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HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is looking for public feedback on work from a citizen advisory council tasked with developing guiding principles for developing a new Mule Deer Management Plan. “We know how concerned people are with mule deer numbers across the state,” said FWP Director Dustin Temple. “Our focus is developing a new plan that will guide our efforts to manage herds well into the future. The council’s work is a critical first step for our planning process.” In early 2024, FWP solicited applications from Montana citizens to...
MILES CITY – The 2024 paddlefish season for the yellow tag area of the Yellowstone and lower Missouri rivers ended June 30, short of the harvest cap of 1,000 fish. The overall harvest estimate was 782 paddlefish, and female paddlefish represented 43 percent of the total harvest. Harvest estimates for the past two seasons were 776 in 2023 and 769 fish in 2022, continuing the trend toward a more dispersed fishery since open river passage began with the new Intake Bypass Channel near Glendive. It was also an average year for tag sales, with a t...
By MT FWP, Region 7 MILES CITY – A young male black bear that had been getting into garbage in and around Colstrip residential areas in recent days was successfully captured, tranquilized, tagged and relocated to a remote area Friday by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 7. There has been a bit of an uptick in bear sightings recently around the region. But the mere presence of bears should not be considered an imminent threat. Bears prefer to avoid contact with humans, but when they r...
BOZEMAN, Mont., June 17, 2024 - Join NRCS Montana in celebrating soil health and participate in the Soil Your Undies Challenge this summer! Get a pair of 100% cotton underwear, grab a shovel, and join in on this fun and easy activity. After 2 months, “harvest” your undies and see what’s left! Since they are made of cotton, undies are a natural plant material and can be used as a food source by life in the soil. The healthier the microorganisms in our soil, the healthier and more productive our soil will be. Microorganisms deliver necessary nutr...
So far this spring, two separate incidents have resulted in the killing of black bears by local authorities. The first incident occurred on 15 Mile Creek in Western PR County, when a bear was shot by FWP wardens after it killed a 4-H pig. The second incident occurred over Memorial Day, when a bear was found at Craft's, just west of Broadus near the golf course. The young male bear, shown in the accompanying photo, reportedly was seen around the house, then left and came back. It was then shot...
In the accompanying photo, Justin Cabot dusts a clay pigeon at a trap shoot held by the local chapter of Ducks Unlimited on Sunday. With around 20 shooters in attendance, Evan Smith won top male shooter, Alyssa Riley won top lady shooter, and Addison Randall top youth shooter. Jeff Noble cooked hot dogs and brats on his bbq grille; Dave Vineyard's trap thrower was used for the event, and Broadus IGA donated brats for the lunch. (Photo courtesy Jeff Noble)...
Submitted By PR Extension Office We have had another tough winter for our trees and shrubs in Montana, followed by a tough spring. We had warm temperatures well into October, followed by a sudden cold snap and snow, leading into a very dry winter with limited precipitation, and a very cold January with temperatures reaching -35 to -40 F (without wind chill) caused significant stress to trees and shrubs. Spring temperatures were also mild, followed by a cold snap in May, which could further stress out trees and shrubs that have already e...
HELENA – By order of the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission, the hunting of all black bears closed in Black Bear Management Unit (BMU) 700 one-half hour after sunset Friday, May 24. The black bear quota in the BMU of four bears has been met. Hunting for black bears with hounds closed on May 8 (two bear quota). For more information, visit FWP’s website at fwp.mt.gov/hunt/by-species to check the current quota status, or call the toll-free number at 1-800-385-7826....
The deadline to apply for licenses to hunt elk B, deer B, antelope, swan and sandhill crane is Saturday, June 1. All applications must be completed online or at an FWP office. Most FWP offices with license sales are open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m....
By MT FWP MILES CITY – The 2024 paddlefish season on the Yellowstone River and Missouri River downstream of Fort Peck Reservoir starts Wednesday, May 15, which will be a harvest day. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are harvest days for all areas valid for the yellow tag, while Sunday, Monday and Thursday are catch-and-release days, and only at Intake Fishing Access Site near Glendive. All other areas are closed to all paddlefishing on catch-and-release days. Anglers are encouraged to read the yellow tag paddlefish regulations for more d...
By MT DPHHS Spring in Montana is a popular time to forage for morel mushrooms, a type of mushroom that is often considered a delicacy by restaurants and the public. However, morels can cause human illness if the proper identification, storage, and preparation steps are not taken. An outbreak of gastrointestinal (GI) illness occurred in Montana in the spring of 2023, when 51 people got sick after eating raw or only partially cooked morels at a restaurant. Three hospitalizations and two deaths were associated with this outbreak. Those who became...
HELENA – Nonresident and resident trapping licenses are now available to purchase at a Fish, Wildlife & Parks office or online at https://ols.fwp.mt. gov/. To purchase a Montana resident trapping license, residents must complete a Montana trapper education course or have purchased a trapping license in at least three prior years (in Montana or another state). Residents must be at least 12 years old to purchase a trapping license. Youth 6 to 11 years old, must purchase a trapping license and a...
