Kalispell, MT — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is hosting public meetings across northwest Montana (Region 1) in January to discuss proposed hunting season dates and structure changes. Hunting season dates and structures are adopted biennially for most game species. The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission approved tentative proposals at its Dec. 5 meeting, and FWP... View Article

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That’s a big bear! Swan Valley Connections captured this video of a bear rubbing a tree in Swan Valley!

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The weekend after Thanksgiving brought more wintry weather for big game season-closing check stations on Sunday, Dec. 1. Hunter numbers were down from last year at two of three stations in Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 7, along with success rates. “Hunters seemed generally satisfied with their seasons,” said Region 7 Wildlife Biologist Melissa Foster,... View Article

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Lisa Wasileski of Florence is pictured above with a nice Bitterroot buck . She got it done on the last weekend of the season. Excellent work, Lisa!

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The hunting of female mountain lions in southwestern Montana hunting districts 320 & 333, which include portions of Madison, Silver Bow, Gallatin and Jefferson counties, will close one-half hour after sunset on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019. The closure notice for the hunt came shortly after Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials received word that the... View Article

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The Flathead Avalanche Center in Hungry Horse has issued a BACKCOUNTRY AVALANCHE WATCH for the following areas: NWS Missoula MT – MTC 029 (Flathead County)…MTC 047 (Lake County) * TIMING…In effect from Sat 06:30 MST to Sun 17:00 MST. * AFFECTED AREA…The Swan Range * AVALANCHE DANGER…The avalanche danger is expected to rise to HIGH... View Article

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Samples from 25 deer harvested around the state tested positive for chronic wasting disease last week. The majority of the new positive samples were from animals harvested within CWD Management Zones, where the disease is known to exist. Two of the positive samples were from areas where the disease had not been previously detected. These... View Article

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Tune into the FINAL EPISODE of Hunters’ Breakfast (for the season) with the Captain for the latest in fishing and hunting reports for Western and Central Montana today from 8-9am on KGVO 1290am/98.3fm in Missoula. You may also listen to the recorded version on Saturday from the Audio Reports on montanaoutdoor.com. The show is broadcast live... View Article

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Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) jointly propose the purchase of a permanent recreation easement for Big Arm State Park along Flathead Lake. A draft environmental analysis detailing the proposal, including two alternatives, is available for review and open to public input through Dec. 31. Big Arm... View Article

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Kalispell, MT — Flathead National Forest, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and winning bidder St. Onge Logging of Kalispell, Montana are conducting work on the Liger Good Neighbor Authority Timber Sale near Hungry Horse Reservoir. Beginning today, recreation access will temporarily change as a result of the sale. The forest has issued a temporary motorized closure order... View Article

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Bozeman, MT — Montana’s general hunting season ended Sunday evening with lower hunter numbers and varied success rates in southwest Montana during the season’s sixth and final weekend.Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks operated four check stations in Region 3 during the fifth weekend of the general deer and elk hunt, and seven check stations during the... View Article

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The hunting of female mountain lions in southwestern Montana hunting district 380, which includes portions of Broadwater, Jefferson and Lewis and Clark counties, will close one-half hour after sunset on Wednesday, Dec. 4. The closure notice for the hunt came shortly after Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials received word that the pre-established harvest sub-quota... View Article

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Bozeman, MT — Wardens with Region 3 of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks are seeking information on several big game poaching cases that have happened in less than two weeks. On Nov. 23, wardens learned of a spike bull elk that was shot and abandoned on Montana State University’s Red Bluff Ranch, north of State Highway... View Article

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Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) is excited to announce the return of Holiday Candlelight Tours at Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park. Tickets go on sale Monday, Dec 2. ‘Tis the season to see the colorful limestone caverns lit by the festive glow of candle lanterns as we bring back this holiday favorite. Holiday Candlelight Tours... View Article

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Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) will open the 2020 Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Program grant cycle on Monday, December 2, 2019.  Applications will be accepted through the online system at fundingmt.org through Friday, February 28, 2020 at 3:00 pm. OHV grants provide funding for safety, ethics and education as well as resource maintenance and improvement projects. The program’s goal... View Article

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Female Mountain Lion Hunting to Close in District 315 The hunting of female mountain lions in southwestern Montana hunting district 315, which includes portions of Meagher, Park and Sweet Grass counties, will close at one-half hour after sunset on Tuesday, December 3, 2019. The closure notice for the hunt came shortly after Montana Fish, Wildlife... View Article

