Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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The new license year opens on March 1, which means that is the day you can buy your 2023 hunting and fishing licenses and begin applying for permits and special licenses. The deadline to apply for deer and elk permits is April 1. Applications for most species – deer, elk, antelope, deer B licenses, elk B licenses, antelope B licenses, moose, sheep, goat, bison, bear, and turkey – can be made beginning March 1. Hunters and anglers can also take advantage of the MyFWP mobile app if they haven't al...
Landowners have until March 15 to submit applications to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks for enrollment in the Unlocking Public Lands (UPL) Program or the Public Access Land Agreement (PALA) Program. These programs are designed to provide recreational public access to state (Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation) or federal (Bureau of Land Management or United States Forest Service) land where no or limited legal public access currently exists. For enrollment in UPL, landowners will receive a tax credit in the amount of $750 p...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on several proposals slated to go to the Fish and Wildlife Commission in February. Comment is open through Feb. 3. After public comment, commissioners can offer amendments to the proposals as they see fit. The proposals and supporting documents, commissioner amendments, and collected public comments are available on the FWP website. The commission will make a final decision on these proposals at its meeting on Feb. 22. Fish removal projects for 2023-2026: For 2023 - 2026, there are 26...
In a Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission meeting held on December 20, the Commission chose not to reinstate the full 5-week general rifle season in HD 313. “Today’s inaction to increase public access and elk hunting near Gardiner means the public land hunter loses another season of extended opportunity in HD 313,” said Mac Minard, Executive Director, Montana Outfitters, and Guides. “Not only will this prime public land be unavailable to hunters, but adjacent districts will continue to be overcrowded. Reinstatement of the normal...
With help from several partners, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks this month completed the purchase of an 829-acre addition to Mount Haggin Wildlife Management Area. The new parcel, known as the Willow Creek addition, is about 4 miles south of Anaconda and shares 2.5 miles of boundary with the WMA. It contains winter range that mule deer and elk use heavily, as well as high-quality pronghorn fawning and summer range. “We’re thrilled to see the Willow Creek addition be conserved with the rest of Mount Haggin WMA for the perpetual benefit of Mon...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is extending the public comment deadline on the draft grizzly bear management plan and associated draft environmental impact statement (EIS) to Feb. 4. The purpose of the draft plan and draft EIS is to guide the long-term management and conservation of grizzly bears across the state. “We know the holidays are a busy time for people and their families,” FWP Director Hank Worsech said. “We want to make sure people have a chance to share their best ideas with us and so extending the comment period by 30 days will...
Effective immediately, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is opening wolf trapping season in all areas of occupied grizzly bear habitat across the state, with the exception of deer and elk hunting district (HD) 130 in northwest Montana (See map). In August, the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission approved wolf hunting and trapping regulations for the 2022 season, which ends March 15, 2023. The regulations include a floating start date for wolf trapping in occupied grizzly bear habitat. The intent of the floating start date is to avoid conflict...
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park will again host holiday candlelight tours of the entire developed cave route. This special event allows visitors to see and enjoy the caverns by the warm, festive glow of candle lanterns. Participants must make a reservation prior to their tour. Tours will be offered from Dec. 16-18 and Dec. 21-23. The starting times of these tours will vary, depending on park staffing for the day. However, all tours will be during the day, with a portion of the two-hour walking tour being outdoors along trails that may have...
Applications are being accepted for the 2023 pheasant release program through Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program (UGBEP). Guided by statute, pen-raised birds are released in areas suitable for ring-necked pheasants with the intent to enhance wild pheasant populations. Landowners interested in releasing pen-reared pheasants have until Jan. 15 to submit an application. Projects must comprise at least 100 contiguous acres of land and contain a combination of suitable habitat components – including cover and food ...
Montana’s 2022 wolf regulations passed by the Fish and Wildlife Commission in August will go back in effect immediately after a court ruling in a lawsuit against Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks denied the plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction and lifted a temporary restraining order. The lawsuit challenges Montana’s wolf management. Two weeks ago the judge in the case issued a temporary restraining order reverting wolf regulations back to the 2020 wolf hunting and trapping season. That temporary restraining order expired Tuesd...
Hunter success continued to vary across southwest Montana during the latter half of the general deer and elk hunting season, according to data gathered by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists. The general season lasted from Oct. 22 through Nov. 27. During that time, FWP staff operated game check stations at various times and locations in southwest Montana, including stations in Alder, Cameron, Canyon Ferry, Divide, Gallatin Canyon and Gardiner. Collectively, they met with 5, 523 hunters who harvested 64 white-tailed deer, 175 mule deer...
The Private Land/Public Wildlife Advisory Committee will meet Wednesday, Dec. 14, via Zoom from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The 13-member advisory committee, appointed by the governor, is charged with reviewing FWP’s access programs and offering recommendations to help achieve program goals and maintaining good relations between hunters and landowners. Members are Ed Beall, chair, of Helena, Eric Albus of Hinsdale, Tierani Brusett of Billings, Cynthia Cohan of Butte, Lee Cornwell of Glasgow, Paul Ellis of Bozeman, Everett Headley of Stevensville, D...
