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  • Watch For Wildlife

    Marc Kloker, For the Courier|Mar 22, 2017

    FWP would like to remind folks to watch for deer and other animals on the road, especially during the early morning and early evening hours when both visibility is difficult and animals are sometimes more active. With the recent hour time change, many folks who are commuting are now an hour “forward” and may see more activity. As our deer numbers are continuing to make a comeback across the region, more and more animal-vehicle accidents are bound to occur. In addition, the spring “fawning” season is just around the corner, and deer are often m... Full story

  • 21 Canada Geese Left to Waste Near Glasgow

    Marc Kloker, For the Courier|Jan 4, 2017

    Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks game wardens are seeking information on 21 wasted Canada geese, likely shot in mid-to-late December, that were found on the banks of Brazil Creek just west of Paulo Reservoir, about 10 miles from Glasgow. Twenty-two geese were found, including one that was completely processed. The other 21 had only the breasts removed. Under Montana regulations, all waterfowl larger than a teal duck need to have at least the breasts and thighs removed. Warden Chase Sanderson, wh... Full story

  • R6 Havre-Area Check Station Results for 2016 Season

    Marc Kloker, For the Courier|Dec 7, 2016

    The final results are in at Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Havre check station for the 2016 hunting season. The check station was open from Oct. 8 (the open of general antelope) through Nov. 27 (the end of the deer/elk general season). Overall, both hunter numbers and big-game harvest increased from last year, with mule deer numbers being the highest in several years. Hunter numbers (1,810) were up 17 percent from 2015, and were the highest seen since 2010. Some of this was likely due to doe... Full story

  • Bull Elk Left to Waste in Southern Blaine County, Wardens Seeking Information

    Marc Kloker, For the Courier|Nov 16, 2016

    Montana FWP game wardens are seeking information on a wasted bull elk, likely shot between Nov. 1-4, in southern Blaine Co. The 5X6 bull elk was located on the Biebinger Block Management Area, just off Sawtooth Road. Anyone with information about the crime is encouraged to call FWP's 24-hour wildlife tip line at 1-800-TIP-MONT (1-800-847-6668). The 1-800-TIP-MONT program is a toll-free number where one can report violations of fish, wildlife or park regulations. Callers can remain anonymous and... Full story

  • Region 6 CAC to Meet at Fort Peck Hatchery

    Marc Kloker, For The Courier|Sep 7, 2016

    Montana FWPs’ Region 6 Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) will meet from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at the Fort Peck Fish Hatchery, located at 277 Montana Highway 117, just north of Fort Peck. The meeting is open to the public and will include the induction of the newest CAC members. There will also be department updates, details about FWP’s Vision and Guide document, and wildlife, comm.ed., fisheries and law enforcement updates. Each of FWP’s seven administrative regions has a volunteer CAC to help guide policies and programs. The R... Full story

  • Last Hunter Education Classes Offered in Glasgow, for Youth and Adults

    Marc Kloker, For The Courier|Aug 10, 2016

    Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Hunter Education course dates have been set for the last hunter education courses in the Glasgow area for this year. There will be an adult online "field day" course on August 23, and a regular youth classroom course August 25-27. For the adult online field course, adults must pass the online hunter education course and receive a Field Day Qualifier Certificate. This Field Day Qualifier Certificate and a picture ID are necessary to obtain entrance into the field... Full story

  • "Kids to Fish" In Full Swing

    Marc Kloker, The Courier|Jul 13, 2016

    A popular Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) Region 6 program that allows children and their families to check out free fishing rods and tackle is in full swing again this year. Just in time for summer fishing, FWP staff is in the process of restocking the 46 different location sites across Montana's Hi-Line. The "Kids to Fish" program lets youngsters check out fishing rods and reels and basic tackle, such as hooks, bobbers, and sinkers. Typically, eight rods are at each location, and a...

