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The Lower Yellowstone River Corridor Advisory Committee (LYRC Committee) fulfilled its chartered commitment by presenting a final report of recommendations to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Director Hank Worsech and staff during a recent meeting in Miles City. The LYRC Committee is a citizen group sponsored by Gov. Greg Gianforte and convened by FWP. The Montana Legislature approved an initial $4 million investment by FWP into the lower Yellowstone River corridor. The group was tasked with providing recommendations to FWP on how to use the...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is conducting harvest and sighting surveys by phone. The survey asks randomly selected hunters a series of short questions about their hunting effort, harvest success, and sighting information. Wildlife managers say the research is vital to understanding the results of the 2021 season. FWP will call a sample of more than 100,000 hunters to gather harvest and sighting information from this past hunting season. The species being surveyed this session will include: • moose • bighorn sheep • mountain goat • antelop...
Miles City - The Lower Yellowstone River Corridor Advisory Committee (LYRC Committee) has made substantial progress since its first meeting in late August. The committee met Nov. 8 in Miles City and is preparing to submit its final recommendations for improving public access along the river. The LYRC Committee is a citizen group sponsored by Gov. Greg Gianforte and convened by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. The group was tasked with exploring new access, recreation and habitat conservation opportunities along the Lower Yellowstone,...
The ND Game and Fish Department is allowing hunters with whitetail or "any" deer gun licenses in several units in western North Dakota the option of turning those licenses in for refunds. Casey Anderson, wildlife chief, said the decision is based on continuing reports of white-tailed deer mortality caused by epizootic hemorrhagic disease, and evidence of moderate to significant deer losses in some areas that might affect hunting success in those locations. The first confirmed EHD report...
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will continue its Hunter-Harvested Surveillance program during the 2021 hunting season by sampling deer for chronic wasting disease from select units in the central and western portion of the state. Samples will be tested from deer taken from units 2H, 2I, 2J1, 2J2, 2K1, 2K2, 3A1, 3A2, 3A3, 3A4, 3B1, 3B3, 3C, 3E1, 3E2, 3F1, 3F2, 4A, 4B and 4C. CWD is a slow-moving brain disease of deer, moose and elk that can cause population-level impacts under high infection rates. “Many folks are aware of the fairly...
Deer hunters who can’t find their deer license should contact the North Dakota Game and Fish Department soon to make sure they have their tag before the season opens. The Game and Fish Department must be contacted by phone at 701-328-6300, or email [email protected], to authorize the online purchase of a replacement tag. Printable applications are not available. The deer gun season opens Friday, Nov. 5 at 12 noon Central Time....
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department encourages hunters, anglers and landowners who witness a fish or wildlife violation to file a report with the Report All Poachers program. Witnesses should report a violation by calling the RAP telephone number at 701-328-9921. Witnesses should note the vehicle description, including make, color, license plate number and state issued. Description of the violator should also be considered. The RAP line offers rewards – from $100 to $1,000 depending on the nature and seriousness of the crime – for inf...
Glasgow - Over the last several weeks, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has received reports of dead or dying white-tailed deer in the major river drainages in eastern Montana. Early indications showed patterns and symptoms similar to epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), and several dead deer had samples submitted for testing. Early results indicate that at least some of the sampled deer tested positive for EHD. In northeast Montana, the furthest western extent of the disease appears to be along...
Derek and Waylon Schieffer, Sidney, have shared a passion for hunting for several years. Derek began hunting at a young age with his father; he recalls his father, Robert, taking him hunting before he was even old enough to hunt. "When I turned 12, he took me hunting and I shot an antelope and missed my deer and then he passed away, so I had to wait until I got my driver's license to hunt again," added Derek. He has been hunting every year since then and now shares his passion for hunting with...
FWP regional staff will hold virtual meetings across the state to discuss potential hunting regulation changes for 2022 and 2023. These meetings will be held via Zoom and allow the public to hear directly from FWP staff and ask questions about the proposed changes. The potential hunting regulation changes are available online for the public to review. The potential changes are coming now during the normal biennial season setting year to help make Montana’s hunting regulations simpler and easier to understand. Over the last several weeks, FWP b...
Potential hunting regulation changes for 2022 and 2023 are available online for the public to review. The proposed changes are coming now during the normal biennial season setting year to help make Montana’s hunting regulations simpler and easier to understand. To see the potential changes and make comment visit https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/public-comment-opportunities/hunting-reg-changes. Over the last several weeks, FWP biologists have worked on these potential changes with a sharp focus on the science behind the regulations. The potential cha...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff answers thousands of questions every year from both new and experienced hunters. A new online resource is now available to answer many of those questions and connect hunters with helpful information as they plan their hunt. FWP has created a frequently asked questions guidebook to help make many aspects of hunting in Montana easier to understand, especially for people who are new to hunting in the state. This guidebook is one of several other online resources, such as FWP’s new website and Hunt Planner, t...
