Four Meetings Planned for Northeast Montana to Gather Comments on 2016-17 Hunting Season Proposals

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 changes to all hunting seasons, proposes changes from the previous biennium, and encourages public comment before the FWP Commission makes its final decisions in February. Meetings are held across the state to present the proposed seasons and accept public comments. FWP and its commissioners will also accept written, online or emailed comments through Jan. 22.
Some of the proposed hunting season and rules, relevant to Region 6, include the establishment of late elk shoulder seasons and antlerless elk permits in the Missouri River Breaks and Bears Paw Mountains, establishment of mule deer and white-tailed deer antlerless hunting opportunities in the region, an increase in antelope quotas in the Glasgow area, and expanding quota ranges for bighorn sheep in the Breaks hunting district 622.
The public is encouraged to visit the FWP website for the full proposals or attend a public meeting. In northeast Montana, all public meetings are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the following dates and locations:
• Glasgow Wed., Jan. 6, at the Cottonwood Inn
• Plentywood Thurs., Jan. 7, at the Jubilee Room in the Sheridan Co. Courthouse
• Havre Tues., Jan. 12, at Hill County Electric
• Malta Wed., Jan. 20, upstairs at First State Bank

Comments may be submitted at these public meetings, online at fwp.mt.gov or by mail to: FWP Wildlife Division, “attn: hunting season proposals,” PO Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620. Comments are due by 5 p.m. on Jan. 22, 2015.

Proposed changes include:

Statewide:
Require a person to already have a Bow and Arrow License when applying for any archery-only deer, elk
or antelope license or permit, e.g. the antelope 900-20 archery license, the Breaks 900-20 archery elk
permit, the Bitterroot 260-01 deer B License.
Require a person to already have a deer license when applying for any deer permit, the same as is
currently the case for non-resident applicants and for all applicants for elk permits.

Elk
HD 680 & 690: Bears Paw Mountains Elk Management Unit (EMU)

-Establish Shoulder Season, create 696-00 B-License (quota 100, range 100-500) valid Dec. 15- Dec. 31 in both HDs for antlerless elk.

-Create antlerless elk permit 697-00 (quota 300, range 100-500) valid during archery and general seasons in both HDs. Only valid on private land outside of Block Management Areas.

HDs 620, 621, 622, 630, 631 & 632 : Missouri Breaks EMU)

-Create 699-00 B-License (quota 500, range 100-1000) valid in all Breaks HDs Dec. 15-Dec. 31 for antlerless elk. Not valid on CMR.

-Create 698-00 antlerless elk permits (quota 300, range 100-500) valid in all HDs during archery and general. Not valid on CMR.
Mule Deer
HDs 600/611/621/622: Return to either-sex on a general license
HDs 630/631/632: Establish 630-00 B Licenses (quota 100, range 100-1000)
HD 640: Establish 640-00 B Licenses (quota 100, range 100-900)
HD 651: Establish 651-00 B Licenses (quota 100, range 100-500)
HD 670: Establish 670-00 B Licenses (quota 200, range 200-2000)
HD 680: Establish 680-00 B Licenses (quota 100, range 100-1000)
HD 690: Establish 690-00 B Licenses (quota 100, range 100-1000)

White-tailed Deer
All R6 HDs: Reintroduce over-the-counter 006-00 B Licenses, 1 per hunter, valid in all Region 6 HDs.

Antelope
HD 630: Increase Either Sex licenses from 10 to 100 and Doe/Fawn from 5 to 10
HD 670: Increase Either Sex licenses from 25 to 100 and Doe/Fawn from 10 to 25

Bighorn Sheep
HD 622: Increase Either-sex license quota range from 3-20 to 3-30
Increase ewe license quota range from 1-40 to 1-100.