FWP Commission to Meet in Helena on February 14
Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission will meet in Helena
Feb. 14 to consider final approval of black bear and spring turkey
hunting quotas and two bighorn sheep hunting district closures aimed at
protecting declining populations.
The meeting, set to begin at 8:30 AM, will be held at FWP’s Helena headquarters, 1420 E. Sixth Ave. [Learn More]
Elk & Deer Permit Applications Available
Montana's streamlined
eight-page deer and elk application packet are available at
all license providers and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offices. The
packets and additional information are also available online.
Once again, March 15 is
the deadline to apply for 2013 deer and elk hunting permits. The application
packet contains all the information residents need to apply.
Nonresidents who wish to apply for big game
combination, elk combination or deer combination licenses and deer and elk
permits for the 2013 Montana hunting season can also apply online or download
an application from FWP's website. [Learn More]
Hunters, Mark Your Calendars For March 15, May 1 & June 1
- March 15 is the deadline to apply for 2013 deer and elk hunting
permits. Streamlined eight-page application packets that contains all
the information residents need to apply are available at all license
providers, FWP offices and online at fwp.mt.gov. Nonresidents who wish
to apply for big game combination, elk combination or deer combination
licenses and deer and elk permits for the 2013 Montana hunting season
can also apply online or download an application from FWP's website.
- May 1 is the deadline to apply for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and bison licenses.
- June 1 is the deadline to apply for Elk B, Deer B and Antelope
licenses. Cow elk hunting opportunities are available as "Elk B"
licenses; and doe hunting opportunities are available as "Deer B"
licenses.
Private Land/Public Wildlife Council to Meet February 13 in Helena
The Private Land/Public Wildlife Council will meet Feb. 13 in Helena at Jorgenson’s Inn & Suites beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Work sessions will focus on hunting access programs, updates on Ranch
Appreciation Work Days, an information program called the
"Hunter-Landowner Stewardship Project," and efforts to obtain better
data regarding public access to private and public land.
The seven-member council, appointed by the Governor, is charged with
reviewing Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks access programs and
offering recommendations to help achieve program goals.
The meeting is open to the public. Comment periods are scheduled for 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
For more information contact Alan Charles, FWP Coordinator of Landowner/Sportsman Relations, at (406) 444-3798, or by email at acharles@mt.gov . Or visit the "Hunter Access" section of our website.
Feds Seek to List Wolverine as Threatened Species
Montana's
top wildlife official said recently that his agency will thoroughly review a
proposed rule published this week before responding to the plan to list the
wolverine as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
"We know, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acknowledged, that
Montana is a stronghold for wolverines and wolverine habitat," said Jeff
Hagener, director of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Helena.
"It's our understanding that the USFWS commended Montana's wolverine
management as a tightly regulated furbearer species, and that FWP has
taken great care to ensure the wolverine harvest wouldn't impact any
particular geographic area."
About 250-300 wolverines inhabit the lower 48 states, with most believed to inhabit Montana. [Learn More]
At Tax Time, Remember Your Favorite Watchable Wildlife
Montana's annual income tax check-off fund for wildlife benefits the
state's small wildlife species including birds, small mammals, reptiles
and amphibians, and it provides a fast, convenient tax break.
The wildlife income tax check-off fund also goes to activities that
encourage awareness and enjoyment of birds and small mammals—think
wildlife monitoring, habitat improvement projects and the publication
and distribution of educational materials.
Every $10 you donate is matched up to three times with federal dollars.
For details on the ways FWP uses nongame check-off funds to help
small mammals and birds, visit the "Fish & Wildlife" section of our website.
TALES & TRAILS: Life & Death in the Winter
Last week I witnessed an attempted murder.
The attacker was swift and cunning, but in the end the near-victim was quicker and survived.
No police call was required as the attacker was a gyrfalcon, the largest falcon and a rare winter visitor to Montana.
The escapee was a Hungarian partridge.
While life and death are always a daily part of nature, the starkness of winter seems to add urgency to the struggle. [Read the Full Story] |
