Hunters can set their sights on next fall’s seasons by commenting on the proposed 2001 hunting regulations now available for review.
The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission adopted tentative 2001 hunting regulations for deer, elk, mountain lion, black bear, and upland game birds at its December meeting in Helena. To provide additional time for public review, the comment deadline has been extended to Jan. 26.
One of the most significant changes for the upcoming season will be a substantial increase in deer hunting opportunities due to the rebound of both mule deer and white-tailed deer statewide, said Glenn Erickson, FWP’s wildlife management bureau chief in Helena.
"Over the past several season we’ve been conservative with deer permits and with either-sex deer hunting seasons," Erickson explained. "While we’re still proposing special mule deer hunting permits in several southwestern Montana hunting districts, we’re now seeing a significant rebound of deer throughout most of the state, which has allowed us to relax some of the restrictions and offer more opportunities for deer hunters."
Throughout January public meetings and hearings on tentative regulations will be held in communities across Montana. For information on the meetings contact your nearest FWP office or visit FWP on-line at fwp.state.mt.us/news
Here is a summary of some changes proposed for deer, elk, mountain lion, black bear, and upland game bird hunting seasons and regulations:
DEER
Allow general-season deer permits to be used by archers during the Archery-Only season. - Limit applicants for game-damage rosters to three hunting districts only.
- Resume either-sex white-tailed deer hunting in several western Montana hunting districts.
- Allow standard either-sex mule deer hunting in Hunting Districts 446, 445, 590, 611, 620, 621, 622, 623, 630, 631, 632, 650, and 670.
- Increase antlerless, "Deer B," mule deer licenses and white-tailed deer licenses in an array of hunting districts throughout Montana.
- Remove specific 4-point deer antler restrictions for mule deer hunting in Hunting Districts 320 and 333.
- Increase the number of nonresident antlerless mule deer licenses available through the special drawings in eastern Montana’s Region 7 to 3,000, up from 1,000 in 2000; and issue 2,500 over-the-counter nonresident antlerless white-tailed deer licenses.
ELK
Allow general-season elk permits to be used during the Archery-Only season. - Increase antlerless elk permits in specific hunting districts FWP’s Region 2, 3, and 4.
- Close Dome Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Hunting District 313, north of Yellowstone National Park, during the late season hunt and adjust hunting district boundary to allow late-season elk hunting on nearby private land.
- Adopt permit-only elk hunting on the Wall Creek Wildlife Management Area in a portion of Hunting District 323 in the upper Madison Valley.
- Adopt brow-tined bull regulations in Hunting Districts 283, 285, 293.
- Issue unlimited elk archery permits through the special drawings as "first choice only" for the Archery-Only Season in Hunting Districts: 401, 403, 411, 412, 420, 425, 426, 441, 450, 447, 455, 500, 502, 570, 575, 590, 511, 530, 701, 702, 704, and 705.
- Require special drawing applicants for unlimited elk archery permits in the Missouri Breaks Hunting Districts 410, 417, 621, 622, 623, and 700 to apply as a "first choice only."
MOUNTAIN LIONS
Revise reporting and tagging procedure. - Eliminate the hound-handler permit.
- Establish a limited number of permits and concurrently allow permit-only hunting in Hunting Districts 100, 103 and 104. Houndsmen will still be allowed to chase lions from Dec. 1 through April 14 in these districts.
BLACK BEARS
Revise reporting and tagging procedure. - Establish April 15--May 15 as the spring black bear hunting season throughout most of Region 1 in northwestern Montana; and create a special validation-only spring season for April 15May 31 in Deer/Elk Hunting Districts 140, 141, 150 and 151.
- Establish a three female black bear quota and open the fall hunting season on Oct. 1 in Bear Management Unit 520.
UPLAND GAME BIRDS
Open the hunting season for sage grouse, sharp-tailed grouse and partridge on Sept. 8, instead of Sept. 1. The opening date for mountain grouse and doves would remain Sept. 1. Open the hunting season for ring-necked pheasants for resident hunters on Oct. 6 and for nonresident hunters on Oct. 13. The pheasant season would end for both resident and nonresident pheasant hunters on Dec. 15. SPRING TURKEY
Increase the bag limit to allow a hunter to take up to two gobblers (males) in eastern Montana’s general hunting area in the spring or one gobbler in the spring and another turkey of either sex in the fall. Final 2001 hunting seasons for moose, big horn sheep, mountain goat, and antelope were set by the FWP Commission in February 2000.
Comment or obtain copies of the tentative regulations and proposed changes for the 2001 hunting seasons by writing to: Wildlife Division, Montana FWP, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701. A summary, with a comment link, is available on-line at
http://fwp.state.mt.us/summary. Copies of the proposed regulations are also available at any FWP office.
Comment deadline has been extended to Jan. 26. The FWP Commission will consider final regulations at its Feb. 8-9 meeting in Helena.
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