Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
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Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is now accepting applications for its Habitat Conservation Lease Program. A habitat conservation lease is a voluntary, incentive-based agreement between FWP and private landowners in which the landowner commits to specific land management practices that protect priority wildlife habitat. In turn, FWP pays landowners a one-time per-acre fee for the lease. These agreements have a term length of 30 and 40 years. The lease program is in addition to the conservation tools already available to landowners. The focus of...
With the general deer and elk season, a lot of folks will be hitting the field. Remember, it is up to the hunter to be familiar with the current year’s hunting regulations to be safe, ethical, and law-abiding. Below is one major regulation change this year in Regions 6 and 7 regarding mule deer doe hunting, along with the 10 most common mistakes hunters make. REGULATION CHANGE This year, in Regions 6 and 7, antlerless mule deer hunting is only permitted on private land. This includes mule deer B licenses for a particular hunting district, or a...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks encourages folks to be bear aware, even in the “Hi-Line” area of central and eastern Montana. Many folks are heading into the field for fall hunting, and bears are often very active this time of year as they are looking for high calorie food sources before hibernation. Bear populations are expanding, and although bear encounters are rare in most of central and eastern Montana, there are known black and grizzly bears in all kinds of habitats along the Hi-Line. This includes the Little Rockies and Bear Paw Mou...
In Montana, maintaining positive relationships between hunters and landowners is a critical part of our culture and our heritage. In many towns around the state, these relationships extend well beyond hunting season as landowners and hunters share a commitment to their communities and ways of life. Over the years, however, things have changed and it’s more common now for hunters to use access programs to hunt private land, rather than gaining access through a direct contact with a landowner. To help promote hunter ethics and build awa...
Montana’s millions of acres of private land offer some excellent hunting opportunities—the only catch is gaining the landowner’s permission to hunt. It is Montana law that hunters obtain landowner permission to hunt on all private land. Here are a few things to keep in mind that will greatly improve results when attempting to secure hunting access to private land. • Show courtesy to the landowner and make hunting arrangements by calling or visiting at times convenient to the landowner. • Plan ahead and secure permission well in advance o...
Don’t wait until it is too late. Hunters who haven’t already asked permission from private landowners to hunt need to do so as soon as possible. Montana law requires hunters to obtain permission for all hunting on private land. Whether pursuing upland game birds, coyotes, gophers or any other wildlife, hunters must have permission from the landowner before hunting on private property. This also includes entering private land to retrieve wildlife or to access public land to hunt. Landowners may grant permission in person, over the phone, in wri...
Pheasant season opens on Saturday, Oct. 12. This fall, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will release nearly 18,000 birds on wildlife management areas, fishing access sites and some school trust lands around the state. This is the third year of the annual pheasant release program. In 2022, the Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the release of up to 50,000 pheasants annually on FWP WMAs through 2026. In 2021, the Legislature authorized spending up to $1 million each year for the program. The purpose of the program is to get new hunters out in...
General antelope season opens Saturday, Oct. 12, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 10. For information about what to expect this season, check out Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks hunting forecast, https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/seasons/forecasts FWP provides online information about hunting access, including our popular Block Management Program, which provides hunting access to more than 7 million acres of private land. Information can be viewed on this website, https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/access FWP’s interactive Hunt Planner, https://fwp.mt.gov/gis/maps/hunt...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Hunter Education online field days have been set for northeast Montana. These will likely be the last online field days, and possibly courses, offered for hunter education this season in northeast Montana. Eligible students that were not able to get into a classroom course this year may want to choose this option. Reminder: A hunter can hunt for two years as a hunter apprentice before needing a hunter education course. Go here to learn more about being a hunter apprentice. Field days for students ages 12-17 who...
The annual application period for FWP’s Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP) opened Sept. 1. WHIP is a grant funding program that focuses on large-scale restoration of high-priority wildlife habitats, on private and public land, through noxious weed management. Grant expenditures include herbicide, biocontrol and mechanical treatments, restoration seedings and grazing improvements. Awarded grants can be structured to provide funding for up to five years. Total available funding is $2 million annually; no single grant request can e...
It’s fall and hunting season is upon us. Soon the mornings will be crisp and cold and the leaves will be turning. Under the Big Sky, this is the season many of us spend the whole year looking forward to. In the following forecasts, FWP outlines what hunters can expect for deer, elk and pronghorn seasons around the state. We also have a fairly in-depth upland game bird forecast. Along with this great information, we have some tips on being safe in bear country and the importance of being good stewards when hunting on private lands. D...
Montana’s two-day, youth-only deer hunt is coming up Oct. 17 and 18, and general deer season opens Oct. 26. Now is a good time to consider signing up for the Apprentice Hunter Program and the application is available on Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ website at fwp.mt.gov/hunt/education/apprentice-hunter. The apprentice hunter program allows people ages 10 and older to hunt as apprentices with a mentor for two seasons without completing a Hunter Education course. People interested in the Apprentice Hunter Program should visit the website and...
