General season opens with mild weather, average hunter success in southwestern Montana

MISSOULA –The 2023 Montana big game general hunting season opened Saturday, Oct. 21, and hunters in the west-central part of the state found warm fall weather and a few less animals than in recent years.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wildlife check stations near Anaconda, Bonner, Fish Creek, and Darby saw 2,132 hunters collectively this weekend. Hunters checked 76 elk, 15 mule deer, 39 white-tail...