The Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission will meet in Miles City on Friday, Oct. 8. On the agenda is a discussion of the tentative Parks fee rule for next season and an update on oil and gas leasing on Makoshika State Park. The Commission will also be asked to take final action on an amendment to the Hirsch conservation easement on the Tongue River. The proposal includes adding approximately three sections to the Hirsch easement. Preceding the meeting on Thursday evening, Oct.
(Headlines - October 01, 1999)

This year's promising ring-necked pheasant season will open Saturday, Oct. 9, at one-half hour before sunrise. According to John McCarthy, FWPs special projects coordinator for wildlife in Helena, the outlook for pheasant hunting is generally better this year than last, especially in central and eastern Montana. The daily limit is three cock (male) pheasants; the possession limit is nine. Hunters must keep one leg and foot attached to each harvested bird.
(Headlines - October 01, 1999)

In setting deer seasons and regulations for 1999, the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission continued the validation requirement for hunting mule deer bucks in Montana. Once again this year: * All hunters who purchase a Deer A license must have it validated for any one of eight individual Hunting Areas in southwestern Montana, collectively referred to as the Southwestern 8, OR for the remainder of the state.
(Headlines - October 01, 1999)

The Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission is now seeking public comment on the proposed annual rule that will set the prices for nonresident elk and deer hunting licenses in 2000. Commissioners tentatively adopted the rule at its September 8 meeting in Helena. An advisory committee of hunters, outfitters and landowners made recommendations to the Commission regarding sale of nonresident elk and deer licenses for the 2000 big game season.
(Headlines - September 17, 1999)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Director Patrick Graham today announced the hiring of three new regional supervisors for FWP. Pat Flowers will take the reins as regional supervisor in Bozeman for FWP administrative Region 3, September 27. Flowers comes to the agency from the Montana Department of Natural Resources office in Missoula where he is currently employed as its forest management bureau chief.
(Headlines - September 17, 1999)

At its meeting on September 8, the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission set final 1999 waterfowl hunting seasons and regulations. Pacific Flyway season and bag limits Ducks: October 2 through January 15 Geese: October 2 through January 9 Bag Limit (ducks): The daily bag limit is 7 ducks and mergansers, except that the daily bag may contain no more than 2 female mallards, 1 pintail, 2 redheads, 1 canvasback and 4 scaup.
(Headlines - September 17, 1999)

The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission approved tentative fishing regulations for the 2000-2001 fishing season at its Sept. 8 meeting in Helena. Among the proposed regulations is a change that would limit anglers to one sauger in the Marias River and on the Missouri River upstream from the PN Bridge on State Highway 236. The current regulation is five walleye and/or sauger in combination.
(Headlines - September 17, 1999)

An environmental assessment completed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks entitled, "Yellowstone River Cutthroat Trout Reintroduction," is available for public review and comment. The deadline for comment is September 30. According to the plan, 6-inch-long pure strain Yellowstone cutthroat trout raised in state hatcheries would be released in a 25.1 mile stretch of the Yellowstone River.
(Headlines - September 17, 1999)

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is among four state agencies recognized for exemplary work by the Governor's Advisory Council on Disability which monitors Montana's effort to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The council, in its August report to Gov. Marc Racicot, recognized FWP's "long-term and comprehensive work" conducted to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
(Headlines - September 17, 1999)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking comment on the draft Upper Missouri River Reservoir Management Plan. The plan addresses the fisheries of Canyon Ferry, Hauser, and Holter reservoirs, and the Missouri River from Toston to Townsend and between Hauser and Holter reservoirs. "This plan sets management direction for a 10-year period by providing specific management goals and strategies for each of these waters," said Bruce Rich, regional fisheries manager in Bozeman.
(Headlines - September 17, 1999)

Montana has a special day set aside for youngsters 12 through 15 to hunt waterfowl. This year, the "Special Statewide Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day," approved by the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission, is set for Saturday, September 25. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allows youngsters to hunt ducks, geese and coots on one additional day outside the regular waterfowl hunting season seasons.
(Headlines - September 17, 1999)

At its September 8 meeting in Helena, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission approved 29 projects for funding through Montana's Future Fisheries Improvement Program. The Commission's decision approves the use of $354,114 in fishing license dollars, which will be matched with money from federal and other funding sources, to pay for approved projects in 16 different Montana counties. The total cost of the improvements is approximately $1.2 million.
(Headlines - September 17, 1999)

Increased flows in the upper Big Hole River have prompted the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission to lift a fishing closure on the river. According to Larry Peterman, FWP's Fisheries Division administrator, the closure on the 55-mile stretch of the Big Hole River from Dickey Bridge, located about seven miles upstream from Wise River to the Twin Lakes Road, which is seven miles upstream from Wisdom, was lifted effective September 23 at 12:00 a.m.
(Headlines - September 17, 1999)

