The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission will meet on Thursday and Friday, November 6 and 7, at the FWP headquarters in Helena. Thursday's meeting, scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., will be a work session at which Commissioners and FWP officials will, among other business, be continuing a discussion and review of the state wildlife agency's work on a plan to guide deer management in the future.
(Headlines - October 24, 1997)

The Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission is now seeking public comment on a draft of the annual rule that will set the prices for nonresident elk and deer hunting licenses in 1998. Commissioners tentatively adopted the rule at their October 10 meeting in Libby. The proposed rule would permit nonresident hunters to purchase a Big Game Combination License that does not include a deer license.
(Headlines - October 24, 1997)

Out of concern for extremely low numbers of mule deer in Hunting District 630, which lies southwest of Glasgow in northeastern Montana, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission on Friday, October 10, enacted an emergency regulation that will prohibit hunters from taking antlerless mule deer in the district during the upcoming general deer and elk hunting season. The season begins on Sunday, October 26.
(Headlines - October 24, 1997)

Fish, Wildlife & Parks is now seeking comments from hunters and others on a preliminary draft of proposed deer population objectives and hunting regulation strategies for long-term deer management in Montana. For mule deer, five population management units (groups of hunting districts) have been identified within the state based upon the population dynamics of the species and habitat characteristics. Three management units have been identified for white-tailed deer.
(Headlines - October 24, 1997)

Fish, Wildlife & Parks is now accepting nominations for appointment of a high school student to the agency's Future Fisheries Improvement Panel. The appointment represents a great opportunity for a Montana high school student interested in the state's natural environment to become involved in the management of that environment.
(Headlines - October 24, 1997)

At its October 10 meeting in Libby, the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission adopted a tentative state parks fee rule for the period from March 1999 to the end of February 2000. Public comment is now being accepted on that tentative rule. The rule, in general, proposes to increase the per vehicle charge from $3 to $4. In addition, the price of a State Park Passport would increase from the current $15 to $24 under the proposals, with the "Early Bird" passport available at a price of $18.
(Headlines - October 24, 1997)

The Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission is now accepting comments on a proposal to charge camping fees at an additional 18 FWP-administered fishing access sites (FAS) throughout Montana. Fees currently are charged at 13 FASs. Camping fees at these sites and the new sites being considered would be $5 per night.
(Headlines - October 24, 1997)

Hunters heading afield this fall in western Montana "could just as likely run into a grizzly bear as not" according to Bill Thomas, information officer for Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Missoula. Grizzlies are widely dispersed and moving around a lot this year, thus "increasing the odds of a conflict and the need for hunters to take precautions to avoid a problem," he explained.
(Headlines - October 24, 1997)

A recent change in state law will mean fewer auctions of wild game confiscated by Fish, Wildlife & Parks wardens this fall, but more game meat donated to charitable organizations. The 1997 Legislature amended state law to require game wardens to donate seized meat to the Montana Food Bank or to other charitable institutions if feasible. That makes donation preferred over sale. Occasionally, a warden will be unable to donate meat and will have to sell it.
(Headlines - October 24, 1997)

In response to a proposal by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list bull trout under the Endangered Species Act, the State of Montana wants to develop Conservation Agreements with federal authorities to maintain local control and make it unnecessary to list the native fish. In comments delivered to the federal government today, the state also maintains that Montana's bull trout populations are separate and distinct from other populations in the Pacific Northwest. In a 10-page letter to the U.
(Headlines - October 17, 1997)

FWP BULL TROUT CONSERVATION & RECOVERY EFFORTS Montana is aggressively involved in conservation and restoration of bull trout and bull trout habitat to address past and present practices that have resulted in declines of bull trout. Cooperators for these projects include: the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S.
(Headlines - October 17, 1997)

Out of concern for extremely low numbers of mule deer in Hunting District 630, which lies southwest of Glasgow in northeastern Montana, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission on Friday, October 10, enacted an emergency regulation that will prohibit hunters from taking antlerless mule deer in the district during the upcoming general deer and elk hunting season. The season begins on Sunday, October 26.
(Headlines - October 14, 1997)

With Montana's general deer and elk seasons opening statewide on Sunday, October 26, Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials are reminding hunters about the rules and regulations surrounding the hunt. Two that are sometimes overlooked are: Hunters who pursue deer and elk with a bow during the general season must wear a minimum of 400 square inches of hunter orange.
(Headlines - October 10, 1997)

Fish, Wildlife & Parks granted $119,300 to seven Montana communities in 1997 to help improve their shooting opportunities. Since 1989, FWP has been providing assistance in many different forms for improved shooting opportunities in Montana. But to the groups who received that assistance, money has been the biggest help. The 1989 Legislature authorized a grants program whereby organizations and communities can apply to FWP for financial assistance to build or enhance shooting ranges.
(Headlines - October 10, 1997)

Twelve Montanans -- Alva Fortner of Biddle, Robert Larsson of St.
(Headlines - October 10, 1997)