The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks River Recreation Advisory Council will meet in Helena, Dec. 9-10, to continue its work to develop recommendations to manage recreation on the state's rivers.
(Headlines - November 29, 2002)

A new citizens group will help Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks develop a management plan for the state's upland game bird populations. FWP Director Jeff Hagener appointed the Montana Upland Game Bird Citizens Advisory Council last week.
(Headlines - November 27, 2002)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will host six public meetings in December to take comment on its commitments to a recently released plan to conserve and manage Montana's sage grouse. The meetings will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. An open house will be followed by an informational update set to begin at 7 p.m. Public comments--and additional one-on-one discussions--will follow the update. The sessions are set for: Dec.
(Headlines - November 27, 2002)

The hunting of all mountain lions in western Montana hunting districts 280, 281, 284 and 293, which includes portions of Powell and Lewis and Clark counties, will close at one-half hour after sunset on Thursday, November 28, 2002. The order halting the hunt came shortly after Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials received word that the pre-established harvest quota for lions in the district had been met.   The winter season will open on December 2, 2002.
(Hunting - November 26, 2002)

The Montana Sage Grouse Work Group recently released its draft plan to conserve and manage sage grouse, a native Montana upland game bird that several groups have petitioned for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act.
(Hunting - November 22, 2002)

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission is seeking public comment through Dec. 27 on a tentative decision to expand the big game license drawing bonus point system.   The new system would include special deer and elk permits, and deer B, antelope and swan licenses.   The bonus point system has been in place since 2001 for the nonresident combination license and resident and nonresident moose, sheep and goat license drawings.
(Hunting - November 22, 2002)

The Private Land/Public Wildlife Council will meet in Lewistown, Dec. 5, from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Yogo Inn, 211 East Main St., to discuss issues related to hunter access, landowner incentives, elk management, and outfitting-industry topics.   The 16-member council is made up of hunters, landowners, and outfitters appointed by Governor Judy Martz. The public is invited to observe all council proceedings and to participate in the public comment session scheduled for 1 p.m.
(Hunting - November 22, 2002)

The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission recently deferred a final decision on proposed increases in state parks and fishing access site fees until its Dec. 12 meeting.   FWP Commissioners said the State Park Division's funding options required additional study before making a final decision.   The action delays the early sale of Montana State Parks Passports, usually available beginning Dec.
(Parks - November 22, 2002)

This year fifth graders will be able to take a "virtual" Internet tour of Montana's 42 State Parks at www.fwp.state.mt.us when they participate in FWP's annual Montana State Parks Poster Contest.   The contest is designed to sharpen students' understanding and appreciation of the natural features and resources in State Parks.
(Parks - November 22, 2002)

Early day Montanans built their lives on a foundation of gold, silver and copper, many would say. But some geologists disagree. They would say Madison limestone is the state's foundation.   The Madison limestone's 1,000-foot thick base forms the largest artesian aquifer in the U.S., coursing beneath Montana east of the Rockies and across North and South Dakota, Wyoming, Alberta, Saskatchewan and the upper western portion of Manitoba.
(Parks - November 22, 2002)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks needs to update Montana's 10-year-old statewide elk management plan next year and is seeking public comment now on issues and concerns associated with elk and elk hunting in Montana.
(Hunting - November 20, 2002)

The hunting of all mountain lions in southwestern Montana hunting district 301, which includes portions of Gallatin and Park counties, will close at one-half hour after sunset on November 19, 2002. The order halting the hunt came shortly after Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials received word that the pre-established harvest quota for lions in the district had been met.   The winter season will open on December 2, 2002.
(Hunting - November 18, 2002)

By order of the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission, hunting district 501-20, which includes portions of Carbon, Park and Stillwater counties, will be closed to all hunting of bighorn sheep, effective one-half hour after sunset on Wednesday, November 20, 2002.
(Hunting - November 18, 2002)

The hunting of all mountain lions in northwestern Montana Hunting District 120, which includes portions of Flathead and Lake counties, will close at one-half hour after sunset on Wednesday, November 13, 2002. The order halting the hunt came shortly after Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials received word that the pre-established harvest quota for the district has been met.   The winter season will open on December 2, 2002.
(Hunting - November 12, 2002)

As the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks River Recreation Advisory Council approaches the   halfway point in its eight-month charge to develop recommendations to manage recreation on the state's rivers, members say they want to hear directly from their communities.
(Headlines - November 08, 2002)

The hunting of all mountain lions during the fall season in southwestern Montana hunting districts 319 and 341, in portions of Silver Bow, Deer Lodge, Beaverhead, Madison and Jefferson counties, will close at one-half hour after sunset on Friday, Nov. 8, 2002. The order halting the hunt came shortly after Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials received word that the pre-established harvest quota for the districts combined had been met.   The winter season will open on Dec. 2, 2002.
(Hunting - November 07, 2002)

Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission will meet in Helena, Thursday, Nov. 14, at the FWP Headquarters building at 1420 East Sixth Ave.   The meeting will begin at 8 a.m.
(Headlines - November 06, 2002)

The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks TIP-MONT hotline received a record number of calls reporting potential big game violations on opening day of the general big game hunting season.   The hotline charted more than 90 calls between 6:30 a.m. and 10 p.m.    "The majority of the calls we received were placed between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.   About 58 were about possible violations requiring investigation," said Debbie Bingham, FWP TIP-MONT coordinator.
(Hunting - November 01, 2002)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' hunting dog photo contest was irresistible to hunters around the state.   Nearly 400 photos flooded into FWP by mail and email to beat the Oct. 31 deadline. "We were surprised and impressed with the enthusiastic response. We'll just take a little longer to get all the photos up on the web site and to select the 'finalists'," said Ron Aasheim, FWP conservation education administrator.
(Headlines - November 01, 2002)

The Montana Bowhunters Association is offering a $500 reward for information provided over the 1-800-TIP-MONT line that leads to the conviction of criminals committing crimes with bowhunting equipment. The reward will apply to big game violations or crimes involving the shooting of domestic livestock using bowhunting equipment.
(Hunting - November 01, 2002)

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission has created a no wake zone on portions of Hebgen Lake near West Yellowstone in the interests of safety and to prevent irresponsible behavior on the water.
(Headlines - November 01, 2002)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will host a Snowmobile Safety Instructors workshop Dec. 7-8, at the Frontline Lounge in Kalispell, 153 Meridian Road. The course begins Saturday, Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. The course, offered at no charge, is to certify or re-certify Snowmobile Safety Instructors to teach the Montana Snowmobile Safety course in their communities.
(Headlines - November 01, 2002)

The number of fatal snowmobile accidents was up significantly last winter.   Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Trails Program Specialist Ray Paige said snowmobile riders are urged to be extra cautious this year. "Last year was a tragic time for the snowmobile riding community with the loss of 13 riders," Paige said. "These tragedies, which occurred for a variety of reasons , have made everyone stop and think more carefully about snowmobile safety.
(Headlines - November 01, 2002)

Montana's Fish, Wildlife & Parks wardens have an insider's view of hunting season. Their advice is based on firsthand experience with thousands of hunters, and they have collected some great hunting stories, too. Among the luckiest hunters ever seen by an FWP warden is Lee Anderson's account of the hunter in the North Fork of the Flathead, in northwestern Montana. This hunter defied the odds by coming across an elk while driving down the main North Fork Road.
(Hunting - November 01, 2002)