Currently the general rifle season for mule deer and white-tailed deer in districts 400, 401, 403 and 406 lasts three weeks. That's shorter than the rest of the state.
Under the proposed change, the season would have extended to a full five weeks, with the last two weeks open for antlerless mule deer and either-sex whitetails.
The idea originally came from area landowners who said they had too many deer.
While biologically the season proposal makes sense, says Bruce Auchly, Fish, Wildlife and Parks regional information officer, we did not get support from the sportsmen and women of north central Montana. Because this proposal will not go to the FWP Commission at its February 21 meeting, there will be no opportunity for public comment on it.
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