News you can use
News you can use
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HELENA — Montana’s two-day, youth-only deer hunt is coming up Oct. 19 and 20, and general deer season opens Oct. 21. Now is a good time to consider signing up for the Apprentice Hunter Program. 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. Fish, Wildlife and Parks highly recommends that interested people visit the website at https://fwp.mt.gov and read the packet on the Apprentice Hunter Program, at htt...
From Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks HELENA — Waterfowl season is underway, and hunters need to make sure to have their signed federal waterfowl stamp with them while hunting. The MyFWP mobile app will also list the federal stamp as something the hunter possesses, but to be legal in the field, hunters must also have the signed stamp in their possession....
HELENA — Pheasant season opens this Saturday, Oct. 7. To increase hunters’ opportunity for success, and to help encourage more hunters to participate this year, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will release pheasants at several public hunting locations. The release sites are at the following wildlife management areas (WMAs), fisheries conservation areas (FCA), fishing access sites (FAS) and Department of Natural Resources Conservation (DNRC) lands: • Region 1: North Shore WMA, Foys Bend FCA (Hunting Friday-Monday by reser...
From Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks The Montana Master Hunter Program — MHP — is accepting applications for the 2024 program. Deadline is Nov. 30. Led by One Montana, the MHP is for hunters who want to continue to improve and hone their skills, build relationships with landowners to aid their wildlife management goals, and be an advocate for conservation and wildlife. Classes will be held in Bozeman in March, Missoula in April and Kalispell in May. To apply or learn more, people can visit https://www.mtm...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Some hunting seasons already are underway, and many of the main seasons both for game birds and big game are just around the corner. Here is a listing from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks of the hunting seasons for this year. 2023 Upland game bird seasons Mountain grouse: Sept. 1 to Jan. 1, 2024 Partridge: Sept. 1 to Jan. 1, 2024 Pheasant: Oct. 7 to Jan. 1, 2024 Sage grouse: Sept. 1 to Sept. 30 Sharp-tailed grouse: Sept. 1 to Jan. 1, 2024 Turkey • Spring: April 15 to May 31 • Fall: Sept. 1 t...
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is reminding hunters that the area where bears could be expected is growing. Grizzly bears have the potential to be found anywhere in the western two-thirds of Montana — west of Billings — and their distribution is denser and more widespread than in previous years. Some areas with dense concentrations of grizzly bears are very accessible to hunters, especially during the archery season. Keep these precautions in mind when hunting in grizzly country: • Carry and...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is reminding hunters that they are the connection to private landowners and need to work to keep hunting available. Don’t wait until it is too late, FWP said. 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 fro...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks HELENA — Youth hunters can get a head start on pheasant and waterfowl hunting during the 2023 Youth Pheasant and Waterfowl Weekend, which is Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23 and 24. Licensed hunters, 15 and younger, will be able to hunt pheasants, ducks, mergansers, geese and coots statewide on these two days. The two-day youth hunt is open to: • legally licensed 12- to 15-year-olds who have completed hunter education and who are accompanied by a non-hunting adult at least 18 years of age, • p...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is reminding hunters this year that they are crucial to people being able to hunt by respecting landowners and their property. Although most hunters respect the land, property and wildlife they are hunting, a minority do not. Yet these few bad actors lead to frustration from private landowners and hunters looking to do things right. This year remember: It’s up to us. Respect access. Protect the hunt. Every hunting season, there are reports of vandalizing of B...
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Grizzly bears have the potential to be found anywhere in the western two-thirds of Montana — west of Billings — and their distribution is denser and more widespread than in previous years. Some areas with dense concentrations of grizzly bears are very accessible to hunters, especially during the archery season. Keep these precautions in mind when hunting in grizzly country: • Carry and know how to use bear spray. Keep it within easy reach and be prepared to use it immediately. • Stay alert,...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks 2023 Upland game bird seasons Mountain grouse: Sept. 1 to Jan. 1, 2024 Partridge: Sept. 1 to Jan. 1, 2024 Pheasant: Oct. 7 to Jan. 1, 2024 Sage grouse: Sept. 1 to Sept. 30 Sharp-tailed grouse: Sept. 1 to Jan. 1, 2024 Turkey • Spring: April 15 to May 31 • Fall: Sept. 1 to Jan. 1, 2024 2023 Big game hunting seasons Pronghorn • 900 series: Aug. 15 to Nov. 12 • Archery: Sept. 2 to Oct. 6 • General: Oct. 7 to Nov. 12 Bighorn sheep • Archery: Sept. 2 to Sept. 14 • General: Sept. 15 to Nov. 26 Bison...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks HELENA — To promote the importance of hunter ethics and improved hunter behavior, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is partnering for a second year with several hunting and agriculture organizations to “protect the hunt.” While the campaign encourages hunters to always practice conscientious behavior, it focuses particularly on showing respect for private land and the access landowners provide. The slogan is: It’s up to us. Respect access. Protect the hunt. Landowners play an important role in...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks 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. Lan...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Although most hunters respect the land, property and wildlife they are hunting, a minority do not. Yet these few bad actors lead to frustration from private landowners and hunters looking to do things right. This year remember: It's up to us. Respect access. Protect the hunt. Every hunting season, there are reports of vandalizing of Block Management Area (BMA) boxes, hunters driving off road, illegal trespassing, hunters being shot over,...