Courtesy MT FWP HELENA – Hunters have until April 1 to apply for deer and elk permits and nonresident combination licenses. Hunters can buy licenses and apply for permits on the FWP website; click on "Buy and Apply." Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offers several tools to help hunters navigate the application process. For help with understanding how bonus points are used, you can visit fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/hunting-licenses/bonus-points A new online feature this year is the option for a...
By NRCS Montana BOZEMAN, Mont., March 6, 2024 –Following a slow start to winter, recent precipitation has been welcomed across Montana. “February kicked off with a region wide winter storm that brought one to two inches of precipitation to the region, and while there were a couple periods of warm and sunny weather, precipitation was relatively consistent last month,” said Eric Larson, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Water Supply Specialist. Precipitation totals for the month of February were as high as 150-200% of normal at...
By Marla Prell | FWP Region 7 Communications/Education Program Manager MILES CITY – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will host a public meeting to gather input for the 2025-2026 fishing regulations, followed by an informational discussion on area fisheries, at the FWP Region 7 Office in Miles City on Thursday, March 21, at 6:30 p.m. There will also be a virtual option for the meeting. Fishing regulations are now under a comprehensive public review process every two years. Starting in 2025, the regulations will cover two years, starting on odd-num...
February 12, 2024 Region 7 – The new license year opens March 1, which means that you will soon be able to buy your 2024 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, elk B, antelope B, moose, sheep, goat, bison, bear, turkey – can be made beginning March 1. Applications for limited drawings can be submitted online (https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply) or at FWP offices. All other licenses may b...
HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will implement changes this year to the reservation process for state park sites. The changes will create more opportunities for recreationists to enjoy state parks and comply with legislation passed by the 2023 Legislature. Starting this year, visitors will have up to three months prior to their planned arrival date to make campsite and lodging reservations or purchase tour tickets. This is a change from the six-month booking window in the past. Visitors need to be aware that the maximum stay per site c...
Courtesy NRCS Bozeman BOZEMAN, Mont., February 5, 2024 – At the beginning of January more than half of NRCS snow monitoring stations in Montana and surrounding river basins reported their lowest snowpack on record. "Well above normal precipitation was needed to begin a recovery from lack of snow, yet precipitation was mostly below normal across Montana last month," said Eric Larson, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Water Supply Specialist. The exception was the northern Flathea...
HELENA – It took a while to get here, but winter finally hit Montana. That means winter enthusiasts will be heading out to recreate. Whether ice fishing, ice skating, hunting, snowmobiling or just taking a walk, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff reminds recreationists that safety should be the number one concern during a day out on (or near) the ice. Here are some safety tips: • Anglers and other recreationists should be familiar with the water body they plan to fish or recreate on. Pay close attention to the changing conditions of the ice...
HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is forming an advisory council to help begin the process of developing a new statewide mule deer plan. The Mule Deer Citizens Advisory Council (MDCAC) will consist of 10 to 12 people and will identify expectations for the new mule deer plan, which could include expectations for development process, management actions and goals, and results. “As we begin the process of developing a new mule deer plan, we are really open to taking a different approach, if that’s what the public wants,” said FWP Director Dus...
HELENA – Starting Jan. 1, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will require Hunter and Bowhunter Education students age 12 to 17 who take the online course to pass an in-person field day. Students in that age group must pass both the online exam and the field day to earn a course completion certificate. For Hunter Education, the in-person field day will require students to practice and demonstrate key safety skills related to firearm handling, the four main rules of firearm safety, and the PROVE procedure, which stands for “Point, Remove, Obs...
MILES CITY – Sunday’s close of the deer and elk general season saw relatively mild weather and a mixed bag for hunter numbers and harvest rates at check stations around southeast Montana. Ashland Hunters experienced fair weather for this time of year during the deer and elk closing weekend. A total of 47 parties and 81 hunters came through the Ashland check station, with a harvest success rate of 30 percent (8 percent below the 10-year average). The number of hunters is 24 percent below the 10-year average for this weekend at Ashland. Har...
MILES CITY – If all goes well, anglers could reap the benefit of experimental crappie production at the Miles City Hatchery, after stocking of nearly 10,000 hatchery-reared white crappie at Tongue River Reservoir on Oct. 10. The crappie population at the reservoir – particularly white crappie – dropped significantly in 1996 when the reservoir water level was reduced to rebuild the dam. Crappie numbers increased slightly the first two years after dam repairs were completed in 1998 but have stead...
By MT FWP MILES CITY – Hunters out and about in southeast Montana during the closing weekend of antelope season (November 11-12) found continuing mild weather, and most said they had opportunity to harvest an animal if they wanted to. Ashland The pleasant weather this past weekend made it nice for hunters to be out. A total of 85 parties and 152 hunters came through the Ashland check station, with a harvest success rate of 30 percent (slightly below the 10-year average). The number of hunters is 16 percent below the 10-year average for this wee...
HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is now accepting applications for Shooting Range Improvement Grants. Approximately $300,000 in funding is available. Application deadline is Feb. 1, 2024. 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 at fwp...
