Hunter traffic, harvest mixed during closing weekend in SE Montana

Sunday's close of the deer and elk general season saw relatively mild weather and a mixed bag for hunter numbers and harvest rates at check stations around southeast Montana.

Hysham

The number of hunters passing through the Hysham rest area check station was typical for the closing weekend of the general deer and elk season. A total of 68 parties (average = 69) and 123 hunters (average = 134) passed through. The hunter harvest rate was 14 percent below the 10-year average for this weekend of the season, but the decrease in harvest rate is likely a byproduct of the decrease in mule deer doe lic...