Commission approves Region 6 big-game hunting regulations

Andrew McKean

Thursday, February 17, 2005
Headlines - Region 6

This article was Archived on Thursday, March 17, 2005

Commission approves Region 6 big-game hunting regulations

Increases in Missouri River Breaks bighorn sheep permits, larger antelope hunting districts, more liberal antlerless elk hunting in the Bear Paw Mountains and a simpler process for distributing antlerless white-tailed deer licenses headline changes to big-game hunting regulations in Region 6.



Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission finalized big-game hunting regulations last week at its meeting in Helena, and while there are no sweeping changes, hunters will generally have more opportunity this fall. The proposed hunting regulations were offered for public scrutiny and comment in a series of meetings around northeast and north-central Montana earlier this winter.



Here’s a roundup of the Region 6 hunting regulations approved by the Commission:



Bighorn Sheep

Increase either-sex bighorn sheep licenses from 10 to 15 and increase ewe licenses from 20 to 30 in Hunting District 680. Half the ewe licenses will be valid east of the Stafford Ferry Road and the other half west of the Stafford Ferry Road;

Deer

Initiate 100 antlerless mule deer B licenses in Hunting District 611, located in northern Phillips and Blaine counties;

Change the archery-only B license around the Fort Peck townsite from antlerless mule deer only to both antlerless mule deer and white-tailed deer. Additionally, this license is removed from the drawing process and will be issued over the counter on a first-come basis until the quota is reached;

Remove the antlerless white-tailed deer B license for both non-residents (698-00) and residents (699-00) from the drawing process and issue these licenses on a first-come basis through the ALS until the quota is reached;

Elk

Change the quota of 100 antlerless elk permits in hunting districts 680 and 690 (generally Bear Paw Mountains and western Missouri River Breaks) to 75 A9 (additional antlerless elk) licenses valid in both hunting districts. Additionally, 25 A9 licenses were approved for antlerless elk only in District 680;

Antelope

Combine antelope District 600 and the portion of antelope District 610 north of U.S. Highway 2 into new antelope District 600. The Commission implemented 900 either-sex permits and 225 doe/fawn antelope licenses for this enlarged district;

Incorporate antelope District 640 into District 670 and implement 350 either-sex permits and create a doe/fawn license category with 25 permits in the enlarged district;

Incorporate antelope District 651 into antelope District 650 and implement 400 either-sex permits and 50 doe/fawn antelope permits in the enlarged district;

Incorporate antelope District 610 south of U.S. Highway 2 into antelope District 690 and implement 1,000 either-sex and 525 doe/fawn permits in the enlarged district.

The Commission also extended the statewide spring turkey season by a week. In 2005 the season will run April 9-May 15. In 2006 the season dates will be April 8-May 14.