Montana's Havre Check Station Logs 253 Antelope, 10% Above Last Year, as Season Ends

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks said in a Nov. 12 release that hunters checked 253 antelope at its Havre station in 2026, 10% above last year, as the season ended Nov. 8.

The Region 6 station has been open on weekends since the antelope general and pheasant openers on Oct. 10-11. Hunter numbers rose on Nov. 7 and 8 as muddy roads dried and temperatures were warm and dry, with 222 hunters in 113 parties checked. The year’s total is 1,105 hunters, slightly above both last year and the long-term average.

The antelope count is also 7% above the long-term average. Hunter reports were generally positive, with more antelope and more mature bucks seen than in previous years.

Fifty-seven mule deer were checked over the weekend, higher than the 2025 season but below the long-term average. The 126 checked so far is well up on this time in 2025 and still 39% below the long-term average. Hunters say they are seeing more mule deer than in the last few years.

White-tailed deer remain well below the long-term average, with only 13 recorded. Hunters report seeing fewer white-tails. FWP said the low harvest parallels region-wide cuts to white-tail B-licenses after an epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) outbreak last year.

Eleven elk were checked over the weekend. The 21 recorded so far is slightly below the long-term average.

Upland bird reports have been variable across northeast Montana. Hunters have brought in 546 pheasants, down slightly from last year and 14% below the long-term average. Only 61 sharp-tailed grouse have been checked, well below both last year and the long-term average. The 63 gray (Hungarian) partridge are down slightly from last year but 14% above the long-term average. Waterfowl rarely pass through the station, but the 59 ducks checked are slightly above normal.

FWP said the Havre station will stay open on weekends through Nov. 29, the end of the general deer and elk rifle season, so its remaining counts for November 2026 will come from the weekend checks through that date.