HYSHAM CHECK STATION
“Overall, Sunday was a very nice wrap-up to the general big game season,” said Miles City-area Wildlife Biologist Steve Atwood, who coordinated the Hysham station. “For the most part, hunters were content and satisfied with their season.”
“Harvest success was very comparable to the previous three seasons,” Atwood said. “The last three years have been 68 percent success on closing day.”
Hunter numbers were also right on average for previous closing weekends, with 159 hunters in 78 parties.
Atwood said one thing that stood out to him was the significant number of hunters who traveled to eastern Montana to visit and hunt with family.
“It’s apparent that sportsmen value the opportunity to spend time hunting deer with family over the Thanksgiving weekend,” he said.
Hysham workers checked 78 mule deer – 64 bucks and 14 does – and 29 whitetails – 23 bucks and six does. No elk came through the station that day, which was manned by Atwood, Regional Supervisor Brad Schmitz, Upland Game Bird Biologist Justin Hughes and Hunting Access Coordinator Travis Muscha.
It was also a good day for goose hunters.
“We had a few parties of goose hunters come through who did very well,” Atwood said. “We’re probably at peak in terms of Canada goose numbers along the Yellowstone right now until we receive colder weather that results in ice on the river. At that point, some of the geese will move south, but there are typically open pockets on the river that will hold birds.”
In general, people have been able to find what they were looking for, according to Atwood. The animals are also in better shape going into this winter than they were last year, when
