South-Central Montana Check Stations Log 2,198 Hunters and 10 CWD Positives Through Three Weekends

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks said in a release from Billings on November 10, 2026 that 2,198 hunters have passed through its four south-central check stations in the first three weekends of the general big game season, against 2,248 at the same point last year. The third weekend, the season’s midpoint, brought unseasonably warm weather and 704 hunters, with participation above the long-term average at three of the four stations and harvest above average for most species at all four.

Mule deer lead the regional tally at 228 checked, up from 220 a year ago. Hunters have brought 163 white-tailed deer through the stations, against 162, and 147 elk, down from 157. Antelope harvest rose to 82 from 58 before that season closed on Sunday, Nov. 8. By station for the season, the release’s table lists Big Timber at 486 hunters with 54 whitetails, 57 mule deer, 37 antelope and 48 elk, Columbus at 350 hunters with 34, 51, one and 20, Lavina at 887 hunters with 50, 68, 21 and 58, and Billings at 475 hunters with 25, 52, 23 and 21.

Sampling for chronic wasting disease (CWD) is voluntary in most of Montana, and south-central hunters have submitted 373 samples from whitetails, mule deer and elk this season. Ten came back positive, four white-tailed deer and six mule deer.

Big Timber had 175 hunters on the third weekend, above its long-term average of 118 and the most on record since 2004, though success slipped to 41 percent against an average of 45. Whitetail and elk harvest for the season there run above average, antelope sat slightly below the average of 39 and mule deer below the average of 74. Columbus saw only 109 hunters against 167 on the same weekend last year, but whitetail harvest held at an average 19, elk came in above average at nine and success hit 40 percent, the highest since 2017.

Lavina drew its largest third-weekend turnout in more than a decade, with harvest of whitetails, antelope and elk above last year and every species at or above the long-term average. Success there was 24 percent against an average of 21, and biologists noted that several bucks appeared to be in the rut. Billings checked 151 hunters, up from 139 and near its average of 160, with success at 29 percent against 26 last year, deer and antelope harvest above last year and the weekend’s elk harvest the lowest since 2019. The 23 antelope checked at Billings this season are well above the station’s average of 13, while its season hunter count trails the average of 599.

On opening weekend, the department’s October 29 release counted 1,077 hunters at the same four stations, with 81 mule deer, 78 elk, 63 whitetails and 41 antelope checked. Stations in Big Timber, Lavina and Billings ran on Sunday only over the third weekend, while Columbus operated both days. All hunters must stop at any check station they pass, whether or not they have game.

The general deer and elk seasons run through Sunday, November 29, 2026, and FWP’s next south-central update is due after the fourth weekend.