  • FWP: Talking Turkey

    Marc Kloker, For The Courier|Apr 6, 2016

    Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and participating land owners will open some Block Management Areas (BMAs) for spring turkey hunting along the Milk River and also one area south of Zortman. Up to 11 BMAs could be open for the spring turkey season, beginning April 9, and running through May 15. Most of the properties are located along the Milk River between Hinsdale and Nashua. One additional property is located just south of Zortman in Goslin Flats, which is a portion of the Square Butte BMA. “The BMA spring turkey hunt worked well for both l... Full story

  • Scott Thompson Hired as Region 6 FWP Wildlife Manager

    Marc Kloker, For The Courier|Mar 23, 2016

    Scott Thompson was recently appointed as the Region 6 Wildlife Manager for Montana of Fish, Wildlife & Parks. He will be based out of Glasgow and replaces Mark Sullivan, who became the Region 6 Supervisor in October of 2015. Thompson, 37, is originally from Butte and holds both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Animal and Range Science from Montana State University-Bozeman. He has been employed with FWP since 2003. Thompson started his career in Culbertson as the area wildlife biologist. Along with other duties, Thompson worked close...

  • FWP Seeks Comments on Proposed Hunting Seasons and Rules

    Marc Kloker, For the Courier|Dec 30, 2015

    Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will hold four public meetings in northeast Montana in January to gather comments on proposed hunting seasons and rules for the next two years.The tentative rules and regulations, available for review and comment online now at fwp.mt.gov, were approved by the Fish and Wildlife Commission at their December meeting, and include statewide and local hunting regulations for antelope, black bear, bighorn sheep, bison, deer, elk, moose, mountain goat, mountain lion, and upland game birds. Every two years FWP considers...

  • Trophy Whitetail Illegally Shot Near Fort Peck

    Marc Kloker, MT FWP Region 6|Dec 16, 2015

    Jordan Keys, 19, of Fort Peck, was charged with violations involving hunting from a public highway, unlawful possession and transportation of a game animal, and using a rifle in a weapons-restriction area. The driver of the vehicle, Robert Greenfield, 46, of Chinook, Wash., was charged with unlawful possession and transportation of a game animal. On Nov. 13, Glasgow Game Warden Todd Tryan received a call from Valley County Sheriff's office dispatch stating an eyewitness had just observed an indi...

  • FWP Seeking Comment for Draft EA on Sage Grouse Translocation

    From Marc Kloker, MT FWP|Nov 18, 2015

    Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) and Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) have developed a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed action of translocating up to 40 sage grouse biennially between 2016–2020, from Montana to Alberta, totaling up to 120 sage grouse over the five-year period. In Canada, sage grouse are classified as an endangered species, and Canadian wildlife officials say sage grouse numbers in southeastern Alberta have declined about 80 percent since 1970. The proposed translocation is intended to counter f...

  • Bull Elk Wasted in South Phillips County

    Marc Kloker, MT FWP|Nov 11, 2015

    Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens are seeking information on a wasted bull elk, likely shot early in the week of Oct. 25, in southern Phillips County. On Nov. 1, Warden Todd Tryan said a caller reported seeing a dead 6X6 bull elk that had been field dressed and left. The elk was located near the upper end of Plum Coulee Trail on private property in hunting district 622. Anyone with information about the crime is encouraged to call Warden Todd Tryan at 406-263-0067, Warden Ben Morin...

  • Bison Hunt to Open Nov. 15

    Marc Kloker, MT FWP|Nov 11, 2015

    Montana’s bison hunt is set to open Nov. 15 in areas in southwestern Montana near Yellowstone National Park. The annual hunt attracted more than 10,420 individual applicants for a limited number of either-sex bison licenses. Sixty-nine residents and three nonresidents were successful in the drawing. Up to 200 second-choice applicants could be called to participate but only if enough bison migrate into the state from YNP. The bison season will close Feb. 15, 2016. BIG GAME SEASONS UNDERWAY Antelope Open through Nov. 8 Bighorn Sheep Open t... Full story

  • Apprentice Hunter Rule Approved

    Marc Kloker, FWP|Sep 2, 2015

    Montana's Fish & Wildlife Commission approved a new rule this week that clears the way for the state's "apprentice hunter" law to take effect. The law, enacted earlier this year by the state Legislature, allows youth 10-17 years of age to obtain a certification to purchase some Montana hunting licenses before completing a hunter education course. Apprentice hunters, however, are required to be accompanied by an adult mentor. The $5 Apprentice Certification became available Aug. 10, only at FWP...

