Montana Grizzly Captured North of Columbia Falls and Released up the North Fork
April 29, 2012
A young male grizzly bear was captured Friday in a culvert trap set in a residential area north of Columbia Falls. The 4-year old bear was caught in a trap set for a much larger grizzly that was getting into garbage in the area.
The young male was relocated today (Saturday) in the Whale Creek area of the North Fork of the Flathead River drainage. The 230-pound grizzly had not been handled previously. Grizzly Bear Management Specialist Tim Manley fitted the bear with a radio collar so its movements can be monitored.
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Final Bowhunter Education for 2012 in Great Falls, Montana
April 24, 2012
Great Falls final bowhunter education classroom course for this year has been set.
Classes will be 6-9 p.m., May 15 and 17, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 19, followed by an outside field course. Classes will be held at Paris Gibson Education Center, 2400 Central Ave. The course is free.
Registration is currently online at the FWP website http://fwp.mt.gov. Click on the Education menu, then select Hunter Education followed by Bowhunter Education Program. Next pick View Schedule for the program and look for May 15.
For those without computer access registration will take place 7-8:30 p.m., May 8, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 9, 10 and 11, at the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 4 office, 4600 Giant Springs Road.
Prospective bowhunters, ages 12 to 17, must take both a hunter and bowhunter education course before they can buy an archery license.
All first time bowhunters, regardless of age must complete a bowhunter education course. State law says anyone buying an archery license must show either a previous year’s archery license or a certificate of completion from a bowhunter education course.
For more information on this or any other course in north central Montana contact the FWP office in Great Falls, 454-5840.
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Montana Nonresident Big Game and Elk Combo Licenses Available
April 24, 2012
Nonresidents can now purchase Montana big game and elk combination hunting licenses online or over-the-counter at any Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks office. The licenses, good for antlered deer and elk in most hunting districts, can be used during the archery and general hunting seasons.
“We have about 1,700 nonresident big game and 2,150 elk combination hunting licenses available for this hunting season,” said Hank Worsech, the licensing section chief for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Helena.
First-come, first-served nonresident hunting licenses now available include: Montana’s big game combination license for $939, the elk combination license for $789. Montana’s nonresident combination hunting licenses allow one to hunt for deer and elk or elk and include conservation, season fishing, and upland game bird licenses; and the hunting-access enhancement fee.
Montana’s archery season runs Sept. 1-Oct. 14. Archers must meet archery and hunter education requirements and hold a 2012 bow and arrow license. The general big game season runs Oct. 20-Nov. 25. Montana annually provides about 17,000 big game combo licenses and 6,600 deer combo licenses for nonresident hunters.
“This year, nonresidents can buy an elk license online, or over-the-counter from any FWP office,” Worsech said. “Nobody has to apply or wait weeks for drawing results.”
For more information on these Montana’s nonresident hunting licenses, visit FWP’s website at fwp.mt.gov. Click the “Nonresident Big Game & Elk Combo Licenses Now Available” banner.
Deer and elk are found throughout most of Montana. Hunters enjoy nearly 35 million acres of National Forest and other public land, as well as 8 million acres of land made available through the Block Management Program. Hunters must follow all regulations and must seek permission to hunt on private property.
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Montana Bears Active; Hunters Urged to Take Precautions
April 19, 2012
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists are seeing an unusual amount of grizzly bear activity along the Beartooth Front west of Red Lodge this spring. So they are urging black bear hunters to take precautions.
Shawn Stewart, FWP’s wildlife biologist in Red Lodge, believes more bears are using the mountain face between Red Lodge Creek and West Rosebud Creek than at any time in recent memory. As a result, spring black bear hunters are likely to run into grizzlies.
Hunters in that area need to make doubly sure that any bear they see is legal before they shoot it. Hunters also should take special precautions when retrieving harvested game, which can attract scavenging grizzlies, Stewart said.
Before they can buy a black bear license, all hunters must pass an online bear identification test. In south central Montana, the spring black bear season runs from April 15 through May 31. Grizzly bears are federally protected and hunters may not shoot them.
FWP also is urging people who live in areas frequented by bears to make their properties unattractive to bears. To keep from attracting bears, people should:
- Keep all garbage indoors or in a bearproof container.n Thoroughly clean barbecue grills and move them indoors when they are not in use.
- Take down songbird feeders.
- Store horse and pet food in a secure shed. Never leave pet food out overnight.
- Pick up and dispose of rotting fruit or vegetables left from last year’s trees and gardens.
Bears that find food are likely to return and cause problems, a situation that often is fatal to the bear, Stewart said. Bears that find nothing to eat are likely to move elsewhere.
For information on living in bear country, or to take the black bear identification test, visit FWP online at http://fwp.mt.gov.
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Montana’s Missouri River Breaks Elk Working Group Meets May 1 in Malta
April 17, 2012
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Missouri River Breaks Elk Working Group will meet at 7 p.m. on May 1 in the upstairs meeting room at the First State Bank in Malta.
According to FWP Region 6 Wildlife Program Manager Mark Sullivan, the meeting will include discussions on this year’s elk population survey results, an upcoming research project, possible adjustment of hunting district population objectives and proposed changes in some antlerless elk hunting quotas.
