At the close of the 2025 general rifle hunting season on Nov. 30, just over 2,800 hunters had passed through the check station operated by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Augusta, representing a 10 percent increase over the 5-year average but a 9 percent decline from the 10-year average. In the Augusta area of the southern Rocky Mountain Front, the traditional five-week general rifle season had relatively mild weather for the majority of the season with cooler temps and some snow arriving for the last weekend. Overall harvest finished with 679 deer and elk checked, a 6 percent increase over the five-year average but a 7 percent and 19 percent reduction from the respective 10- and 20-year averages. Overall deer and elk harvest success rates this year were in line with success rates of last 20 years at approximately 24 percent. Montana residents tallied 83 percent of the total harvest, and 75 percent of the total deer and elk harvest came from public lands.

For much of the season, white-tailed deer harvest trended towards near or slightly above average levels. White-tailed deer harvest finished with a total of 303 deer checked, amounting to 4 to 9 percent above short- and longer-term average levels. Of the bucks able to be aged, adult bucks estimated at 2.5 years or older comprised approximately 36 percent of the total white-tail harvest, with an average age of 3.8 years or older, with 4 antler points on each side, and an average whole field dressed weight of 143 lbs. Of the does able to be aged, adult does 2.5 years or older comprised 18 percent of the total white-tail harvest, with an average age of 4.2 years old, and an average whole field dressed weight of 99 lbs. For bucks and does, these harvest statistics are generally in line with recent averages. A liberal white-tail season remains in place for this area given relatively strong white-tail numbers, and overall harvest was generally well distributed within the 6 primary hunting districts (HDs) monitored at the check station.

Mule deer harvest finished at 9 percent and 19 percent above the 5- and 10-year respective averages, with 236 deer checked. A high percentage of the mule deer harvest annually consists of antlered bucks with this year’s buck harvest comprising 82 percent of the total harvest. Of the bucks able to be aged, adult bucks ages 2.5 years and older comprised approximately 44 percent of the total mule deer harvest, with an average age of 3.7 years or older, 4 antler points on each side, and an average whole dressed weight of 150 lbs. Of the does able to be aged, adult does ages 2.5 years and older comprised 66 percent of the total mule deer harvest with an average age of 4.4 years old, and a whole field dressed weight of 105 lbs. For bucks and does, these harvest statistics are also generally in line with recent averages.

Elk harvest success this year was generally best at the beginning of the season before mild weather arrived in the latter weeks of the season, and has been the case the last few years, total elk harvest was below average for 2025, with 140 elk checked at the station. Harvest was 15 percent and 38 percent below the respective 5- and 10-year averages and is the lowest harvest since 2021. Antlered elk made up less than half the total harvest at approximately 40 percent of the total, with 56 bulls checked. Of those elk able to be aged, adult bulls ages 2.5 years or older comprised approximately 50 percent of the total elk harvest with an average age of 4.2 yrs. old, and 5 antler points on each side. Of the cows able to be aged, adult cows ages 2.5 years or older comprised 32 percent of the total elk harvest, an average age of 6.8 years old, and an average whole dressed out weight of 378 lbs.

The HD 442 elk quota of 50 remained open for the entire season, ending the season with 14 antlered and 11 antlerless elk harvested, which is well below recent harvest levels in this HD. The HD 424 quota of 10 elk was met and closed on Nov. 7 after 9 antlered 2 antlerless elk were harvested. A total of 41 antlerless elk were checked out of HD 425 comprising the Sun River WMA and adjacent lands. Total ‘Sun River elk’ harvest from HDs 424, 425 & 442 passing through the check station amounted to 77 total elk, with 28 antlered and 49 antlerless. A total 24 antlered and 25 antlerless elk were checked from HD 422. Strong initial movement of migratory Sun River elk to the Sun River WMA took place at the beginning of the season, and it was estimated that well over half the Sun River herd was present in HD 425 on the Sun River WMA by the end of the season.

Both Rocky Mountain Front (RMF) moose license holders and mountain goat license holders were successful. All of the RMF bighorn sheep license holders were successful in harvesting sheep. Average age determined by horn growth rings of the 9 rams harvested on the RMF was 7.8 years old, slightly above the target average minimum age of 7.5 years or older ideally targeted for hunter harvests for these HDs.

2 wolves were checked at the check station and a total of 3 have been harvested in wolf management unit 400 area by the end of the season. An additional 6 antelope, 1 black bear and various game birds were also checked at the check station.

Operated along Main Street in Augusta, the Augusta check station is the only biological check station in Region 4 and operates seven days a week from approximately 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. A big thanks to FWP staff Kerry Bouchard, Devon Rauscher, Kristen Wolfe and Hope Dupuy for their help operating the check station this season. Their efforts in helping collect biological data, attention to detail and be a continued key local source of information for hunters is invaluable. Thanks also to area game wardens, especially local warden Per Wolfisberg, for their assistance and presence patrolling and responding to calls in the greater Augusta area.