  • Upland Game Bird-Hunting Season Dates

    Marc Kloker, MT FWP|Aug 26, 2015

    Opening day for most of Montana’s upland game bird hunting seasons occur on the same day every year—Sept. 1. The exception is for pheasants. The 2015 general pheasant season opens Oct. 10. Here are the statewide hunting-season dates for upland game birds: Sept. 1–Jan. 1, 2016 Mountain grouse, Partridge, Sharp-tailed grouse, Turkey (fall season) Sept. 1–Sept. 30 Sage grouse. Closed in much of the southern and northern portions of Montana. Sept. 26–27 Youth Only: Special Pheasant Weekend Oct. 10–Jan. 1, 2016 Pheasant... Full story

  • Bow Hunters: Gear Up for Archery Season

    Marc Kloker, MT FWP|Aug 26, 2015

    Montana’s archery-only hunting season for deer, elk, antelope, wolf, mountain lion and black bear begins Sept. 5. The bighorn sheep archery season also begins Sept. 5. A $10 bow and arrow license, plus the proper hunting license, is required during the deer, elk, antelope, black bear, wolf, mountain lion and bighorn sheep archery only season or to hunt in areas limited to only archery equipment. Depending on the species and hunting district, some licenses were available only by special drawing. For details on legal archery equipment and the d... Full story

  • Free Youth Outdoor Skills Event Set for Sept. 2 at Glasgow Trap Club

    Marc Kloker, MT FWP|Aug 26, 2015

    A free youth outdoor skills event is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 2, at the Glasgow Trap Club. The event is organized and funded by donations and volunteers from the National Wild Turkey Federation, Ducks Unlimited, The Glasgow Trap Club, and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The event - which will include clay pigeon, turkey silhouette and pellet-gun shooting stations, a casting clinic, as well as an archery range with 3-D hunting targets - is open to all youths up to 18 years old. Due to safety concerns, youths 9 and under can participate... Full story

  • Resident Juvenile, Non-Resident Charged for Poached Bull Elk Near Big Sandy

    Marc Kloker, MT FWP|Aug 26, 2015

    Zachary Morgan (29) of Prineville, Ore., and a juvenile (17) of Harlem were separately charged in an incident involving a poached elk in Choteau County. On Sept. 28, 2014, the juvenile illegally shot and killed a bull elk east of Big Sandy on Coal Mine Road. The juvenile did not have a license and initially left the area without taking the elk. When the juvenile returned to the site of the kill, Morgan, who possessed a state issued special permit for hunting district 680, had tagged the elk and...

  • Last Hunter Education Class Offered Locally This Year

    Marc Kloker, FWP Region 6|Jul 29, 2015

    Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Hunter Education course dates have been set for the Glasgow area, Aug. 14-16. This will be the last hunter education class offered in the Glasgow area for this year’s hunting season. To be eligible to hunt and be fully certified during the 2015 season, hunters must be 12 years old by Jan. 16, 2016. The hunter education class will be held in the Quonset building at the FWP headquarters in Glasgow. Classes will run from 4:30-9 p.m. on Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Saturday, and from 8-10 a.m. on Sunday. For the h... Full story

  • FWP 'Kids to Fish' Program Allows Youths to Borrow Gear & Tackle for Free

    Marc Kloker, For The Courier|Jun 10, 2015

    A popular Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 6 program that allows children and their families to check out free fishing rods and tackle is in full swing again this year. Just in time for summer fishing, FWP staff is in the process of restocking the 49 (and counting) different location sites across Montana's Hi-Line. The "Kids to Fish" program lets youngsters check out fishing rods, reels and basic tackle, such as hooks, bobbers and sinkers. Typically, eight rods are at each location, and a...

  • Box Elder Creek Sampling Finished

    Marc Kloker, For The Courier|May 13, 2015

    Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and community volunteers recently sampled Box Elder Creek Reservoir (Bolster Dam) on the outskirts of Plentywood as part of their continued commitment to the fisheries in the Plentywood area. The sampling identified many interesting findings, and a few concerns as well. Region 6 fisheries biologists Tyler Haddix and Dave Fuller met with Plentywood community volunteers on the evening of April 14. Together, they set gill and trap nets, and also used electrofishing te...

  • Hunter Numbers, Big-Game Harvest Down For Season

    Marc Kloker, FWP Region 6|Jan 7, 2015

    The final results are in at Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Havre check station for the 2014 hunting season. Overall, hunter numbers and big-game harvest were down. “In general, big game harvest was slower this year,” said Havre-area wildlife biologist Scott Hemmer. “This is likely due in part to the elimination of all Region 6 deer B licenses and buck-only harvest on the A-tag for mule deer. The weather this year also may have affected harvest. It was unseasonably warm at the beginning of the season, which may have reduced game sight...