Helena - Watercraft inspectors at the Wibaux inspection station intercepted a motorboat entering Montana with mussels attached. The Wibaux inspection station, located on the Montana-North Dakota border on Interstate 94, has intercepted 12 of the 54 mussels boats intercepted so far this year. This boat was unique in how the mussels were attached to the boat. Invasive mussels have byssal threads they use to attach to underwater surfaces. The threads or “hairs” are an adaptation found on invasive zebra and quagga mussels but are not found on North...
Bozeman — Montana State University Extension has a new, free, color booklet available about identifying and managing pests and problems in ornamental trees and shrubs in Montana. The 240-page guide is intended to help MSU Extension agents, arborists and those in nursery and landscape trades identify and diagnose tree and shrub issues and to help with decisions for treatment based on integrated pest management concepts. “The first step in an (integrated pest management) approach is to correctly identify pests to determine how best to manage them...
Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) has been introducing women from all backgrounds to the outdoors by exposing them to fishing, hunting, shooting, archery, and much more. BOW is a non-profit, educational program offering hands-on workshops to adult women. "The program is all about like-minded women coming together to try something new. It can be scary to try something like shotgun shooting or fly fishing for the first time, but everyone is always so supportive of their fellow participants," said S...
The Lower Yellowstone River Corridor Advisory Committee (LYRC Committee), a group tasked with exploring additional access and recreation opportunities along the lower stretches of the river, will meet for the first time on Thursday, Aug. 26 in Miles City. The committee will meet at the Sleep Inn, 1006 S. Haynes Ave., from 8-11:30 a.m. In addition to the 13 committee members, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Director Hank Worsech and FWP staff will attend. While the public is welcome to attend, there will not be any opportunity to participate or...
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District has begun the public scoping period and is seeking public comment regarding the development of the Fort Peck Lake Shoreline Management Plan through Sept. 30, 2021. An SMP establishes policies and guidelines for the protection and preservation of the environmental characteristics of the shoreline while maintaining a balance between public and private shoreline uses. Fort Peck Lake is located in northeastern Montana on the Missouri River near Glasgow. A scoping period is the process of determining...
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Miles City - Due to current dry conditions and high fire danger throughout much of Montana, hunters may encounter some Block Management Area closures or restrictions. In southeastern Montana’s Region 7, as of Aug. 13 there were 19 BMAs in eight counties that were either closed or limiting access. The list of BMAs is attached. Statewide, there are just over 70 closed or restricted BMAs. Hunters are advised to check back closer to their hunt to ensure access, as conditions may change daily. To check the status of BMAs in various FWP regions, v...
Steve Harris, Jr., a Montana fisherman, has set a new world record for the largest paddlefish caught with a bow and arrow. The paddlefish, tipping the scale at 92 lbs., was caught on the bank of Yellowstone River, Sidney, on June 8. For the past 10 years he has been bowfishing; his friend, Justin Fisketjon, introduced him to the sport of bowfishing. Harris said, "Justin is a really great bowfisherman; he brought me to a night tournament shooting carp, and we got 2nd place and I kinda got hooked...
The Montana Catfish Association held the 17th Annual Monster Catfish Roundup at the Sidney Bridge on July 17....
Don’t Drink and Drive. It’s a message you hear all the time. But what about Don’t Drink and Boat? Boating under the influence, or BUI, is dangerous and illegal. In Montana it is unlawful to operate or be in actual physical control of a motorboat, personal watercarft, sailboat, water skis, surfboard or similar watercraft while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. According to the United States Coast Guard, the use of alcohol is involved in about a third of all recreational boating fatalities. Boating, fishing and other water sports are f...
Unseasonably warm weather is occurring early in Montana, and many boaters and anglers have been going to the local reservoirs and other waterways to get some relief from the heat. However, along with having fun, folks need to follow all the laws while out and about. Wardens have been checking a slew of boaters and anglers recently, and some common issues are recurring as summer is getting underway: • License possession while fishing: Many anglers contacted this spring and summer have not had the...
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On Sunday, June 27, watercraft inspection stations in eastern Montana intercepted two boats entering the state carrying invasive mussels, making it the 35th and 36th mussel-fouled boats intercepted this year. This surpasses the total number of 35 mussel-fouled boats intercepted in 2020. Shortly after noon on Sunday, the Wibaux station found mussels on a used inboard ballast boat that had been recently purchased in Michigan and was destined for Billings. Inspectors decontaminated the hull and locked the boat. AIS staff in Billings will flush...
