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Welcome to FWP Region 1
Region 1
  • FWP Region 1 Headquarters

  • 490 North Meridian Road
  • Kalispell, MT 59901
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  • Phone: (406) 752-5501
  • Fax: (406) 257-0349
  • E-mail: fwprg12@mt.gov
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  • Office Hours:
  • Monday-Friday, 8 AM-5 PM

Northwest Montana is known for its lakes and rivers, featuring two-thirds of all the recreational waters and one third of all registered boats in the state. Over 500 lakes support fish, ranging from 125,000-acre Flathead Lake, the largest lake west of the Great Lakes, to hundreds of high mountain lakes. More than 3,000 miles of fishable stream flow through the Region. Sensitive native fish species, including the westslope cutthroat trout, bull trout, and red-band rainbow trout, reside in the waters of Region One. Important wildlife species include grizzly and black bear bears, mountain lion, white-tailed deer, three species of mountain grouse, and furbearers such as marten and wolverine. Region One provides about half of the black bear and mountain lion harvest in the state. The white-tailed deer is the most popular big game animal pursued by hunters.

Varied land ownerships and agency responsibilities make for challenging natural resource management in the Region, which is bound by the Flathead Indian Reservation to the south, and Glacier National Park to the north. Millions of acres of national forest wilderness and hundreds of thousands of acres of corporate timberlands are found in Region One as well. FWP, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, and various local, state, and federal agencies work together to manage habitat and wildlife. The state and tribes have unique agreements to co-manage fisheries in Flathead Lake, and fishing and hunting on the Flathead Indian Reservation.

Recent Region 1 News

On May 9, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission tentatively approved a proposal to waive the daily and possession bag limits for Lena Lake within the Bob Marshall Wilderness area through August 31, 2013 pending public comment. The public comment period will extend from May 10-May 21 and comments must be provided in writing either through the FWP Fishing email address (fwpfsh@mt.gov) or addressed to Don Skaar, Fisheries Office, FWP, 1420 East 6th Avenue, Helena, MT 59620. The FWP Commission will evaluate public comments and consider final approval of this proposal at their June 5 meeting.
(Region 1 - Fishing - 05/10/2013)
The Flathead Reservation Fish and Wildlife Board will meet Wednesday, May 15 at 6 p.m. at the Polson City Library. At the meeting, the Board will discuss pheasant and gray partridge seasons and CSKT accomplishments over the past year under the state/tribal agreement. All interested persons are invited to attend the meeting.
(Region 1 - Fish & Wildlife - 05/01/2013)
The Montana FWP Commission will meet on Thursday May 9 in Helena beginning at 8:30 a.m.. One of the items on the agenda important to northwest Montana will be a decision on Echo Lake Boating rules proposals. The public will be able to watch the proceedings via video conference at the FWP Headquarters on North Meridian Road in Kalispell. If the Commission modifies the proposals, they may take further public comment. In this event, attendees at the Kalispell Office video conference will be able to offer comment.
(Region 1 - Enforcement - 04/30/2013)