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Kalispell, MT — The general big game hunting season concluded last weekend across Montana. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks tallied more than 14,000 hunters at its five check stations across Region 1 (northwest Montana) this season. Those hunters reported 1,022 white-tailed deer, including 816 bucks, as well as 105 mule deer and 56 elk. Despite fewer... View Article

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BILLINGS – South central Montana check stations operated by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks saw hunter numbers and their harvest fall – to historic lows in some instances – for the final weekend of the 2019 general big-game season. Those numbers dragged season-long statistics down at all five locations. Wintery weather during at least three of... View Article

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Final numbers from the 2019 general deer and elk season on a portion of the Rocky Mountain Front put mule deer, white-tailed deer and elk taken by hunters lower than long-term averages, said a Fish, Wildlife and Parks wildlife biologist. “The mule deer harvest was 31 percent below the 10-year average and 15 percent below... View Article

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Frankie Siroky is in his 80s and is a follower of MORS.  He was recently given the opportunity of a lifetime.  Frankie got the opportunity to hunt and tag a bighorn sheep!  He is still getting it done with his .270 Winchester Model 70 that he got when he was a kid.  Frankie is pictured... View Article

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Scott Hirschi from Helena fishes for ling every year. He just reported that the bite is on. The delicious table fare are tough to catch most of the year, but right now the ling are biting! Hirschi fishes during the late evening and uses smelt.  The ling pictured above is almost 7 pounds and and... View Article

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Santa said he saw your 26 inch trout and he is getting you a tape measure for Christmas! Ashley Lake No safe ice and no new reports of fishing activity. Blanchard 3-5in of good solid ice. Reports of decent crappie action towards the South end. Perch and sunnies are being caught along the West shoreline.... View Article

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Now that hunting season is over, you can put away your gear and make a list of what you need for next year. Maybe you lost a glove, the batteries in your range finder died, the long underwear you used is worn out, socks have developed holes… There is always something an outdoorsman wants. Make... View Article

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  If you are waiting for safe ice to fish on, the wait is over. First ice is often the best ice. I went to Hyalite Lake, near Bozeman, the other day and was rewarded with a Grand Slam. A Grand Slam varies from watershed to river, to lake. Basically, when you catch every species,... View Article

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Fall  is here. This year we are still having very unusual weather and that means sudden changes in weather and water.  Outdoor enthusiasts including fishermen need to pay attention to these changes.   Storms like snow and dangerous fire can   happen    quickly, so fishermen or fisherwomen need to   keep in touch with the weather service and... View Article

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Seafood is not one of Big Sky Country’s strengths. The state is far from the seas or oceans where bountiful nets and bushels of fresh seafood is available. During the holidays, seafood is missed the most. Lobsters, oysters, Sushi, fresh fish, crabs, shrimp, and other tasty treats are in short supply and never Fresh! Most... View Article

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Current Conditions: The spring creeks are a great winter option.  The water that percolates from the springs are always at Montana’s mean annual temperature of 48 degrees which is much warmer than surrounding freestone rivers.  This produces a higher metabolism in spring creek fish than trout in other waters and gives anglers a better chance... View Article

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The Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission will meet Dec. 5 at FWP Headquarters in Helena. The meeting will be streamed live via video to all FWP regional offices. The meeting will also be audio streamed online at fwp.mt.gov. The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. The commission will make final decisions on the following topics: Upper... View Article

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We finally have fishable ice! Always check conditions for yourself before going out as some spots may be unsafe. Use a spud bar to probe for thin spots and ALWAYS carry ice picks. Come see our Ice Expo this Saturday (Dec 7th) starting at 9AM! Ashley Lake No recent reports as of yet. Blanchard Entire lake is... View Article

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Angler effort on the upper Salmon River was low during the last week of November. Almost all anglers were observed fishing downstream of North Fork in location code 15, and anglers interviewed in this area averaged 17 hours per steelhead caught. Anglers interviewed in the other river location codes did not report catching a steelhead.... View Article

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Too much success too fast leaves little excitement for the future. Setting kids, rookies, or guide clients up for success can be detrimental to their future fishing and hunting. Learning does not happen from success; it happens from mistakes. A Big Fat Mistake will teach you a lesson every time. If someone else does the... View Article

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The famed Bighorn River trout fishery is in distress. The trout numbers are the lowest since surveyed, for the first time in 1992. The trout fishery is literally being flushed away! High water discharges from the Yellowtail Dam are occurring at exactly the worst time for spawning to have a chance. Brown trout spawn in... View Article

