Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offers a home-study course on boating to help families comply with state law requiring youngsters 13 and 14 years old to have a motorboat operator's certificate while piloting a motorboat without an adult on board. The law includes operation of all motorboats as well as personal watercraft, like a jet ski, with a motor greater than 10 horsepower. No one 12 or younger can operate a motorboat alone. An adult, 18 years or older, must be on board.
(Headlines - April 28, 2000)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Warden Jason Snyder, Colstrip, received two prestigious awards after completing basic training at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy recently. Snyder was awarded the Staff Award as the student who most demonstrates the skills and abilities needed be a superior law enforcement officer. He also received the Mavity Award, which goes to the student ranked first in the class in fitness, academic achievement, fire arms skill, and in training and performance evaluations.
(Headlines - April 28, 2000)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking original artwork for the 2001 migratory bird stamp design competition. The stamp will feature a scene from Montana's past 100 years, in celebration of FWP's first century supporting the people of Montana in their fish, wildlife, parks and habitat conservation efforts. The competition is open to Montana artists and the artwork must be original and not entered in competition in any other state or federal waterfowl stamp program.
(Headlines - April 28, 2000)

Fishing enthusiasts have a valuable tool at their fingertips, the Montana Fish Stocking Plan 2000. Anglers can answer almost any question they may have about the state's fish-stocking plan, and impress their friends with their inside information, by going to the FWP web site or by calling 406-444-2449 to request a print copy of the plan. Those with access to the web can go to fwp.state.mt.us, under "Fishing" and click on the 2000 Fish Stocking Plan.
(Headlines - April 28, 2000)

Hunters who want to pursue mule deer bucks in 20 hunting districts in southwestern Montana need to apply for a special permit by June 1. All other hunting districts within the former Southwestern-8 hunting area that once required specific hunting-license validations are open to any hunter with a general Deer A license. Limited and unlimited permits are available.
(Headlines - April 28, 2000)

In some hunting districts in the former "Southwestern-8" area special permits will be required to hunt antlered mule deer bucks. Applying for these permits may be a new process for some hunters. FWP recommends these steps: To see if the southwestern Montana hunting district you plan to hunt requires a special permit, check the new Deer and Elk Hunting Regulations which are now available.
(Headlines - April 28, 2000)

First place in the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Montana State Parks Poster Contest went to Justin Schroer, from Lewis & Clark School in Great Falls. Schroer's eye-catching, artfully rendered submission depicted the wide-open spaces of Ulm Pishkun State Park with an Indian camp and buffalo. Schroer will receive a $150 savings bond and a T-shirt with his original artwork screened on the front. Lewis & Clark School will receive a State Park video and books valued at $50 for the school library.
(Headlines - April 28, 2000)

Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks is seeking information on a crime that occurred March 13 at 7 a.m. when two antelope were shot and killed in a stubble field north of Acton, Montana about 6.5 miles north of State Highway 3 on Oswald Road. The suspect's vehicle was a jacked-up 1997-98 blue Ford pickup with a white stripe. There were three young men in the vehicle. If you have any information that may help solve this crime, please contact TIP-MONT at 1-800-847-6668.
(Headlines - April 28, 2000)

Lewis & Clark Caverns, Montana's first state park, opens for the 2000 season May 1, according to Lee Flath, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' Lewis & Clark Caverns park manager. Located in the rugged Jefferson River Canyon, Lewis & Clark Caverns features spectacular caves lined with stalactites, stalagmites, columns and helictites. The Caverns are electrically lighted. The park, open seven days a week, offers two-hour guided tours of the Caverns beginning at 9 a.m.
(Headlines - April 28, 2000)

The Montana Bowhunters Association is offering single parents a chance to learn about the outdoors. The Discover the Outdoors Camp, set for June 9-11, is designed for single parents and a child ranging in age from 11 to 15. The camp will be held at FWP's Beartooth Wildlife Management Area north of Helena. Activities will include camping, cooking, bow and gun shooting sports, and fishing followed by evening educational programs to round out the days. Previous outdoor experience is not necessary.
(Headlines - April 28, 2000)

Teachers who attend Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks "Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) workshops this summer can receive continuing education credits through the Office of Public Instruction. The two workshops will run July 31-August 2 and August 4-6. The popular BOW workshops provide women opportunities to learn outdoor skills such as fishing, fly-tying, archery, shotgun and rifle shooting, canoeing, map and compass reading, plant identification, and Dutch oven cooking.
(Headlines - April 28, 2000)

Bears are quick learners according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Grizzly Bear Management Specialist Tim Manley. "When people who live in bear country feed bears, whether it's grizzly bears or black bears, they are essentially teaching bears to come to houses to eat," Manley says. While most of the feeding is unintentional, some may be deliberate. "Either way, feeding bears endangers both the people and the bears.
(Headlines - April 28, 2000)

Results from preliminary tests of a wild elk and 43 deer taken by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks researchers from the vicinity of game farms near Philipsburg and Hardin show none of the animals were infected with Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) or tuberculosis, two diseases of growing concern to wildlife officials across the West.
(Headlines - April 14, 2000)

The Federal announcement that Montana's state fish, the westslope cutthroat trout, is not warranted for listing as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act is a clear sign that Montana's continuing effort to protect and restore the native species has paid off for the fish and for the people of Montana, the director of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks said today.
(Headlines - April 14, 2000)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking volunteers to serve on its statewide Boating Advisory Committee. The committee -- with one member from each of FWP's seven administrative regions--assists FWP in determining the allocation of boat-in-lieu (BIL) of tax funds. BIL funds, composed of 20 percent of the fees paid by boat owners who register their crafts in their individual counties, contribute to site improvements associated with motorboat use.
(Headlines - April 14, 2000)

