Simplified hunting regulations and an effort to bring Montana’s elk populations in line with management targets are among the highlighted hunting-season changes recently adopted by Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission.  

Here’s a summary of changes adopted for the 2006 hunting seasons:

*   Elk and Deer

The commission consolidated most elk and deer hunting opportunities within Montana’s five-week long general hunting season while liberalizing those general seasons in areas that are over objective, and developing a standardized process for both management seasons and game damage hunts.   The focus on Montana’s five-week general hunting season is intended to:   (1) better distribute hunters across public and private land to create hunting opportunities and deer and elk harvests where needed; (2) simplify Montana’s big game hunting regulations by offering more liberal general season hunting opportunities where elk and deer numbers exceed population targets; (3) eliminate most early and late season hunts; (4) identify and contact landowners who experience regular game damage or management seasons and create a roster of hunters who can respond rapidly to early, late or extended game damage seasons as provided by state law.

* Deer and Antelope License Limits

Commissioners decided to limit the number of antlerless deer and antelope doe/fawn licenses a hunter can purchase for use during early archery and general seasons to seven and two respectively. In recent years, there were no caps on the number of these licenses that could be purchased. Game damage hunt’s are not included in these limits.

* Mountain Lion

A mountain lion permit system was adopted for 13 hunting districts in northwestern Montana’s Region 1, which replaces existing harvest quotas. The permit system is intended to help manage competition among mountain lion hunters and prevent accidental over harvests.   All other mountain lion hunting in Region 1 will continue to be managed under quota-based regulations for resident and nonresident lion hunters. In southwestern Montana’s Region 2, nearly all mountain lion hunting will remain under quota-based regulations for residents, while nonresident lion hunters will be allotted 10 percent of the quota under a permit system. The only exception is Hunting District 292 (Garnet lion study area), where permits are required for all hunters.

The commission also adopted new hunting-license validation requirements for the fall and winter mountain lion hunting seasons.

Houndsmen can still participate in the hound-training (chase) season with appropriate licenses.

* CWD and Transporting Animal Carcasses

In an ongoing attempt to reduce the risk of spreading Chronic Wasting Disease in Montana, the commission adopted new guidelines for transporting animal carcasses. Beginning this year,   it is illegal to transport into Montana the whole or carcass parts of white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, or moose from states or provinces where CWD occurs. Only cut and wrapped meat, meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached, clean skull plates, and finished taxidermy heads can be legally transported.

* Youth Hunting Opportunities

By expanding the age range by a year, the FWP Commission provided youngsters age 12-15   with the opportunity to participate in Montana’s youth-related hunting opportunities that allow youth hunters to pursue antlerless elk with a general elk license in hunting districts where special permits are typically required to harvest antlerless elk.

Details on 2006 big game regulations will be available on the FWP web site at fwp.mt.gov in mid-March. Copies of Montana’s 2006 big game hunting are expected to be available from most FWP offices and license providers by April 6.
 

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