Fwp Warden Reminds Hunters Not To Waste Game

Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Headlines - Region 1

This article was Archived on Thursday, December 20, 2007

 FWP Warden Nathan Reiner of Kalispell sees waste of game cases each year.   He notes that w aste of game is defined in the regulations as:   “Hunters, or persons in possession of a game animal or game animal parts, are prohibited from wasting or rendering unfit for human consumption, any part of a game animal that is defined as suitable for food.”   He says waste of game is one of the most common calls wardens receive the last week of the season and even into winter.   Reiner makes the following points:

• Last year wardens issued numerous citations to multiple parties for big game that was still hanging at residences in February and March.
• Each year Wardens are getting more calls on entire carcasses dumped at the county landfills and at remote dump sites during and after the season.

Reiner reminds hunters that local food banks accept wild game meat donations, cut or uncut. The Montana hunting regulations give the following criteria for hunters:

  Big Game Hunters must use   (excluding mountain lions):

• All of the four quarters above the hock, including loin and backstrap for food. A person harvesting a black bear or mountain lion is prohibited from abandoning the head or hide in the field.

Waterfowl Hunters must use:

• All birds that fall into the size category of a teal duck or smaller, only the breasts must be retained.
• All birds larger than a teal duck up to the size category of a mallard duck, the breasts and the thighs must be retained.
• All birds larger than mallard ducks, the breasts, thighs and wings must be retained.

Upland Bird Hunters must use:

• All birds that fall into the size category of the partridge or smaller, only the breasts must be retained.
• All birds larger than a partridge and up to the size category of, and including, pheasants and sage grouse, the breasts and the thighs must be retained.
• All turkeys: the breasts, thighs and wings must be retained.
• Any person convicted of wasting a game animal could receive fines of $50 up to $1000 and up to 6 months in jail