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Tune into Hunters’ Breakfast with the Captain for the latest in fishing and hunting reports for Western and Central Montana this Friday morning from 8-9am on KGVO 1290am/98.3fm in Missoula. You may also listen to the recorded version every week  on Saturday from the Audio Reports on montanaoutdoor.com. The show is broadcast live from Paradise Falls on the” Banks of Brooks”... View Article

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Big Bill, the huge rainbow trout, at the Ennis hatchery has been avenged. Apparently 2 juveniles were arrested for the vandalism, crime, slaughter, and murder of Big Bill, and his schoolies. The trout hatchery south of Ennis cares for adult rainbow trout that are used for brood stock. Ennis is the largest brood stock hatchery... View Article

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Yellowstone Lake has ben the target for dealing with an unwanted population of lake trout. The Park Service has been trying to control the lake trout population for 25 years! Finally, the efforts are paying off. Like it or not, the lake trout will never be eradicated from Yellowstone lake. They were introduced years ago... View Article

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Have you ever been white fish fishing?  Here’s an example of an angler reeling in a whitefish in Bigfork.

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Ice fishing is just around the corner! It is time to begin getting your gear together. Yea I know that it is still hunting season, but Sportsmen can walk and chew gum! At least put your gear in a pile. My ice fishing sled doubles as a hunting game carrier. I took off my sled... View Article

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Tune into Hunters’ Breakfast with the Captain for the latest in fishing and hunting reports for Western and Central Montana this Friday morning from 8-9am on KGVO 1290am/98.3fm in Missoula. You may also listen to the recorded version every week  on Saturday from the Audio Reports on montanaoutdoor.com. The show is broadcast live from Paradise Falls on the” Banks of Brooks”... View Article

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Save the Date: Saturday December 7th for Snappy’s Sport Senter’s Annual Ice Fishing Expo! There will be seminars and deals in the fishing department. Weather patterns will be changing fishing conditions this week. Temps will be well above freezing and heavy rains early. Fish should be biting with dropping air pressure. Always go prepared for changing... View Article

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Steelhead catch rates continued to improve over the past week on the upper Salmon River. Anglers interviewed downstream of the Middle Fork in location code 14 averaged 12 hours per steelhead caught. Anglers interviewed downstream of North Fork in location code 15 averaged 11 hours per steelhead caught, and anglers interviewed upstream of North Fork... View Article

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$75 million for road construction, has been designated for Yellowstone Park next year. Anyone that has visited the Park in the past knows that the crowds and oversized vehicles have put great stress on the Parks roads and infrastructures. 3 Road projects are planned for 2020. The Pelican Creek Bridge is to be replaced. 6... View Article

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The paved road at the Hyalite Reservoir is going to be increased. Additional paving will extend the paved area from the dam to where the road splits for Grotto and Palisades falls. Paving will begin in the end of October. Delays could be as long as 30 minutes because of tree cutting along the right... View Article

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Back in the we camped! Tents, shelters, cheapo trailers. Camping today has taken on a whole new image. Canvas is out, silence is forgotten, and where are the food trucks? The fun used to be roughing it in style. My wife and I used to camp all the time. The simplicity of camping was wonderful.... View Article

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Hunting or fishing in Montana can be damn uncomfortable! Cold, rain, snow, wind, and harsh conditions will make you ready to quit. If you are miserable, you are not enjoying the day. Modern clothing and accessories make all the difference. Polar fleece, hand warmers, quality bad weather gear, insulated footwear, layered garments that wick away,... View Article

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It turns out that bears like beer…. An article on countryrebel.com proved that humans aren’t the only ones who like a buzz every now and then.  The incident happened a few years ago, but it’s still a reminder to keep your camping areas and your homes bear-proof when you live in bear country. Here’s part... View Article

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What’s on your Bucket List? We all have one even if you don’t know it. A special hunt, fishing trip, or just a thing that challenges you. What’s yours? This year I scratched a Halibut fishing trip to Alaska off mine. The only problem is that one trip is probably not enough, and an annual... View Article

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Here are six fantastic cooler hacks that you will be glad you tried!  Do you have your own hacks?  

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It’s camping season in Montana, and here are a few camping hacks we found that could help you out while you’re “roughing it”.

