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Season Setting Meetings Slated Around Montana

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levi saunders X5ty2Pfj4Rw unsplash Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is holding season setting meetings throughout the state to hear from hunters as we set the hunting seasons for the next two years. 

The biannual season setting meetings is the chance for hunters to hear from their area wildlife biologists on all the proposed seasons for big game. Montana FWP sets the seasons every other year, then adjusts the quota based on game populations. 

Hunters are particularly interested in the elk “shoulder seasons” that run for up to six months in many areas of the state. They started in 2015 and grew dramatically to run in more than 55 districts throughout the state. 

The Montana Wildlife Federation and our affiliates had strong concerns with shoulder seasons because they had the potential to replace general season harvest. We need that strong general season harvest across the entire landscape of private and public lands to effectively manage large elk numbers while providing the most public hunting opportunity. 

Make your voice heard by attending one of the season setting meetings in your area. Comments can also be submitted electronically to fwpwld@mt.gov. Details on the hunting season proposals can be viewed at http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/, and going to “Opportunity for Public Comment.”

And be sure to take the elk survey by going to www.montanaelksurvey.com to speak up for your elk, their management and the future of your public hunting opportunities. 

The seasons will be held throughout the state in these locations and times: 

Region 1 

Kalispell – Friday, January 3, FWP Region 1 Headquarters, 490 N. Meridian, 6:00 PM 

Trout Creek – Wednesday, January 8, Lakeside Motel and Resort, 2955 MT 200, 6:00 PM 

Libby – Friday, January 10, Maki Theater (Libby Little Theater), 724 Louisiana Av., 6:00 PM 

Eureka – Thursday, January 16, Lincoln Electric, 312 Osloski Rd., 7:00 PM 

Region 2

Missoula – Tuesday, January 7, Doubletree Inn, 7:00 PM

Lincoln – Wednesday, January 8, Lambkins Café, 6:00 PM 

Hamilton – Thursday, January 9, Bitterroot River Inn, 6:00 PM

Superior – Monday, January 13, High School Multi-purpose Room, 7:00 PM 

Drummond – Monday, January 13, Community Hall, 6:00

Philipsburg – Tuesday, January 14, Granite County Museum, 6:00 PM 

Ovando – Wednesday, January 15, School Gym, 6:00 PM

Anaconda – Thursday, January 16, Metcalf Center, 6:00 PM

Deer Lodge – Monday, January 20, Community Center, 6:00 PM

Region 3 

Helena – Tuesday, January 7, Montana Wild, 6-8 PM

Whitehall – Wednesday, January 8, Whitehall High School, 6-8 PM 

Dillon – Thursday, January 9, Beaverhead Search and Rescue building, 6-8 PM

Butte – Tuesday, January 14, Butte Brewing Company, 6-8 PM 

Livingston – Wednesday, January 15, Elks Club, 6-8 PM

Bozeman – Thursday, January 16, FWP HQ, 6-8 PM 

Region 4

White Sulphur Springs – Monday, January 6, Meagher Co. Sportsman’s Assn. Shooting range off Jackson Ln, 7 PM 

Chester – Monday, January 6, High School Auditorium, 511 Main Street, 7 PM 

Winnett – Monday, January 6, United Methodist Church, 114 Milsap St.

Conrad – Tuesday, January 7, Community Center, 311 S. Vaughn, 7 PM 

Fairfield – Wednesday, January 8, Ambulance Station, 13 1st Street South

Stanford – Thursday, January 9, Judith Basin CO Courthouse, 91 3rd Street North, 7 PM 

Cut Bank – Monday, January 13, Glacier Electric Bldg., 410 E Main St. 

Wolf Creek – Tuesday, January 14, Wolf Creek School, 7 PM 

Lewistown – Tuesday, January 14, BLM Lewistown Field Office, 920 NE Main St., 7 PM 

Fort Benton – Wednesday, January 15, Ambulance Barn, 810 15th St., 7 PM 

Great Falls – Thursday, January 16, Paris Gibson Ed. Center, 2400 Central Ave., 7 PM 

Region 5 

Roundup – Thursday, January 9, Musselshell County Central Commons, 7-9 PM 

Billings – Tuesday, January 14, FWP Headquarters, 7-9 PM

Red Lodge – Wednesday, January 15, Mountain View School Cafeteria, 7-9 PM 

Big Timber – Thursday, January 16, Big Timber Public Library, 7-9 PM 

Region 6 

Havre – Thursday, January 9, 6:30, Hill County Electric, 6-8 PM 

Malta – Tuesday, January 14, Malta High School Cafeteria, 6-8 PM 

Plentywood – Wednesday, January 15, Jubilee Room Sheridan CO Courthouse, 6-8 PM 

Glasgow – Thursday, January 16, Cottonwood Inn, 6-8 PM 

Region 7 

Glendive – Wednesday, January 8, Dawson Comm. College Ullman Cntr Rm 102, 7-9 PM 

Miles City – Thursday, January 9, Miles Community College Room 106, 7-9 PM

Speak up for your Madison River

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A angler stands on the bank of the Madison River Anglers and river recreationists need to speak up to lend their voice to the future management of the Madison River. 

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks are conducting a public survey to gauge support for implementing river recreation rules for the Madison River. The survey is in response to three petitions filed recently to push the Commission to begin the rulemaking process. Commissioners rejected all three petitions, which were filed by four sporting organizations, the Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana, and the Madison River Foundation. 