The working group includes a mix of landowners, outfitters, hunters, ranchers and resource agency representatives. It was formed in the mid-1990s and meets on an as-needed basis to address a wide range of issues that affect elk management, hunting regulations and hunter distribution in the Missouri River Breaks.
The public is welcome and encouraged to attend the group’s meetings. For more information, please call 406-228-3700.
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Trapper Education Course for Northwest Montana is set for May 5
April 16, 2012
Registration is now open for a Trapper Education Course for northwest Montana, which will be held Saturday, May 5, 9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Lawrence Park in Kalispell.
To register for the course, stop by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) on North Meridian Road in Kalispell, or call FWP at 752-5501. Registrants will receive pre-course materials and the course schedule. Call FWP at 752-5501 for more information.
In the course, Montana Trapper Education Instructors will emphasize trapper ethics, regulations, trapping heritage, and trap sets. Instructors will show actual trap sets and techniques. Instructors include members of the Montana Trappers Association and the Montana Fur Harvesters.
People of all ages are invited to attend. The course is not mandatory for trappers but it is strongly recommended.
TRAPPER EDUCATION AGENDA:
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Lawrence Park Pavilion, Kalispell
Time Subject
9:00 am Welcome, Intro, trapping tradition
9:15 am Furbearer management, trapping regulations
9:45 a.m. Movie: Balancing Nature: Trapping in today’s world
10:15: a.m. Health and safety in trapping
11: a.m. Trap preparation, equipment
Noon Lunch
12:30-3:00 p.m.: Hands on trapping stations: Equipment, Water trapping, Land Trapping
3:00 p.m. Fur Handling & Marketing
3:30 p.m. Trapping Ethics, Social Concerns, Land
Owner relations. The Future of Trapping
4:00 pm Prize Drawing/Adjournment
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Montana 2012 SuperTag Chances on Sale Now
April 8, 2012
Montana’s SuperTag chances for the hunt of a lifetime are on sale. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks hopes to beat last year’s sales that topped 67,797 SuperTag chances sold. Proceeds from SuperTag sales go to enhance hunting access and enforcement.
Hunters can win the SuperTag drawing by purchasing one or more $5 SuperTag chances for the fall 2012 hunting season. The deadline to purchase SuperTag chances is July 5.
Eight SuperTag hunt licenses are offered—moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, elk, deer, antelope, mountain lion and bison. Winners may hunt any district open to the species for which they won a tag.
A 2012 conservation license is needed to purchase a SuperTag.
SuperTags are available at all FWP offices, license providers, or online at fwp.mt.gov using FWP’s online licensing service.
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Montana Region 6 Meeting Set to Discuss Proposed Upland Game Bird Plan Revisions
April 4, 2012
Revisions to the rules that guide Montana’s Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program (UGBEP) are up for public comment through April 13.
Officials say the proposed revisions are necessary to implement the program’s new strategic plan that was endorsed by the FWP Commission last year. Most of the proposed changes fine-tune the program’s requirements, responsibilities, application and funding processes. Others clarify project renewals, payments and reporting issues.
The proposed rule changes can be reviewed on the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov under the “Submit Public Comments” section. Click on “Commission” and then Public Notices—ARM Rules to view the document and comment.
Eight public meetings are scheduled across the state in early April to discuss the proposed UGBEP rule changes. In FWP Region 6, the meeting is set for 6 p.m. on April 10 at the Fort Peck Fish Hatchery. The public may also provide comment through April 13 by mail to: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Attn: UGBEP Rule Comments, P.O Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620.
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Bow Hunter Education Classes Scheduled in Glasgow, Montana
April 3, 2012
A bow hunter education course is scheduled April 23 – 27 in Glasgow. The classes will run each weekday evening from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Elks Club, 309 2nd Ave. South. A mandatory field day event, where practical skills are tested, is set for 9 a.m. – noon on April 28 at the archery range off Skylark Road.
In Montana, completion of a hunter education course is required for all hunters born after Jan. 1, 1985. In addition, all first-time bow hunters must complete a bow hunter education course and field day testing before they can purchase an archery license in Montana.
A child must be at least 11 years old to take the classroom courses. Registration, which is now taking place at the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 6 office in Glasgow, requires the signature of a parent or guardian for students under the age of 18. Students are required to read the course manual before the first day of class. Classroom space is limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Hunter and bow hunter education courses are also available online through the agency’s web site at fwp.mt.gov for students who are over 18. Online students must pay an administrative fee and, depending on their age, may be required to complete other requirements. Sessions taught in a traditional classroom setting are free.
Graduates of the online bow hunter education course can attend the April 28 field day event but must register in advance. For more information, please call 406-228-3700.
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Butte Montana Hunter Education Class Set
April 2, 2012
Dates have been set for the 2012 spring hunter education class in Butte. Registration is required in-person and will be held on Tuesday, April 10 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Butte East Middle School Auditorium (2600 Grand Avenue).
The class will take place on April 11-12 and 16-19 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Butte East Middle School. A mandatory field day at the Rocker Gun Range will be held on April 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Anyone born after January 1, 1985, must present a Hunter Education Certificate in order to purchase a hunting license in Montana. A student must be 11 years old to receive certification. Registration is required and students under 18 years of age must have the consent of a parent or guardian.
For more information about the Butte class, go to the Hunter Education course schedule on FWP’s website at fwp.mt.gov and click on Education then Hunter Education.
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