Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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NorthWestern Energy, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and the Bureau of Land Management, in partnership with River Design Group, have completed a project to improve trout habitat in an area of the lower Madison River. Trout numbers in the lower Madison River are at historic lows due in part to low population recruitment and limited spawning and rearing habitats. This fall, crews expanded an island to enhance side-channel habitat complexity and improve flows to maintain gravels used by trout for...
Fish and Wildlife commissioners Bill Lane and KC Walsh have proposed amendments to the 2026/2027 hunting regulation proposals released by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks last month. Commissioner Lane, who represents FWP Region 7 in southeast Montana, has an amendment to eliminate the 798-20 elk permit as proposed by FWP. His proposal would increase the quota of the 799-20 elk license from 280 to 325 while keeping the second antlerless elk B license available to any elk permit holder in hunting districts (HD) 702, 704, and 705. Commissioner...
A new requirement that voters write their year of birth on mail-in ballot envelopes resulted in more than 2,700 local-election ballots being rejected this week in Montana’s six largest cities, according to election office data compiled by Montana Free Press. Another 1,278 ballots were rejected due to issues with ballot-envelope signatures, a longstanding requirement. Many of those votes have since been or will be counted if voters are able to remedy the issues flagged by election workers. Sarah Bell, Missoula County’s deputy elections adm...
Game wardens with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks are seeking information related to a bull elk that was found dead and unclaimed on Saturday, Oct. 25. The bull was found on private land about 7 miles south of Boulder along Lower Valley Road. It’s unclear whether the elk was shot at and killed at that location, or if it was initially shot and wounded on another adjacent property. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Boulder game warden Jacie Vonada at 406-502-8581 or visit tipmont.mt.gov. Informants may be eligible for a...
In light of the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court not to take up the Federal District Court decision on corner crossing in Wyoming, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Director Christy Clark reaffirmed the agency’s position this week. “Corner crossing remains unlawful in Montana, and Montanans should continue to obtain permission from the adjoining landowners before crossing corners from one piece of public land to another,” Director Clark said. “Wardens will continue to report corner crossing cases to local county attorneys to exercise their pro...
Fortunately, three archery hunters are uninjured after two recent encounters with grizzly bears in the Taylor Fork south of Big Sky. The first encounter involved two hunters on Sept. 29. They were hunting in the vicinity of a known elk carcass when they saw a grizzly bear. To make their presence known, the hunters yelled at the bear. The bear reportedly came toward the hunters, and they each fired once with handguns. Both the bear and the hunters left the site without further incident. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff learned of the...
As we enter the homestretch of summer, Montana’s rivers tell a tale of two states. While most of Big Sky Country’s major waterways are flowing at normal to above-normal levels, a handful of key streams are significantly below their typical summer volume. Data from 49 U.S. Geological Survey monitoring stations across the state reveal a mixed hydrological picture as of early August. The standout performer is the Tongue River in eastern Montana, particularly at the dam fed by the Tongue River Reservoir, which has been at or slightly above his...
The number of acres enrolled in Block Management, a hunting access program managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, has continued its gradual decline despite efforts to bolster landowner interest in the program. Hunters have been tracking revisions to Block Management, hopeful that changes to the landowner reimbursement payment structure authorized by the last two Montana Legislatures can reverse flagging participation in the program and help alleviate concerns about crowding as sales of hunting licenses climb. As the last week of the...
As dry, hot weather continues across Montana, fire restrictions are expanding to additional counties. Stage I fire restrictions went into effect Thursday, July 25, 2024 at 12:01 AM for Yellowstone County in south-central Montana, and Beaverhead and Jefferson counties in southwestern Montana. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks follows the counties’ lead in placing fire restrictions on its properties within each county. Yellowstone County: • Yellowstone Wildlife Mngmt Area • Blue Creek Fishing Access Site • Broadview Pond FAS • Bundy Bridge FAS • Buf...
Several free events have been scheduled in August at Madison Buffalo Jump, Missouri Headwaters and Lewis & Clark Caverns state parks. Madison Buffalo Jump State Park events: On Aug. 4, Madison Buffalo Jump State Park will host its traditional kite festival. This year’s kite festival will include kite building and flying, face painting, traditional games, a food truck, and Native American vendors. This family-friendly event will also feature a lecture on bison and a flint knapping demonstration. Kite building kits will be available for purchase...
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is about 15 miles southeast of Whitehall, along Montana Highway 2. For more information about the park, call 406-287-3541, ext. 9. Friday, August 2: Crow and Lakota Languages. Guest speaker Becky Warner, who is of Ni’kmaq and French-Canadia descent studies the Lakota and Crow languages She will give a beginning lesson on the Lakota language. 8 PM at campground amphitheater. Saturday, August 3: Six Habitats of Lewis & Clark Caverns. Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park is comprised of 6 unique habitats. Join R...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks seeks comments on a draft management plan for Canyon Ferry Wildlife Management Area. FWP manages Montana’s wildlife management areas on behalf of the public to benefit a diversity of wildlife species and their habitats and to provide compatible public access for fish—and wildlife-related recreation. To help achieve this multifaceted goal for Canyon Ferry WMA, FWP has written a new draft management plan. The draft management plan describes the WMA and lays out the goals and issues associated with how FWP man...
Mountain lion hunters who are applying for a Limited Mountain Lion License need to apply online no later than 11:45 p.m. MDT on July 22, or at an FWP office no later than 5 p.m. on July 22. For those hunters who apply for a Limited Mountain Lion License and are not successful in drawing that license, they are not eligible to purchase an Unlimited Mountain Lion License. Unsuccessful Limited Mountain Lion License applicants are eligible to purchase an over-the-counter Restricted Mountain Lion License, which is valid during the archery-only and...