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission will meet Wednesday, Sept. 8, at the FWP headquarters building in Helena. At the meeting, which is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., the Commission will set final 1999 waterfowl seasons and regulations, adopt tentative 2000 and 2001 fishing regulations, and discuss tentative rules for the annual sale of nonresident combination licenses.
(Headlines - September 03, 1999)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, in collaboration with several state and federal agencies and private groups, has completed an agreement to conserve and restore the westslope cutthroat trout in Montana's Columbia and upper Missouri river basins. The Conservation Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding for Westslope Cutthroat Trout in Montana, initiated by Gov.
(Headlines - September 03, 1999)

What do ice cream cones and life jackets have in common? Not much unless you were a youngster boating on Montana's waterways this summer. Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary teamed up with McDonald's to hand out coupons for a free ice cream cone to young boaters caught wearing their life jackets. Montana law requires youth under 12 years of age to wear a life jacket when boating.
(Headlines - September 03, 1999)

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park's Internet web site -- fwp.state.mt.us -- again won second place in a national competition among state and federal natural resource agencies. "We recognized several years ago that the Internet would be an important communication tool and a potentially fast and convenient customer service vehicle," said FWP Director Pat Graham.
(Headlines - September 03, 1999)

ALL the fees collected at Montana State Parks (park entrance, camping, sale of firewood, shower costs, Passports, etc.) return directly to the operation, maintenance and rehabilitation of State Parks. In this way, our visitors help pay for things like garbage collection, painting buildings, providing educational brochures and tours to repairing vandalism and replacing worn out picnic tables. Park fees, however, pay for less than one quarter of park costs.
(Parks - September 01, 1999)

Did you know that FWP's Parks Division maintains the State Capitol complex lawns, trees, and landscape features in Helena? Our most photographed work is the colorful Montana flower logo directly in front of the Capitol. Every spring, Helenans volunteer to create this flower art. We also care for the Governor's residence grounds.
(Parks - September 01, 1999)

Road improvements at Makoshika State Park near Glendive now makes travel inside the park far easier. Look for improved drainage, safer engineering, and road alignments more "user friendly" for park visitors, especially those with larger vehicles or towing trailers. For years the park road into the park was unpassible when wet, today it is rare for a park visitor to get trapped in the park after a cloud burst.
(Parks - September 01, 1999)

In 1991 the Montana Legislature approved a $3.50 fee on the registration of recreational vehicles. These revenues were earmarked to provide recreational vehicle services and facilities in State Parks. Eight years later, you will find RV dump stations in seven State Parks: Black Sandy unit of Hauser Lake; Clearwater Junction/Salmon Lake; Frenchtown Pond; Lewis and Clark Caverns; Logan; Missouri Headwaters; and Wayfarers unit of Flathead Lake.
(Parks - September 01, 1999)

Work continues on an inter-agency Montana State Trails Plan. The plan will provide a long-range strategy for Montana's trail system in the 21st century. It is a lively topic for many recreationists, who value everything from interpreted historic trail corridors to good outdoor hiking and motorized opportunities.
(Parks - September 01, 1999)

For the last three years, the US Forest Service, the Mikal Kellner Foundation for Animals and FWP invited the ingenuity of cardboard boat designers, builders and captains to enjoy in a wonderful day of family fun at Spring Meadow Lake near Helena. Racers build boats completely out of cardboard and duct tape. This year's entries included streamlined kayaks, a paddle wheeler, and Shamu the Whale, complete with functioning blowhole.
(Parks - September 01, 1999)

The final phase of a multiseason survey of recreational users on the Clark Fork River ended August 31, 1999. The project will provide recreational use data, to make future management decision for the Gorge. We are seeking information on types of recreational use, numbers of people, users perceptions of river conflict and their recreational experience. An FWP intern in the Cyr/Tarkio/Forest Grove Fishing Access Site areas west of Missoula is conducting the survey. CONTACT MISSOULA.
(Parks - September 01, 1999)

The lion's share of funding for purchasing new Fishing Access Sites (FAS), as well as for improving and maintaining our 312 existing sites, comes from a portion of fishing license fees. One dollar from each resident fishing license and $5 from each non-resident license is earmarked for the FAS account. Additional federal funding is received from taxes on fishing tackle and motor boat fuel for improvements at some sites.
(Parks - September 01, 1999)

This summer 24 students from various colleges around the state completed internships in Montana parks. Students pitched in on basic entrance and maintenance duties, organized campfire programs, created educational trunks, conducted surveys and other various tasks. This seven-year-old program saves FWP money, and gives recreation, history, education and biology students practical experience. Summer internship announcements are posted at every college in Montana in January of each year. CONTACT HELENA.
(Parks - September 01, 1999)

Last winter, museum conservator Rita Kaunekas, and conservation technician Lynne Caine, prepared an Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPMA) for Chief Plenty Coups State Park. The plan identifies the routine work that the park will do to keep critters on the run. Since insects never disappear for good, an IPMA helps us keep after them efficiently. The plan is to use a freeze-thaw process of freezing the artifacts, then vacuuming them once they thawed to room temperature.
(Parks - September 01, 1999)

In the last issue, in the Giant Springs Conservation Easement article, the Conservation Fund, rather than the Trust for Public Lands, should have been identified as the assisting organization.
(Parks - September 01, 1999)