The Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks Commission said the 2003 annual rule regulating prairie dog shooting would remain unchanged from last year.  In January, the Commission took public comments on the existing rule and re-adopted it in early February.

The three-part 2003 regulation includes:

• a year-round prairie dog shooting closure on certain BLM lands in south Phillips County designated as black-footed ferret reintroduction areas (locally referred to as “the 40 Complex” and “Pea Ridge”);
• a year-round shooting closure on white-tailed prairie dogs occupying public lands,other than State School Trust Lands, in a portion of Carbon County;
• a seasonal closure on shooting black-tailed prairie dogs occupying public lands in Montana, other than State School Trust Lands, during the months of March, April and May.  Private lands are not included in the seasonal closure.  However, landowner permission is required to shoot prairie dogs on private land.