But the Commission did commit to crafting an agency proposal. The scoping and survey are the beginning of that process. 

The issue has arisen because of gross crowding on the river in the summer months. The Madison is receiving more than 200,000 use-days of anglers per year. And much of that is concentrated from June 15 through Sept. 30. 

An angler kneeling in the water releases a fish into the madison river. In addition, outfitter days are not limited. Anglers report intense crowding of fishing access sites and a steady stream of boats that makes wade fishing difficult. 

Officials experienced similar problems on the Big Hole and Beaverhead rivers years ago and implemented some river recreation rules that put some caps on outfitter days and implemented a rest/rotation schedule that included “citizen days” on stretches of those rivers. It’s worked, and the Madison River could be no different. 

Get engaged, and make your voice heard for your Madison River by going to FWP’s survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RDWKFXW

Hunters Must Speak Up on Elk Management

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nicholas koenig OYglwkmZMM unsplash The beginning of the process to set our big game seasons has started, and hunters must be engaged to stand up for the future of our opportunities. 

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission heard the tentative proposals Dec. 5 at its regular meeting in Helena. The season package included the continuation of nearly all the extended rifle elk “shoulder seasons,” which started in 2015 on a pilot basis and have grown to include 58 districts throughout the state. Commissioners ordered FWP staff to come back with some other options. 

Shoulder seasons are elk rifle seasons in the regulations that can run from Aug. 15 to Feb. 15. They were passed with criteria that include measures to ensure they don’t replace the general season harvest. It was important because FWP, landowners, and hunters learned years ago that late seasons that just move elk from one ranch to another, or from private land to public land, were ineffective at controlling elk herds. 

The seasons require that at a minimum half of the harvest of newly recruited elk is reached during the general rifle season, which runs from late October through November. That is when the greatest amount of hunters are in the field, and when we should ethically be killing elk so we don’t stress them in winter. 

If hunters want to see more elk on public lands, we must hold FWP accountable to the criteria. We need broad harvest across the landscape to effectively manage elk, not only in numbers but where they’re found. 

wenhao ji wLOcX5GMFnU unsplash Hunters need to look at the season proposals in their area and comment on what they’d like to see. See the season proposals by the district,  to send comments to FWP, go to and  fwpwld@mt.gov.

When commenting, hunters can make specific comments on the districts they know best. But they can also talk about the broad principles of sticking to the criteria in the shoulder seasons and working to build hunting opportunities for everyone. 

As hunters, we want to see more of our public elk on public lands, as well as on accessible private lands. We need better elk management that benefits hunters, landowners, and FWP. Make your voice heard now, and speak up for your sporting heritage. 

Finally, go to www.montanaelksurvey.com to help us make our collective voice heard on elk management. 

Give Back to Montana’s Fish and Wildlife This Holiday Season

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For over 80 years, the Montana Wildlife Federation has been the voice for fish and wildlife, habitat and access to public lands. Through advocacy and policy work around the state, we are combating new issues that affect our hunting and fishing opportunities. None of this work would be possible without our passionate supporters like YOU. 

GOG Grantee 1From now until December 31st, Patagonia Action Works will be matching donations to MWF. That’s right, every dollar you donate is DOUBLED to protect Montana’s outdoor legacy. As you consider donating this holiday season, we hope you’ll be thinking of our fish and wildlife and preserving them for future generations to come. 

Help us continue to lead the way in protecting fish, wildlife and our public lands by donating to MWF through Patagonia Action Works today!

 

 

Stenson’s Win Good Neighbor Award

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HorseCreekInstagram B Kip and Adele Stenson’s commitment to conservation and public access earned the Wibaux ranching family a Montana Good Neighbor Award recently at the state Capitol. 

The Stensons worked for over two years to put a conservation easement on their 15,000-acre ranch. It’s a stunning, wildlife-rich landscape that supports mule deer, antelope and game birds, as well as numerous non-game species of wildlife. And now, with the easement, it’s protected from development and open for public hunting and recreation. 

MWF nominated the Stenson’s for the award last year after a prolonged process to complete the easement. The issue ended up in the state Supreme Court after a dispute over whether Land Board approval is required for conservation easements. Gov. Bullock won the case, and the Stenson’s easement was finally complete. 

But the Stenson’s were not done standing up for the Habitat Montana program. They came to Helena during the Legislative session to oppose a bill that would have undermined the court ruling and required Land Board approval for easements. The Stensons had their money, but they stood on principle and for private property rights. 

And they also are not done contributing to wildlife conservation. The Stensons hosted a youth outdoors event last spring to teach natural history, hunting skills, and other outdoors-related topics. They plan to make it an annual event. 

MWF is thankful to have solid conservation partners like the Stensons. See the press coverage of the Good Neighbor Awards. 

 

Nick Gevock is the conservation director for the Montana Wildlife Federation. 

Jeff Lukas – MWF Elk Campaign Manager

Jeff Lukas

Conservation Director

Jeff Lukas is a passionate conservationist who has been fishing and hunting his entire life. Whether it’s floating a small stream chasing trout, pursuing elk in the high country, or waiting in a blind for ducks to set their wings, Jeff is always trying to bring more people afield to show them what we are trying to protect. He loves being in the arena, and he will never shy away from conversations about the beautiful and unique corners of Big Sky country.