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Coffee is a necessary morning get us going beverage. It seems like it has been around forever. Pioneers always had a pot on the campfire, Marines brewed it up in their helmets, and the coffee kiosks are always busy. My Mom drank coffee all day. She had an old electric percolator that was always making... View Article

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Our most special Wild Places offer more than a pretty view, a place to fish, or critters to hunt. Wilderness represents pure Freedom. Freedoms are getting more difficult to find. Big cities and populated areas feel less free. Most of your day is being filmed from a battery of security and traffic cameras. Law enforcement... View Article

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Grilling fresh fruits is amazing. Plan this recipe for a dessert on your next Killer Grillin session. Pears or Peaches make perfect Grill candidates. 1 tbsp. lemon juice 4 tbsp. melted butter ¼ tsp vanilla 4 pears or peaches 2 tbsp. sugar Cut them in half and remove the pits. In a small bowl, combine... View Article

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“Human feces taints lakes and streams in the Beartooth Mountains!” A recent study targeted 21 lakes up to 12,807 feet. Out of 21 lakes tested in the Froze to Death plateau and Granite Peak area, 11 tested positive for E. coli. This hearty bacterium can survive long cold winters. These bacteria are found in the... View Article

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Buckets are a Sportsman’s friend. We use them for so many things. Hauling water, dirt, gear, ice fishing, fish, food, and just about anything. Buckets come in several sizes. My favorites are the 2 1/2 Gallon or 5-gallon sizes. These are easy to carry and store. Putting a lid on buckets can be a challenge.... View Article

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Winter is the perfect time to enjoy a great dessert! Bread Pudding will give the taste, flavors, and calories that will keep you warm. My Mother made this treat often and served it warm with milk, ice cream, or whip. It is also a hunting and fishing favorite! One of our family traditions is to... View Article

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  Do not have to look over their shoulder. They hunt, fish, and enjoy the outdoors without needing supervision. They do the right things because they are the right things to do. Rules, limits, regulations, and enforcement are not for Great Sportsmen. They understand the importance of proper wildlife, fishery, and forest management. Public service... View Article

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Camping and outdoor adventure can be more fun with a little planning. You don’t have to “Rough It!”. This is especially true when you take new campers, friends, and kids. Show them a good time without being too uncomfortable. Many campers feed on canned beans, hot dogs, and granola bars. That’s fine, but with some... View Article

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If you plan on heading to Alaska and you know you’ll be camping, this is a possibility of what you could wake up to…I would say if this is a real video and not staged, it is a good thing they didn’t have food in their tent.  As Montanans, we need to be bear aware... View Article

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Drinking fluids allows us to refill our “bags of water” bodies. Re-hydrating is essential for our bodies to stay afloat. Mammals weights are more than 55% fluids. Our blood is like sea water. Every cell in our bodies contains fluids. Water is truly our life blood. For years, I was able to hunt and fish... View Article

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Oh, it’s definitely camping season in Montana. Many people go with traditional foods when they camp–s’mores are typically a must…so, why not mix up your traditional graham cracker, Hershey bar and marshmallow treat?  Change it up and make your favorite classic camping snack/dessert even better with these different s’mores styles:

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BIG APPLE DUMPLINGS are the best. Deserts at hunting and fishing camp are always important. We all enjoy S’mores, cobblers, and campfire baked treats. Try this crazy recipe at home or on your next outdoor adventure. I was taught this recipe years ago on a Boy Scout camp out. The Dutch Oven was scraped clean.... View Article

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Even though general season is behind us, there are still some late season hunting opportunities available. Not to mention the reports of hard water throughout the state, which has gotten some anglers out poking holes. Hear all of the latest reports from corespondents around the state. <iframe width=”100%” height=”450″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”no” allow=”autoplay” src=”https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/playlists/940118392&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true”></iframe>

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Thanksgiving has come and gone, and now we are staring down at the end of the General Rifle season. Want to hear where to take your gun for a walk or hook into a post thanksgiving school of fish? Hear all of our latest reports from our corespondents around the state.

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It is nearing the end of General season. You can almost smell Thanksgiving dinner. And the annual Brawl of the Wild is happening here in Montana. Hear all of our latest hunting and fishing reports from our corespondents around the state.

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Halfway trough the General Season, and things are starting to look up. Fishing also is picking up. Hear all of our border to border reports from our correspondents around the state. From the latest edition of MORS.