Anyone wanting to salvage a road-killed deer, elk, moose are antelope must obtain a Vehicle-Killed Wildlife Salvage Permit. These are available at no cost and must be obtained within 24 hours of the time a person takes an animal into their possession. Permits are available either through law enforcement officers on the scene of collisions or online on the FWP website. As a reminder, any salvaged animal must be removed in its entirety from the roadway by the permittee. The animal may be field dressed before it leaves the area but entrails or any...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is accepting applications for more than $1.3 million in recreation grants. Applications will be accepted for the Off-Highway Vehicle Grant Program, the Montana Trail Stewardship Grant Program and the Summer Motorized Trail Pass Grant Program. Applications can be submitted through the online system at funding.mt.gov. Application deadlines vary and are noted below. The federal Recreational Trails Program grant cycle opened Nov. 1; more information can be found at https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/grant...
Game wardens with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks are seeking information on a deer that was killed illegally at Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park. Sometime between the afternoon of Friday, Nov. 11, and Saturday, Nov. 12, a deer was shot in the eastern half of the park, where hunting is prohibited. The whole animal was removed and was not field dressed at the kill site. Anyone with possible information about this case is encouraged to visit myfwp.mt.gov/fwpPub/tipmont to provide details or call the FWP violation reporting hotline at...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks announces that the application period to apply for a Shooting Range Improvement Grant is now open. Completed applications must be received no later than Feb. 1, 2023. Montana's Shooting Range Grant Program, administered by FWP, provides funding to non-profit shooting clubs, organizations, local governments and school districts to build and improve public shooting ranges throughout the state. To learn more about the Shooting Range Grant Program and to download this year's grant application, visit FWP’s website a...
Wildlife health staff with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recently detected chronic wasting disease in a white-tailed deer buck that was harvested by a hunter in hunting district 311. The deer was harvested about 1 mile northeast of Cardwell on the south side of Interstate 90. This marks the first CWD detection in hunting district 311. However, the detection site was previously part of hunting district 333 but was added to hunting district 311 during FWP’s biennial season-setting process last year. CWD has been detected in hunting district 3...
Montana’s general hunting season is hitting the midway point and the overall harvest is expected to increase with the onset of the deer breeding season in the coming weeks. So far this season, more than 4,500 hunters have appeared at regional game check stations. The overall number of hunters with harvested white-tailed deer is up so far compared to last year while the number of hunters with harvested mule deer and elk is slightly down. Montana’s general deer and elk hunting season runs from Oct. 22-Nov. 27. The deer breeding season, known as...
One Montana’s Master Hunter Program is accepting applications from October 1, 2022 - November 30, 2022, for the 2023 program. Classes will be held in Billings (March), Bozeman (April), and Missoula (May). Each class will consist of two 3-Day consecutive weekends (Friday – Sunday). A two-day weekend rendezvous in June is also required for qualifications, field exercises, and the final exam. The Master Hunter Program (MHP) is an advanced education program for hunters who want to improve and hone their knowledge and skills, build rel...
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus was detected in wild birds and domestic poultry in Montana earlier this year. While HPAI cases in wild birds did appear to decline over the summer, there are detections of new cases in parts of the U.S., including Montana this fall. HPAI viruses are extremely infectious and fatal to poultry and some species of wild birds. Some scientists have been concerned that the U.S. would see a resurgence of the virus during the fall migration. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is monitoring the situation by...
The 2022 Youth Pheasant and Waterfowl Weekend is fast approaching, and several kick-off events are scheduled around the state. To get interested hunters and their families prepared for the youth weekend, which is September 24 and 25, these events will provide the opportunity to meet with mentors, ask questions of FWP staff, and possibly win some prizes. During the week prior to the youth weekend, FWP will release pheasants on several wildlife management areas around the state. Most of the pheasants were raised by Montana Correctional...
There are only two remaining trapper education field days left this year before trapping season for most species begins on November 1. As a reminder, to purchase a Montana resident trapping license, trappers must complete the Montana Trapper Education Course online or have purchased a trapper’s license in at least three prior years (in Montana or another state). The trapping course requires an in-person field day. The trapper education course consists of an online component, an in-person field day, and a written test. This general trapper e...
Madison Buffalo Jump State Park will host a free event this month celebrating the history of the site through arts, crafts, and other activities for families. The Flying Buffalo Project event will be Saturday, September 10, from 10 AM to 4 PM near the park’s picnic area. Local artists, educators, and park staff will help visitors enjoy making and flying kites, arts and crafts, and learning how to throw an atlatl. Visitors can also enjoy the park’s many trails while learning more about the buffalo jump and its importance to native peoples. For...
Brown trout and rainbow trout will have increased access to habitat when 12 side channels are reconnected to the Bighorn River below Yellowtail Dam. Livestock can be managed and lake habitat for largemouth bass and yellow perch can be improved when fencing is installed on Buer Pond near Scobey. These projects are two of eight that recently received funding by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission through the Future Fisheries Improvement Program (FFIP). Approximately $240,000 in funding was approved to improve Montana fisheries. The...
Wolf and Furbearer Trapping and Hunting Regulations for the 2022-2023 season are now available online. Print versions will be available at FWP offices and other outlets in a few weeks. Hunters and trappers will notice these regulations were combined into one book this year. A couple of things to point out in the regulations include: Trapper education is required for any resident trapper who has not purchased a trapping license for three years in their lifetime (does not need to be consecutive). This does not apply to those trapping for the purp...
