The hunting of all mountain lions in southwestern Montana hunting districts 335, 339 and 343, in portions of Lewis and Clark and Jefferson counties, will close at one-half hour after sunset on Tuesday, April 1, 2003 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.   For more information, visit FWP's web site at fwp.state.mt.
(Hunting - March 31, 2003)

  Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission will meet Thursday, April 10, in Helena at the FWP Headquarters building on 1420 East Sixth Ave., beginning at 8 a.m.
(Headlines - March 28, 2003)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking project proposals that will help maintain flows in streams and rivers in anticipation of the low water levels that may occur this summer in some parts of the state. “Our special drought funding cycle is for projects that will both have an immediate positive impact on our fisheries and that involve lasting changes so we are better prepared in future droughts,” said Glenn Phillips, FWP habitat protection bureau chief.
(Headlines - March 21, 2003)

More than $792,000 in funding was approved by the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Park Commission in March for 23 Future Fisheries Improvement projects. The funding will be matched by more than $2 million from outside sources. The FWP Commission makes final decisions on funding requests based on recommendations from a 13-member citizen panel. Sponsors of approved projects enter into an agreement with FWP to maintain project improvements through responsible land-management practices.
(Headlines - March 21, 2003)

The board of the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks TIP-MONT Program in March awarded a total of $10,850 to 15 callers to the 1-800 TIP-MONT hotline. “In the past six months, citizens provided critical information to help us solve some important cases,” said Debbie Bingham, FWP TIP-MONT coordinator. “In four of these cases, the defendants paid restitution for trophy animals.
(Headlines - March 21, 2003)

The Subaru/International Mountain Bicycle Association Trail Care Crew rounds out the list of 25 sessions offered at the Montana’s State Trails Conference in Butte, April 3-5 at the Ramada Inn Copper King Hotel.
(Headlines - March 21, 2003)

The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission has appointed the 2003 Paddlefish Grants Advisory Committee, a group that reviews and approves historical, cultural, recreational, fish and wildlife projects submitted to the Glendive Chamber for funding by the Yellowstone Caviar Project. The five newly appointed members, all from Glendive, served on the committee in 2002.
(Headlines - March 21, 2003)

The schedule of Montana’s approved open-water fishing contests is available on the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks web site at www.fwp.state.mt.us under Fishing and then Hot Topics. FWP sought public comment on the proposed contests through January. To request a print version, call 406-444-2449.
(Headlines - March 21, 2003)

The 2003 Montana State Parks Passports are now available at all Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offices and from FWP license providers.   The annual $30 windshield decal allows unlimited entrance into State Parks without paying a daily fee for each visit.    The decal also provides a $3 reduction in camping fees at State Parks. Additional State Parks Passport decals, up to two, are $20. The Early Bird Park Passports have been discontinued.
(Headlines - March 21, 2003)

Montana’s 2003 bighorn sheep auction license brought in $132,000 at the annual convention for the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep in Reno, Nevada in January.  FWP receives 90 percent of the auction amount to bolster bighorn sheep research efforts and to supplement trapping and transplanting budgets. FNAWS earns 10 percent for administration and its own bighorn sheep management efforts.
(Headlines - March 21, 2003)

Smith River Permits remaining after the Smith River Permit drawing, including any canceled or unclaimed permits, will be available to the public beginning Monday, March 17. There is no waiting list. Floaters interested in a permit may call the Smith River Reservation Hotline at 406-454-5861 between 8 a.m. and noon, Monday through Friday.
(Headlines - March 21, 2003)

The 2003 hunting regulation booklets for deer, elk and antelope and moose, sheep and goat will be available in early April.   Modifications to the format of the regulation booklets will help make it easier to identify the various types of hunting opportunities in each hunting district.   The regulation booklets will be available at FWP offices and from FWP license providers.
(Hunting - March 21, 2003)

The Montana Upland Game Bird Advisory Council will meet in Great Falls at the Heritage Inn, beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, March 31 and April 1, to continue to develop recommendations for an upland game bird management plan.   Jeff Hagener, director of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, appointed the 12-member council last year. At the meeting, which will be held at the Heritage Inn, 1700 Fox Farm Rd., beginning at 8 a.m.
(Hunting - March 21, 2003)

A creature of legend, the wolverine is also known as devil bear, carcajou, or woods devil in various parts of the country. Its scientific name, Gulo gulo , means glutton.   The wolverine has a thick body, short legs, short ears and a broad flat head.   It varies in length from 36 to 44 inches.   These animals are primarily scavengers and may consume large amounts of carrion, such as a dead mountain goat or moose.
(Headlines - March 21, 2003)