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Scott Hirschi from Helena fishes for ling every year. He just reported that the bite is on. The delicious table fare are tough to catch most of the year, but right now the ling are biting! Hirschi fishes during the late evening and uses smelt.  The ling pictured above is almost 7 pounds and and... View Article

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As of 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 the hunting and trapping of all wolves in Montana Wolf Management Unit 313, which include portions of Park County is closed. The order halting the hunt came after Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials received word that the pre-established harvest quota in WMU 313 has been... View Article

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By order of the Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission, the season for taking fisher in portions of Trapping District 2 of northwestern Montana will close at midnight on the evening of December 13, 2019. Bitterroot FMU includes Mineral and Ravalli Counties, and that portion of Missoula County that is south of interstate 90. For more... View Article

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The hunting of female mountain lions in northcentral Montana hunting districts 405, 447 and 471, which includes portions of Cascade, Chouteau, Judith Basin, and Fergus counties, will remain open.  Two reports were accidentally created for the same lion in HDs 405, 447 & 471. As such, these districts will re-open for female harvest. For more... View Article

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Kalispell, MT — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is hosting public meetings across northwest Montana (Region 1) in January to discuss proposed hunting season dates and structure changes. Hunting season dates and structures are adopted biennially for most game species. The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission approved tentative proposals at its Dec. 5 meeting, and FWP... View Article

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Sometimes, a good ‘ol bull moose fight is a great addition to your morning internet viewing.  Just some neat footage posted earlier this year.

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Santa said he saw your 26 inch trout and he is getting you a tape measure for Christmas! Ashley Lake No safe ice and no new reports of fishing activity. Blanchard 3-5in of good solid ice. Reports of decent crappie action towards the South end. Perch and sunnies are being caught along the West shoreline.... View Article

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BILLINGS – A Belfry couple was charged this fall with illegally killing three elk and two deer in a series of incidents starting in 2016. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks game wardens filed four charges against Jeff Minchow and three against his wife, Kasey McClane. The charges arose from a series of incidents, including one... View Article

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That’s a big bear! Swan Valley Connections captured this video of a bear rubbing a tree in Swan Valley!

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The weekend after Thanksgiving brought more wintry weather for big game season-closing check stations on Sunday, Dec. 1. Hunter numbers were down from last year at two of three stations in Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 7, along with success rates. “Hunters seemed generally satisfied with their seasons,” said Region 7 Wildlife Biologist Melissa Foster,... View Article

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Lisa Wasileski of Florence is pictured above with a nice Bitterroot buck . She got it done on the last weekend of the season. Excellent work, Lisa!

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amples from 25 deer harvested around the state tested positive for chronic wasting disease last week. The majority of the new positive samples were from animals harvested within CWD Management Zones, where the disease is known to exist.Two of the positive samples were from areas where the disease had not been previously detected. These include... View Article

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Bozeman, MT — The Skyline Sportsmen Association, of Butte, has added $500 to the reward offered for information leading to a conviction in a case where a mature bull moose was killed illegally in the Highland Mountains south of Butte. The maximum reward amount informants may be eligible for in the case is now $1,500. The moose was... View Article

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The hunting of female mountain lions in southwestern Montana hunting districts 320 & 333, which include portions of Madison, Silver Bow, Gallatin and Jefferson counties, will close one-half hour after sunset on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019. The closure notice for the hunt came shortly after Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials received word that the... View Article

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MATERIAL COVERED: The class will have a good basic background in packing, safe horse use, and light on the land horse use and camping techniques. Students need not be experienced horsemen. INSTRUCTORS: Smoke Elser, Wilderness Outfitters Consulting Group, LLC Jordan Knudsen, Sun River Saddlery SCHEDULE: Classes will begin January 18, 2020. Students attend one 3... View Article

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Save some cash, and make your own venison bologna!

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Mmmmm. Venison meatloaf.  Some might be leary about giving it a shot, but this guy can tell you that he tried it, and it was delicious!

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Magnum, my wonderful German Shorthaired Pointer is doing his best. The damn nasal tumor, that was the size of a golf ball, is now the size of a Twinkie. He snorts, sneezes, and wheezes to find new ways to breathe. There is no cure or realistic solution. Eventually, the tumor will win. The other day,... View Article

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Christmas Trees are being erected with style and pride! Some holiday trees are cut fresh others bought at a local lot, or others have gone the artificial route. Everyone wants a tasteful and fragrant festive tree to enjoy over the holidays. Whatever tree you choose, find one that fits your lifestyle. Make sure the tree... View Article

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As we approach the Christmas holiday I’m dusting off and updating one of my favorite columns. I wrote this column 3 years ago. Last year another pup, Barnaby MacRhuster, came under our tree. Barney was 5 months old then and just as gregarious as Spot and Archie were at that age.  Here’s the story of... View Article

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