FWP Region 7 Seeks Public Comment on 2006 Big Game Season Tentative Proposals

Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Region 7, has scheduled two meetings to provide the public the opportunity to comment on proposed changes to the 2006 hunting seasons in southeastern Montana.  

Both public meetings will be held from 7 – 9 pm. The first meeting will be in Glendive at Dawson Community College (Ullman Center) on Tuesday, January 17 th and the second meeting will be held in Miles City at Miles Community College (Room 317) on Wednesday, January 18 th .

The first proposed change for Region 7 is to establish a spring and fall black bear hunting season in southeastern Montana. The Black Bear Management Unit (BMU) 700 would apply to all of region 7 and an annual harvest quota of 2 bears, either sex, in the spring (it is illegal to harvest a sow with cubs or to harvest a cub) and 2 bears, either sex, in the fall would be established. The hunting dates for the two seasons are: spring: April 15 – May 31 and fall: September 15 – November 26.

Hunters that harvest a bear are required to report the harvest within five (5) days to a Montana FWP official by presenting the complete bear hide (with proof of sex naturally attached) and the skull for the purpose of inspection, tagging and removal of a tooth for aging.

When the harvest quota is reached in BMU 700 the Black Bear hunting season will close upon 48 hours notice but no later than the last date of the season as shown in the current hunting regulations. FWP commission has authorized the department to initiate closure prior to reaching the harvest quota when conditions or circumstances indicate the quota may be reached within the 48-hour closure notice.

Hunters must have completed the bear identification test available on the FWP website. The certificate of completion for the bear identification test must be presented to the license agent when purchasing a bear license.

The second proposed change in Region 7 is to eliminate the anterless elk permit for Hunting Districts 700 and 701 and to replace it with a general season anterless elk hunting season where the over-the counter elk license may be used to harvest a cow elk.

Proposed statewide changes include:

Expand youth age criteria to include youths aged 12 to 17. Presently, youth hunts are for 12 to 14 year olds. A five-week deer and elk general season proposal. Revise the trophy elk definition for restitution purposes. Limit the number of antlerless deer and antelope licenses that can be purchased by a hunter in a year. Limit transportation of white-tailed deer, mule deer and elk from states and provinces with documented cases of CWD.

Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission is seeking public comment on a tentative proposal to consolidate most elk hunting within Montana’s traditional five-week general hunting season. This proposal would eliminate most late season and early season hunts to restore general public hunting as Montana’s primary big game population management tool.  

All of the proposed changes are available on the FWP web site at www.fwp.mt.gov    under “public notices”.

The tentative hunting regulations packet is available for review at FWP offices, and comments will be taken at public meetings, by email at fwpwld@mt.gov or by mail addressed to: Big Game Regulations, Wildlife Division, Montana FWP, P.O. Box 200701; Helena, MT 59620-0701.   Comments must be received by Jan. 27, 2006.
 

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