check station over the weekend, a decline from the 10-year average of 215 hunters. Harvest success was also about 10% below average with 35 deer and elk checked, along with two antelope and several upland game birds.

The deer harvest of 20 animals was lower than recent years, with 9 mule deer and 11 white-tailed deer checked by hunters compared to the ten-average of 27 deer. The elk harvest was slightly above the ten-year average, with 3 antlered bulls and 12 antlerless elk checked, compared to the average of 12 elk.

Deer and elk harvest was well distributed along the southern Rocky Mountain Front hunting districts. As is typical for this time of year and with current weather, the migratory Sun River elk herd does not yet appear to be making any initial or significant movement towards winter range on the Sun River WMA. Cooler and unsettled weather forecast for the upcoming week may influence some of that initial migration movement for Sun River elk and other big game.

The general deer and elk seasons run through Sunday, Dec. 1. The check station operated by FWP along Main Street in Augusta is the only biological check station in Region 4 and operates seven days a week from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on weekends. Biological check stations like the station in Augusta are intended primarily for biologists to gather trends and statistical information about animals and hunters. Hunters are reminded that they must stop at any check station they pass while hunting, whether or not they have harvested game.