Bowhunters who plan to pursue mule deer bucks in any one of 20 hunting districts in southwestern Montana must apply for a special permit by June 1. The new requirement may catch bow hunters by surprise because they must apply for these permits far in advance of archery season. All other hunting districts within the former Southwestern-8 hunting area, once requiring specific hunting-license validations, will now be open to any hunter with a general Deer A license during both the gun and archery seasons.
(Headlines - April 14, 2000)

In some hunting districts in the former "Southwestern-8" area special permits will be required to hunt antlered mule deer bucks. Applying for these permits may be a new process for some hunters. FWP recommends these steps: To see if the southwestern Montana hunting district you plan to hunt requires a special permit, check the new Deer and Elk Hunting Regulations which are now available.
(Headlines - April 14, 2000)

The application deadline for licenses to hunt moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goats this fall is May 1. The deadline for applying for antelope, special elk and Deer B Licenses and deer permits is June 1. Hunters should remember when filling out their applications that since 1991 those who have been successful in drawing a license for a moose, sheep or goat must wait for seven years before they can apply for the same species again.
(Headlines - April 14, 2000)

Hunters preparing to apply for bighorn sheep licenses by the May 1 deadline should note that the hunting numbers for sheep were inadvertently left off the map in the 2000 Moose, Sheep, Goat and Antelope Big Game Hunting Regulations. Maps with the hunting district numbers are available at all Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offices and from license agents statewide.
(Headlines - April 14, 2000)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking information on three deer killed out of season in late March and left about 8 miles south of Whitehall, in the Bone Basin area of the Tobacco Root Mountains (hunting district 333). A white-tailed doe and fawn were shot just inside the Forest Service boundary and a mule-deer doe was shot on Bone Basin Road near the Kountz Ranch. Both does were carrying fawns that would have been born in a couple of months.
(Headlines - April 14, 2000)

Montana State Parks open for camping on May 1. Resident campers may purchase a state park passport for $20 for the first vehicle and $10 for the second vehicle. Non-resident campers may purchase a state park passport for $24 for the first vehicle and $12 for the second vehicle. The passport permits entry of the vehicle and all the occupants into a park area.
(Headlines - April 14, 2000)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is sponsoring two "Becoming an Outdoors Woman" (BOW) workshops this summer. The first will run from July 31 through August 2 and the second from August 4 to August 6. These popular workshops provide women an opportunity to learn outdoor skills such as fishing, fly-tying, archery, shotgun and rifle shooting, canoeing, map and compass reading, plant identification, and Dutch oven cooking.
(Headlines - April 14, 2000)

In the spring, many Montana hunters begin to pore over the hunting regulations for the fall, trying to figure out the best places to hunt or where to put in for a special permit. This is the time of year for hunters to consider the landowner, especially when applying for special elk and deer tags. Landowner permission should come before applying for a special license or permit. Otherwise an unhappy fall hunting season could result.
(Headlines - April 14, 2000)

In spring many a youngster's and adult's thoughts turn to plinking tin cans with a .22 or zeroing in on a paper target bull's eye. Such activities can be a fun and educational way for a child to learn to safely handle a firearm. However, there are several state laws to keep in mind. Montana law says any child younger than 14 must be under the supervision of an adult when carrying or using a firearm.
(Headlines - April 14, 2000)

Montana State Parks is again conducting a statewide poster contest as an educational endeavor to enhance student’s understanding, awareness and appreciation of what exists in Montana’s State Parks. The contest is open to all fifth grade students. The contest theme for 2000 is "Who ONCE Lived in Montana State Parks…Historic Homes of Our Parks." CONTACT HELENA.
(Parks - April 01, 2000)

The State Parks system relies heavily on volunteers to be successful. Helena Parks staff recently worked on a Habitat for Humanity home in East Helena. It was a great way to celebrate the holiday season and give something back to the community. Whether it is supporting the community through co-sponsoring an event or working creatively with community leaders to complete a project, Montana State Park staff looks for ways support the community they are a part of. CONTACT FWP OFFICES.
(Parks - April 01, 2000)

We at State Parks are excited to be part of the programmatic review of important Montana resources. Governor Racicot appointed a 14 member committee, consisting of six legislators, and two members of the Historical Society Board, the Heritage Commission, the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commission and the Tourism Advisory Council.
(Parks - April 01, 2000)

The Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission has ask the department to survey the public to better understand the type and amount of conflicts there are on Montana waters. As our Montana population increases, and more visitors come to the Big Sky Country, we are seeing more people use our lakes, streams and reservoir for more diverse types of recreation. At times there are conflicts between these user groups.
(Parks - April 01, 2000)

The Parks Division has received grant applications from individuals, clubs, and state and federal agencies requesting $221,000 (approximately $164,000 available) for projects including trail maintenance, education workshops, weed control, equipment leasing and trail-head signings. Funding for these grants is derived from State Gas Tax and OHV registrations. Off-Highway-Vehicle grant funds must be used for established motorized trails, safety education, noxious-weed control and public awareness.
(Parks - April 01, 2000)

CARA, as H.R. 701 has become known, is landmark legislation that will provide on-going wildlife, land, and parks conservation with the largest infusion of federal funds in history. Most of the funds would go to various state and local conservation programs, including state wildlife conservation and local parks and recreation developments. Montana, which faces tremendous challenges attempting to conserve declining wildlife and dwindling habitats, could see an infusion of more than $5.
(Parks - April 01, 2000)

The Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission approved the sale of a State Park Passport for low-income residents and families. The Low-Income Parks’ Passport is available for $16.00 to those residents who have been determined eligible. Eligibility for low-income is determined by standard Medicaid or Food Stamp documentation as set by the Department Public Health and Human Services.
(Parks - April 01, 2000)