The Fish and Wildlife Commission is accepting public comment on agenda items for its Oct. 10 meeting. The meeting will be held at the Montana State Capitol in Room 102 and through Zoom. Written comments can be submitted through Sept. 19 on the FWP website or sent to 1420 E. 6th Ave., Helena, MT 59601, Attn: Erik Wickman. The following proposals are up for public comment: 2025-26 Fishing Regulations – FWP is proposing 48 regulation changes, and the rest of the regulations as written in the current 2024 regulation book, for the 2025-26 Montana F...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will hold a community meeting on waterfowl hunting regulations and zone management. The meeting will be held Thursday, Sept. 5, at 6 p.m. on Zoom. The event is intended to provide information about how federal frameworks influence state regulations. The meeting will also provide an opportunity for hunters to share their concerns, suggestions and ideas regarding current waterfowl hunting zones and season dates directly with agency representatives. This meeting is a key part of FWP’s commitment to ensuring that w...
Block Management Area (BMA) program information is now available at Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offices. The Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program (UGBEP) Projects Access Guide will be available later this month. To request a hard copy or to review these guides online go to fwp.mt.gov/BMA and fwp.mt.gov/UGBEP. The BMA guide offers hunters access to the most current information on lands enrolled in BMA. In addition to the access overview guide, each BMA has its own property map and specific rules. The BMA program provides hunter management...
Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks is seeking public input for a proposed public shooting range project in Glasgow. A public scoping meeting will be held at the FWP Region 6 headquarters in Glasgow, in the Quonset building meeting room, on Thursday, Aug. 22, at 5:30 p.m. Written comments on the proposal must be received by Aug. 31. FWP is seeking to lease property from the City of Glasgow where the current Glasgow public shooting range is located, approximately one-half mile north of Glasgow off Skylark Rd. FWP would improve and manage the...
Fisheries management of northeast Montana's ponds and small reservoirs can be a challenge. Habitat limitations, excess nutrient input from multi-use practices, and extreme winter and summer conditions can all negatively impact these biologically and recreationally important fisheries. In addition to these challenges, illegal fish introductions are a pervasive issue that further complicate management. Whether done intentionally or by accident, it is illegal to move or introduce live fish from...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will host public meetings around the state to present proposals for the 2025-26 fishing regulations and answer questions from the public. The public meetings will all be held at 6 p.m. and at the following locations: Aug. 27, Miles City, Miles City Community College, Room 110 Aug. 28, FWP Office, Glasgow, 1 Airport Rd. Aug. 29, FWP Office, Billings, 2300 Lake Elmo Dr. Sep. 12, Statewide Zoom Meeting This past spring FWP held meeting around the state to gather input on regulation changes. That input helped to...
As you are hunting, hiking, and exploring Montana this fall, be sure to take a break from scanning the horizon and look down at the ground once in a while. Not only will this help you avoid stepping on a cactus or a rattlesnake, but you might also see one of eastern Montana’s rarely seen critters…the greater short-horned lizard, commonly known as a “horny toad.” If you do, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks would like to know about it. The greater short- horned lizard, Phrynosoma hernandesi, was once considered the second most abundant reptile...
The Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet Friday, Aug. 16, at 8:30 a.m., at Montana WILD and via Zoom. The deadline to submit written comments on most agenda items was July 25. However, public comment will be taken during the meeting; those wishing to make a comment must register at fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/commission/august-2024-meeting. Registration deadline is Thursday, Aug. 15 at noon. Agenda items for the Aug. 16 commission meeting are: Resident SuperTag Administrative Rule Selection of Organizations to Auction 2025 Shiras Moose, Bighorn Sheep...
What do bats do at night? Aerobatics! What do bats like to eat? Moths! Join Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and others for two opportunities to learn about and observe the fascinating world of bats, along with a special focus on moths and agriculture in Malta. Everyone is welcome to these events, but any youngsters under the age of 12 are encouraged to be accompanied by an adult. Some suggested items to bring include a flashlight/headlamp or glow sticks, bug spray, and sturdy walking shoes. We will see you there! Friday, Aug. 2, Malta 8:30...
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 serve on...
A Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Hunter Education classroom course and online field day has been set for the Glasgow area. In person course: An in-person classroom course will take place in the evenings Aug. 12-16 from 5:15 p.m.-9 p.m. The classes will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, adjacent to the FWP office, with the field day at the Valley Co. Rifle and Pistol Club. In-person, instructor-led hunter education classroom courses are available to anyone age 10 and older and provide new hunters with a hands-on...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking up to 12 people to serve on a statewide River Recreation Advisory Council. The River Recreation Advisory Council’s purpose is to develop a set of recommendations for managing river recreation in Montana and administering the use of water-related activities. The focus area extends to department lands and water bodies that are restricted under the authority of FWP. This includes recreation use on and along the water way, including fishing access sites. Montana boasts an abundance of publicly accessible r...
Monday, June 24, alongside Wildlife Manager Brett Dorak, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Director Dustin Temple held a press conference to address the status of eastern Montana’s mule deer. “Our job at FWP is to manage Montana’s wildlife resources by providing full contextual, transparent, accurate data with full context,” Director Temple said. “Across the state, we are making the effort to ensure our management of mule deer is based on the best science and data.” FWP biologists have completed annual spring surveys. For Region 5, the numbers...