HELENA — Pheasant season opens this Saturday, Oct. 8, and to increase hunters’ opportunity for success, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will release pheasants at four wildlife management areas. The birds will be released in the days prior to Oct. 8 at Warm Springs WMA near Deer Lodge, Canyon Ferry WMA and Lake Helena WMA near Helena, and at Freezout Lake WMA near Choteau. Prior to the youth pheasant hunt weekend Sept. 24 and 25, FWP staff released pheasants at 15 WMAs around the state, including Lake Helena, Canyon Fer...
https://fwp.mt.gov This upland game bird forecast was released by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Aug. 30. Destination: NORTHWEST MONTANA Pheasant hunting on the Ninepipe Wildlife Management Area near Ronan and surrounding area could be challenging this year. Despite good grain production and some opportunistic moisture in the spring, brood survival appears to be relatively poor. Mountain grouse: dusky, ruffed and Franklin’s. Bird numbers should be similar to last year. Much of Northwest Montana experienced a cool, wet s...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks HELENA - Hunting for ducks, coots and geese opens Saturday, Oct. 1. Here are a few reminders: • The aggregate daily bag for dark geese in the Pacific Flyway has increased from four to five. Dark geese include Canada geese, cackling geese and white-fronted geese - any geese other than snow, blue and Ross's geese. • The Central Flyway is divided into two "zones" in order to increase opportunity. The two zones have different season dates. Zon...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks HELENA - 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...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks With hunting seasons opening, and some specialty seasons underway, hunters need to remember state rules and regulations.. Montana has some of the longest hunting seasons in the West, healthy herds of game and access to millions of acres of public and private land. Montana wildlife managers structure seasons to provide a wide variety of hunting experiences with a strong emphasis on sustainable opportunity. Following are rules and regulations people who want to get into hunting, and people...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks GLASGOW - Many people will likely hunt state trust land at some point during Montana's hunting season. These lands, which can provide great recreational opportunity, are managed by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation for the benefit of the public schools and other public entities. In Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 6 in northeast Montana, large areas of state trust land are found in central Valley and western Daniels...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Hunters must expect to see bears Grizzly bears have the potential to be found anywhere in the western two-thirds of Montana — west of Billings — and their distribution is denser and more widespread than in previous years. Some areas with dense concentrations of grizzly bears are very accessible to hunters, especially during the archery season. Keep these precautions in mind when hunting in grizzly country: • Carry and know how to use bear spray. Keep it within easy reach and be prepared to us...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks GLASGOW — With our region of northeast Montana suffering extreme drought with the constant threat of wildfires, hunters and other recreationists taking to the field must be aware of local fire restrictions and closures and take necessary precautions. Archery antelope started Aug. 15, upland game bird season (and mourning doves) on Sept. 1, and archery-only hunting season for deer, elk, antelope, bighorn sheep, black bear, wolf and mountain lion began on Sept. 3, so plenty of hunters are out i...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks HELENA — Are you ready for hunting season? FWP can help. In addition to the following hunting forecast, FWP provides online information about hunting access, including our popular Block Management Program. Through the program, we coordinate with landowners to provide hunting access to more than 7 million acres of private land. The interactive Hunt Planner map allows users to look at information for various species, including hunting districts and regulations. The hunt planner interactive m...
Havre High School Principal Ed Norman has resigned in the wake of a controversy over the school's handling of an incident in October where a student entered the school in Halloween costume that featured black body makeup and was not sent home or confronted about it until well into the school day, according to some reports, and after numerous complaints from students and their parents. Norman sent a statement to the Havre Daily News this morning saying he submitted his letter...
From Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks HELENA — The 2021 Black Bear Regulations booklets contain language about a requirement for hunters to wait 24 hours after the bear license is issued to hunt bears. This is no longer accurate. The 2021 Montana Legislature eliminated the requirement. Because the regulations were printed before the Montana Legislature changed the statute, the information is outdated. The regulations posted on the FWP website are current....