In a review of the state's 320 fishing access sites, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has identified 1,100 acres out of a total 25,000 acres of leased and state-owned lands that don't directly contribute to public access or other recreational opportunities. "In most cases, these surplus acres were part of a package deal when we acquired a fishing access site," said Allan Kuser, FWP fishing access site coordinator.
(Fishing - March 17, 2003)

Turkey applications for special permit hunting areas must be postmarked by March 15. Spring turkey season is set for April 12-May 11. Turkey permits in northwestern Montana’s FWP Region 1 increased on the West Clark Fork from 80 to 115. In Lincoln County, turkey permits increased from 80 to 125. In southwestern Montana’s Ravalli County, there will be 100 turkey permits, with 20 permits designated for hunters ages 12-14.
(Headlines - March 14, 2003)

Wildlife officials shed additional light today on the state's preferred alternative to manage Montana's recovered gray wolf population, saying it offers a flexible and responsive wildlife management plan. "We believe the preferred alternative, the Updated Council Plan, recognizes the challenges wolves pose and best addresses Montana's responsibility to manage all of the state's wildlife," said Jeff Hagener, director of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
(Headlines - March 12, 2003)

In anticipation of the Rocky Mountain gray wolf's full recovery and removal from the federal endangered species list, state wildlife officials today released five alternatives for managing Montana wolves. The 288-page draft environmental impact statement presents a spectrum of five wolf management alternatives for public comment.
(Headlines - March 12, 2003)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will host a series of community work sessions in March and April to gather comment on five alternatives to wolf conservation and management examined in the wildlife agency's recently released draft environmental impact statement. FWP will select one of the alternatives, or craft a new alternative that combines elements of the others based on public comment, to manage the state's recovered wolf population.
(Headlines - March 12, 2003)

Look for our national symbol among the lines and boxes on your 2002 Montana income tax form.  The bald eagle hovers over the box where you can make a tax-deductible contribution to the state's watchable wildlife. Watchable wildlife-related work includes constructing wildlife viewing stands and other viewing opportunities and creating interpretation materials that wouldn't be possible without these tax-deductible contributions.
(Headlines - March 07, 2003)

Are state fisheries managers doing enough to improve Montana's walleye fishing? Can more walleye stocking offset the effects of drought? What happens when walleye lakes produce too many predators? Find out in the latest issue of Montana Outdoors , the magazine of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. In addition to the walleye management controversy, the March/April issue features articles on Makoshika State Park, the Pryor Mountain wild horses, the perils of bird watching, and more.
(Headlines - March 07, 2003)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking project proposals from local public outdoor recreation programs that would qualify for federal Land & Water Conservation funding.   Typical facilities eligible for funding include ball fields, campgrounds, golf courses, ice-skating ponds, picnic facilities, tennis courts, playground equipment, and hiking trails. Project applications are due July 1.
(Headlines - March 07, 2003)

The big game license drawing bonus point system has been expanded to 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. Expanding the bonus point system increases an individual’s chances of success when participating in the special deer and elk, deer B, antelope and swan license drawings.
(Hunting - March 07, 2003)

While we knew a lot about black bears by the 1990s, one question troubled biologists and made bear management controversial. How many bears are out there, biologists wondered? Even in the 1990s no one knew exactly, because it was too expensive to mark and count bears. All this changed with recent advances in genetic technology that make it possible to identify species, sex and individual animals from DNA extracted from animal’s hair.
(Hunting - March 07, 2003)

The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission recently approved changes in the 2003 hunting regulations and agreed to final spring turkey season dates, spring turkey quotas, spring and fall black bear seasons and quotas.   The Commission will make final decisions on all license and permit quotas for deer, elk and antelope at its August meeting. Spring Turkey Spring turkey season is set for April 12-May 11.
(Hunting - March 07, 2003)

The Montana Upland Game Bird Advisory Council will meet in Lewistown, March 9-11, to continue its work to develop recommendations for an upland game bird management plan. Jeff Hagener, director of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, appointed the 12-member council last year. The meeting will be held at the Yogo Inn beginning at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 9, and beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, March 10 and Tuesday, March 11.
(Hunting - March 05, 2003)

Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission will meet Thursday, March 13, in Helena at the FWP headquarters building on 1420 East Sixth Ave., beginning at 8 a.m. Final decisions will include the selection of Future Fisheries Projects for funding and appointments to the Caviar Selection Grant Committee, a group that approves projects submitted to the Glendive Chamber for funding by the Yellowstone Caviar Project.
(Headlines - March 03, 2003)