Sandhill Crane Applications Due July 31

Friday, July 11, 2008
Headlines

This article was Archived on Monday, August 11, 2008

      Hunters interested in obtaining a special permit to hunt sandhill cranes in the Sweet Grass and Wheatland counties portion of the Central Flyway, as well as in three areas of western Montana in the Pacific Flyway, must apply by July 31.

The four limited permit areas proposed for sandhill crane hunting in Montana are:

  Central Flyway: Sept. 6 - 21

•        Wheatland/Sweet Grass/Meagher County Areas—50 permits

  Pacific Flyway: Sept. 6 - 21

•       Deer Lodge County Area (Warm Springs)—30 permits 
•     Ovando/Helmville Area—40 permits
•      Dillon/Twin Bridges/Cardwell Area—50 permits

 

The FWP Commission will consider tentative sandhill crane seasons and permit quotas at its July 17 meeting in Kalispell.

Prospective fall crane hunters interested in these permits must apply by mail using an official application; at a regional office; or online. Online applications are available at fwp.mt.gov under Online Services and must be completed by 11:45 p.m. on July 31.

Mail-in paper applications are available at fwp.mt.gov on the Hunting page under Licenses and Applications then Paper Applications. Mail-in applications must be sent to: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks; License Section; Sandhill Crane Drawing; P.O. Box 200701; Helena MT   59620-0701. Mail-in applications, which can be found on FWP’s website, must be received by 5 p.m. on July 31.

All crane applicants must use an official FWP application form, available from FWP or from the FWP website. Applicants must have a 2008 Conservation License and ALS number and they must pay $5 for the non-refundable drawing fee. Successful applicants will receive a permit to hunt sandhill crane during the season.

The sandhill cranes that inhabit the four limited-permit hunting areas in Montana are part of the Rocky Mountain sandhill crane population, which is smaller than the mid-continent population of lesser sandhill cranes that migrate through eastern Montana. Hunting for both sandhill crane populations is regulated by federal management-plan guidelines.

To hunt sandhill cranes north and east of I-90 in the Central Flyway hunters must obtain a free permit.   The hunting season in this area is proposed for Sept. 17 - Nov. 23.   Permits will be available in early August from FWP offices in Billings, Helena, Glasgow, and Miles City, or from the Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge near Malta or Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge south of Plentywood.   In Sweet Grass County, the area south of Interstate 90 will remain closed to crane hunting.

A Montana Migratory Bird license is required to hunt sandhill cranes. Montana residents 12-14, and 62 or older, or holders of a Resident Person with Disability Conservation License need only their conservation license to hunt sandhill cranes.