FWP Commission To Set Big Game Seasons And Regulations

Friday, February 15, 2008
Commission

This article was Archived on Saturday, March 15, 2008

Montana’s   Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission will meet at the Colonial Red Lion Inn in Helena on Feb. 20 to set the 2008 and 2009 big game hunting seasons and harvest quotas.

Over the course of a   43-day comment period, FWP received about 3,000 written comments and hundreds more from participants who attended the 44 public hearings held last month to discuss Montana’s tentative hunting-season proposals.

Based on those comments, FWP will offer admendments to a number of tentative proposals under consideration by the commission, including:  

General Seasons and Quotas  

FWP will propose to maintain Montana’s traditonal five-week season that ends the Sunday following Thanksgiving Day.

Antelope Licenses  

FWP will propose to replace the unlimited 900-series antelope archery licenses with special drawing licenses, but boost the number of licenses available via the annual special drawings from 4,500 to 5,600.

Elk Archery Permits

FWP will offer a number of adjustment options for the elk-archery tentative regulations proposed in the Missouri Breaks and other areas in central and eastern Montana.

Wolf season

FWP will propose to suspend a wolf trapping-season proposal for two years, and will offer adjustments to the proposed hunting season dates. Any wolf season, however, is contingent upon federal delisting. No quotas are being proposed at this time.

Youth Pheasant Hunt

FWP will propose a youth pheasant weekend that would run at the same time as the youth waterfowl weekend.   Youngsters aged 12-15 years old could begin hunting at noon and would be allowed to have a single hen in the daily bag limit.

The FWP Commission only takes public comment on final action to adopt hunting season regulations when it considers an amendment to previously approved items. Public comment must focus on the substance of the amendment.

To review the agency recommendations to the FWP Commission in advance of the meeting, go to fwp.mt.gov. Click FWP Commission then Current Agendas, then   February 2008 Commission Meeting Agenda Cover Sheets.

The meeting will begin at 8 a.m., Feb. 20 at the Colonial Red Lion Inn, 2301 Colonial Dr. in Helena.