Bannack State Park’s signature event, Bannack Days, is scheduled for the third weekend in July, with many traditional activities, displays, vendors, and re-enactments celebrating Montana’s first territorial capital. Bannack Days will be Saturday, July 20, from 9 AM to 5 PM, and Sunday, July 21, from 9 AM to 4:30 PM. Admission is $5 for individuals ages 6 and older, or $20 per family. Admission is free for children ages 5 and younger. Food and drinks can be purchased from vendors during the event. Parking space is limited during this busy eve...
Several interpretive events highlighting southwestern Montana’s natural, cultural, and historical elements are scheduled at Lewis & Clark Caverns and Missouri Headwaters state parks. These family-friendly events are free to Montana residents; an $8 fee applies to nonresident vehicles. Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park: FRIDAY, JUNE 28 - How Old Is It? Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologist Vanna Boccadori will share her experience working with various wildlife and talk about what stories their bones can tell us. 8 PM at the campground a...
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is about 15 miles southeast of Whitehall, along Montana Highway 2. For more information about the park, call 406-287-3541, ext. 9. Friday, June 28 - How Old Is It? Guest speaker Vanna Boccadori will share her experience working with a variety of wildlife species to talk about what stories their bones can tell us. 8 PM at campground amphitheater. Saturday, June 29 - Three Dog Night: Learn about the common characteristics between three cool canines—wolves, coyotes, and foxes—and how they differ from each oth...
Are you eager to finalize your fall hunting plans? The drawings for elk B, deer B, antelope 900, crane, and swan are complete. Hunters can check their results online. There are a few ways to get your drawing results. Visit fwp.mt.gov, click MyFWP Login in the upper right-hand corner, then click on the “Lookup Draw Results, Register for Lists” tab on the left-hand menu, or log in to your MyFWP account. You may also sign up for an account at fwp.mt.gov/MyFWP. Applicants may also call any FWP regional office or the licensing office at 406...
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is about 15 miles southeast of Whitehall, along Montana Highway 2. For more information about the park, call 406-287-3541, ext. 9. Friday, June 21 - Plants & Us: Guest speaker Robyn Klein will show live plant examples of some of the fascinating edible and medicinal plants of Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park. She’ll also demonstrate how to make pressed plant cards. 8 PM at campground amphitheater. Saturday, June 22 - Tick Talk: It’s tick season in Montana. Learn about these creatures we love to hate, and how to...
They look so cute and helpless, but your efforts to help them could harm the animal and reduce its chances of survival. It’s important to understand that wildlife care for their young much differently than humans. One strategy that some species, particularly those typically preyed upon by other animals (deer, rabbits, birds), is to distance themselves from their young for many hours at a time. This helps to keep predators away from their young. For example, fawns are born without a scent, and it is safer for them if their mother, who has a s...
Montana Shakespeare in the Parks kicked off their 52nd summer tour on June 12th in Bozeman, Montana, with free performances of Shakespeare’s Hamlet on June 12-15 and The Winter’s Tale on June 19-22. Following the local performances, the company will hit the road for a 12-week tour across five states, bringing free performances to 65 communities across the Rocky Mountain West. Montana Shakespeare in the Parks will present Hamlet at the Main Street Green next to the Star Theatre at 5 PM on Sunday, September 8th. Both productions have ele...
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is about 15 miles southeast of Whitehall, along Montana Highway 2. For more information about the park, call 406-287-3541, ext. 9. Friday, June 14 - Songs of the Dawn Priests: Join guest speaker Franco Littlelight who uses storytelling, art, poetry, music, and song to present the history of the Crow Indians. 8 PM at campground amphitheater. Saturday, June 15 - Night Skies at Lewis & Clark Caverns: This popular program is back to highlight the stories of the stars that you can see in the night skies over Lewis &...
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is about 15 miles southeast of Whitehall, along Montana Highway 2. For more information about the park, call 406-287-3541, ext. 9. Friday, June 7 - Ancient Volcanism in SW Montana: Guest speaker Dr. Jesse Mosolf will discuss the tempo and style of volcanism in southwest Montana, stretching from the Archean to the present, and the tools scientists use to investigate it. 8 PM at the campground amphitheater. Saturday, June 8 - Goodness Snakes Alive! Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park is home to the prairie...
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is about 15 miles southeast of Whitehall, along Montana Highway 2. For more information about the park, call 406-287-3541, ext. 9. Saturday, June 1- Tick Talk: It’s tick season in Montana. Learn about these creatures we love to hate and how to venture forth safely in tick country. The talk will begin at 8 PM at the campground amphitheater. Sunday, June 2 - Stroll to See Our Feathered Friends: Stroll with us through the campground and see how many of our feathered friends you can spot. Binoculars are provided. T...
It might seem like a good idea at the time, but dumping an aquarium pet into a lake or river is not good for the pet or the native wildlife. The pet probably won’t survive, and native wildlife won’t know how to compete with the invasive species. Earlier this spring, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks personnel identified two species resulting from aquarium dumps. The first detection was mystery snails at Finley Point in Flathead Lake. Mystery snails are aquarium snails found in many waters in the West, but this is the first mystery snail pop...
Anyone training bird dogs using game birds not raised in captivity needs to hold a bird dog training license, whether on private or public land. If you are training dogs with captive-reared birds, a license is not required. The Fish and Wildlife Commission requires anyone purchasing a bird dog training license intending to train on public land to designate the number of dogs being trained. These licenses can be purchased online through the FWP Online License Service, any FWP regional office, or any licensed provider. The license is $5 for...
