"The aerial survey information and previous research findings on mule deer tracked in our Adaptive Harvest Management approach show how dynamic these populations are," said Glenn Erickson, wildlife manager in the FWP Wildlife Division in Helena. The severely dry summer in some areas limited the growth of forage plants for fawns and adults, so these animals have lower fat reserves going into winter. Less winter forage is available, too, due to the dry summer. These factors, combined with a severe winter, could precipitate a flattening or even a downturn in mule deer numbers next season, Erickson says. Fawns are particularly vulnerable under these conditions.

Here is a statewide play-by-play, based on game station records and wildlife manager's observations:

Northwestern Montana
"The last four hunting seasons have been amazingly similar," said Jim Williams, FWP wildlife manager in Kalispell. "The percent of hunters with game has steadily improved over the past four years from 5 percent in 1999 to 5.9 percent in 2000 — in large part due to the increased white-tailed deer population."

In the northwest, a significant portion of bucks harvested, about 45 percent, were yearlings. Williams notes that FWP will propose an eight-day, either sex whitetail season to the FWP Commission in 2001 for herd health, and to take some of the hunting pressure off the young bucks. Williams says the whitetail fawn-to-doe ratio is very high this year — in the neighborhood of 50 fawns to 100 adults.

"All signs point to an increasing whitetail population, even with the harvest of does proposed for next year," Williams said.

West Central Montana
West central Montana was hardest hit by last summer's wild fires. Hunter trips through the check station were down 6 percent from 1999, but the elk harvest was up 45 percent, the mule deer harvest was up 19 percent, and the whitetail harvest was up 27 percent. However, the 1999 elk harvest was one of the lowest in years due to extremely mild weather.

"The fires had no noticeable impact on harvest, but did affect where the harvest occurred," said FWP Region 2 wildlife manager John Firebaugh. The Bitterroot fires burned some good summer and fall elk security and also removed most of the forage in the understory. While elk still make use of these areas, they don't stay. They've shifted into unburned areas for better security and forage, and this is where more of the harvest occurred.

"We asked hunters if the fires shifted the location of their hunting from previous years and about 20 percent of hunters coming through the check stations confirmed it did," Firebaugh said.

South Central Montana
In South central Montana, hunter numbers were up slightly and the harvest was even or up slightly. "Our elk harvest in particular was up in locations where animals were pushed to lower elevations in search of forage," said FWP's Joel Peterson. "The drought reduced what was available to them at the higher elevations." Area biologists say the deer are at adequate fat levels, though the fawns are smaller and not in as good condition. Fawn survival will rest heavily on the length and severity of the winter ahead.

The elk are at average fat levels and are more adaptive in that they will live on rough forage not palatable to deer.

Central Montana
In central Montana, more hunters took home more elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer and antelope than any season since 1996, according to the game check station statistics. "I think it was a combination of higher populations, especially deer and antelope, and snow on the ground to help hunters," says Kristi DuBois, FWP wildlife biologist in Great Falls. Overall, Region 4's license sales were up 25 percent over 1999.

Eastern Montana
In the eastern part of the state, cool weather and snow cover in some places helped hunters, though hunter numbers appear to be down overall.

According to Don Hyyppa, FWP Region 7 supervisor, deer, antelope and elk populations are trending up. However, the past three years of drought, if combined with a tough winter, could impact this upward population trend. Observation and game check station information is informal, immediate feedback. Formal research will begin the end of January with the FWP annual survey of Montana's big and small game hunters. Results are available in the spring. Wildlife managers use this statistical information to more accurately estimate the 2000 harvest and to recommend quotas for upcoming hunting seasons.

Success for resident and nonresident hunters begins with strong big game populations and cooperative weather. Success for individual hunters may be as varied as cubic feet of freezer space filled, prized antlers that will be treasured for generations, the sight of a teenage daughter taking her first elk, or maybe just that perfect moment high on a crackling cold ridge, alone with the world. Whatever the measure, it was a season to remember — and after the summer's smoke-choked skies — reason to celebrate.