Hunting News Daily » Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

Montana 2013 Hunter Harvest Surveys Are Underway

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 15:18:32 +0000

Now that hunting season is over, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is calling a sample of 160,000 hunters to gather harvest information on this year's hunt. The survey asks randomly selected hunters a series of short questions about their hunting effort and harvest success for big game, turkeys, upland game birds, and wolves. Wildlife managers say the research is vital to understanding the results of the 2013 season and for setting next season's hunting regulations. "The survey is also a useful tool to get some other crucial information," said Justin Gude, FWP's research bureau chief for...

Montana’s 2014-2015 Hunting Regulation Proposals Up For Review

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 15:17:10 +0000

Montanans will have a number of opportunities to review and comment on 2014-2015 hunting regulation proposals by going on online now or by attending one of 43 public meetings beginning in January. Last summer, FWP held seven meetings across the state and received nearly 1,200 comments that led to several new hunting season proposals. At the meetings in January, FWP will present proposals to aid the recovery of Montana's declining deer populations by reducing hunting pressure on antlerless mule deer and white-tailed deer. Wildlife managers surmise Montana's deer numbers are in decline...

Montana’s Missoula Bowhunter Education Classes Begin in January

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 18:34:23 +0000

Six bowhunter education classes will be offered in Missoula in 2014, with the first two classes scheduled for January 18 and February 1. Online registration and the complete class schedule can be found at fwp.mt.gov. Montana also offers online bowhunter education classes for anyone 18 years and older. Most of the coursework is completed online, and then students must complete an in-person field course. Field courses for online students will be offered in Missoula...

Montana Trappers and Pet Owners Should Take Precautions to Avoid Accidental Dog Capture

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:11:18 +0000

With furbearer seasons in full swing, and snow creating ideal conditions for trapping furbearers like bobcat and marten, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks reminds pet owners to be mindful that there could be trapping activity in the woods. "Trappers are similarly reminded to follow Montana's regulations aimed at avoiding accidental pet captures and to use every precaution to avoid capturing a dog in a trap or snare," said Brian Giddings, FWP's furbearer coordinator. While such incidents are uncommon, Montana law nevertheless requires furbearer traps on public lands to be set back at...

Montana Hunters Reminded Wasting Wild Game Meat Is Illegal

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:07:37 +0000

With many hunters looking back on a successful big game hunting season, it's a good time to remind hunters about the responsibility to ensure that their wild game is properly cared for and processed. Under Montana law, it is illegal to waste any part of a game animal that is defined as "suitable for food." For big game animals, all four quarters above the hock, including loin and backstrap, fall into that category. Hunters who can't use the wild game meat can donate it to a neighbor or friend who would appreciate it, or to a local food bank. There are many food distribution programs in...

Montana’s Big Game Seasons Won’t Be Extended

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:06:03 +0000

Montana's 2013 general big game hunting seasons ended as planned on Sunday, Dec. 1 and will not be extended, state wildlife officials confirmed today. "We are not planning any big game season extensions anywhere in the state this year," said Ken McDonald, chief of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' wildlife bureau. "If specific population or damage problems emerge, we'll use management seasons or game damage hunts to address them." Hunters must have registered for the game damage roster in July. Montana's wolf hunting season, however, will continue in open wolf management units...

Hunting Season Ends with Deer, Elk Totals on Par with Last Year in Western Montana

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 20:55:18 +0000

The 2013 general hunting season for big game closed quietly in west-central Montana on Sunday evening, with deer harvests through the Anaconda, Bonner and Darby Check Stations nearly equaling those checked in 2011 and 2012, and elk harvests up slightly from last year. Numbers of elk and deer checked through the three check stations totaled 1,116 this season, 19 more than the total of 1,097 recorded in 2012. The white-tailed deer harvest was almost identical to last year’s, with 534 whitetails checked this year compared with 536 checked last year. Mule deer harvest was down slightly...

Montana Wildlife Management Areas Set to Close for the Season

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 17:22:16 +0000

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks would like to remind recreationists that most Region 3 Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) – those managed as big game winter range – will close to all public entry at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 1. In Region 3, there is one exception to the winter closure noted above. A portion of Mount Haggin WMA is open to cross-country snowmobile use from Dec. 2 to May 15 (see the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest travel map for details). WMAs not managed specifically for big game winter range (such as waterfowl and wetlands) remain open for public use...

West-Central Montana Deer, Elk Harvest Slightly above Past Two Seasons

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 17:43:59 +0000

Total hunter numbers and animals reported through west-central Montana’s three hunter check stations are slightly higher than the last two seasons at the close of the fourth week. The general season for big game hunting will close at the end of Thanksgiving weekend. Overall, the Darby, Bonner and Anaconda check stations tallied 12,730 hunter-trips, 369 elk, 131 mule deer and 419 white-tailed deer through the fourth week of the season, up from last year in all categories except mule deer. The hunter check station near Darby accounts for the most hunter numbers and success. An elk...

Additional Montana Havre-Area Game Check Station Findings Reported

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 14:26:03 +0000

Hunter numbers and reported harvests at the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 6 game check station outside Havre are still down when compared to past years. “Hunter numbers so far this year have only been about 2 percent lower than last year’s numbers, but they’re still down 38 percent from 2010 levels,” said Havre-area Wildlife Biologist Scott Hemmer. “Antelope and white-tailed deer are the two species that have seen the largest decreases in harvest.” Region 6 antelope and deer numbers were heavily impacted by several recent hard winters. White-tailed deer...