The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission voted today not to close several northeastern Montana hunting districts to all mule deer hunting this fall. A proposal to close the districts had been offered earlier this month in response to continuing low numbers of mule deer in the area.
(Headlines - May 29, 1998)

The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission will meet in Helena on Friday, May 29. Heading the agenda for the meeting, which will begin at 8 a.m. in the auditorium of the SRS Building, 111 Sanders Street, will be the adoption of final harvest quotas for the 1998 bighorn sheep, mountain goat and moose seasons, as well as final 1998 mountain lion seasons and quotas.
(Headlines - May 22, 1998)

The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission on May 8 adopted the following changes to deer and elk hunting regulations for 1998: Deer: Special Youth Deer Hunt--100 series hunting districts CHANGE: The 200 special permits available for youths 12-14 years of age through drawings (40 permits each) in Kalispell, Eureka, Polson, Libby and Thompson Falls will be valid for taking antlerless deer of either species (not just antlerless whitetails).
(Headlines - May 22, 1998)

Due to continuing low numbers of mule deer, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission now is seeking public comment on a proposal that would close several hunting districts in northeastern Montana to all mule deer hunting this fall. Under the proposal, which was tentatively adopted by the Commission at its May 8 meeting in Helena, deer hunting in Hunting Districts 621, 622, 623, 630, 631, 632 and 670 would be limited to hunting of either-sex white-tailed deer for the 1998 season.
(Headlines - May 22, 1998)

At its May 8 meeting in Helena, the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission adopted tentative quotas for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats and mountain lions for the coming fall's hunting seasons. In general, moose and mountain goat quotas will remain near 1997 levels across the state, while bighorn sheep quotas will drop slightly, primarily because of concern for the health of sheep populations in some parts of the state.
(Headlines - May 22, 1998)

The Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission is now accepting public comments on the rules it follows in selecting conservation organizations to auction the bighorn sheep and moose licenses FWP offers each year. The legislation that created the auction licenses gives Commissioners the rule-making authority to "select a method of auction which the Commission perceives will best maximize the revenue generated" for management of Montana's bighorn sheep and moose populations.
(Headlines - May 22, 1998)

The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission adopted tentative 1998 hunting regulations and season dates for "webless" migratory game birds at its May 8 meeting in Helena. Public comment is now being sought on the proposals. Montana's webless migratory game birds--mourning doves, common snipe and sandhill cranes--previously were treated like other upland game birds in the process of setting regulations and seasons, which took place biennially.
(Headlines - May 22, 1998)

The number of nonresident hunters pursuing deer in Montana this fall will be fewer than in recent years due to a decision by the FWP Commission at its May 8 meeting in Helena. Fish, Wildlife & Parks had recommended, and the Commission agreed, that nearly 1,200 nonresident deer licenses available for the 1998 season not be sold to hunters visiting the state this fall.
(Headlines - May 22, 1998)

At its meeting on May 8, the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission adopted a formal policy regarding hunting in state parks. The Commission asked Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff to develop a policy to provide consistency among park sites and inform the public of types and times hunting is allowed.
(Headlines - May 22, 1998)

Due to continuing low numbers of mule deer, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission now is seeking public comment on a proposal that would close several hunting districts in northeastern Montana to all mule deer hunting this fall. Under the proposal, which was tentatively adopted by the Commission at its May 8 meeting in Helena, deer hunting in Hunting Districts 621, 622, 623, 630, 631, 632 and 670 would be limited to hunting of either-sex white-tailed deer for the 1998 season.
(Headlines - May 12, 1998)

Fewer nonresidents purchased the variable-priced deer combination licenses for the 1998 season and, according to Fish, Wildlife & Parks Director Patrick Graham, "this will help achieve the goal of selling an average of 2,300 licenses annually over a five-year period, as was intended by the 1995 Montana Legislature through its passage of House Bill 195.
(Headlines - May 08, 1998)

Saturday, May 16, marks the opening day of Montana's general 1998 fishing season. Before anglers take to the water, Fish, Wildlife & Parks reminds them to carefully check the creel limits and size limitations established for the waters they plan to fish. Each year, a number of fishing regulations change. Thus, anglers cannot assume that the regulations in effect on a certain body of water the previous year will be in effect the next.
(Headlines - May 08, 1998)

Hunters are reminded that the deadline for submitting applications to Fish, Wildlife & Parks' annual special license and permit drawings for antelope and deer B licenses and special elk and deer permits is June 1. Again this year, hunters who receive a special permit for taking an antlerled buck mule deer are restricted to taking a buck mule deer in the district or portion of a district specified on the permit. They may not hunt antlered buck mule deer anywhere else in Montana.
(Headlines - May 08, 1998)