Archive for the ‘Hunting’ Category
For Third Week: Elk Harvest Improving on Front
By BRUCE AUCHLY - It’s a mixed bag at the end of the third weekend of Montana’s big game general season on the Rocky Mountain Front.... more
Five Region 4 Districts With Deer Hunting Changes in November
By BRUCE AUCHLY-Deer hunters need to be aware of changes taking place this month in five hunting districts in Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 4, north central Montana.... more
Hunters Report Self Defense in Two Grizzly Bear Deaths
By JOLEEN TADEJ-Montana wildlife officials said today that two grizzly bears were killed last week in separate incidents reported by hunters in southwestern Montana.... more
Elk, Mule Harvest Down, Whitetails Up On Rocky Mountain Front
Elk and mule deer taken by hunters remain below average on the Rocky Mountain Front, but the white-tailed deer harvest is up at the end of the second weekend of the 2015 general big game season.... more
Avoid These 10 Common Hunting Mistakes
By BRUCE AUCHLY Each fall tens of thousands of Montana men and women spend anywhere from a few hours to a several weeks hunting. Most have a wonderful time; a few run afoul of the law. Here are 10 problem... more
Elk, Mule Deer Below Average Opener on Rocky Mountain Front
By BRUCE AUCHLY - Hunters hit the Rocky Mountain Front for the opening weekend of Montana’s general big game season, taking home fewer elk and mule deer compared to the past five years.... more
Opening Day of General Hunting Seson Renews Montana Traditions
By JOLEEN TADEJ-In Montana, a weekend like none other awaits. young and old are filled with the anticipation that only comes with the opening day of Montana's general deer and elk hunting season.... more
2015 Elk Hunting Outlook
By JOLENE TADEJ - These are good times for elk hunters as Montana elk populations continue to be strong across most of the state.... more
The Effects of Fire on Animals
By BRUCE AUCHLY - Summer’s fires are over, right? Or so we hope. To fish and wildlife fires can bring dire short-term and beneficial long-term consequences.... more
2015 Deer Hunting Outlook
By JOLENE TADEJ - Hunters who witnessed a drop in mule deer numbers in many areas of Montana a few years ago will see improving populations this year.... more
Donate a Hunting License to Disabled Veterans & Armed Forces Members
By JOLEEN TADEJ - Montana residents and nonresidents can show support for members of the military who have given the ultimate sacrifice by donating their hunting license.... more
Early Season Hunters: Make Fire Safety A Top Priority
By JOLEEN TADEJ - All early season hunters need to make wildfire prevention a top priority.... more
Becoming an Outdoors Woman Summer Workshop August 7-9
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' popular Becoming an Outdoors-Woman summer workshop is set for Aug. 7-9 at Lubrecht Forest, east of Missoula.... more
Brisk Sales for Nonresident Big Game Combo Hunting Licenses
By TOM PALMER - Montana's surplus nonresident elk and deer combination hunting licenses for this fall are selling at a brisk pace.... more
Fewer Surplus Nonresident Elk and Deer Hunting Licenses Available
Beginning Monday, May 4, nonresident hunters can choose among Montana's surplus deer, elk and big game combination hunting licenses and purchase them online or the FWP office.... more
Tales and Trails: Love in the Time of Cold
By BRUCE AUCHLY - One day it’s warm and sunny, the next day cold and snowy. Welcome to that time on the calendar between winter and spring. ... more
New Year for Hunting & Fishing Licenses Begins March 1
March 1 begins the new 2015 license year for Montana hunters and anglers. The new license year is especially important for early-season anglers, and for those who enjoy ice fishing.... more
FWP Access Program Offers Tax Credits to Landowners
Landowners have until March 15 to submit applications to Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks for enrollment in a program that may qualify them for up to $2,000 in annual tax credits.... more
Mount Jumbo Wildlife Closure Begins December 1
Mount Jumbo's North Zone is closed from December 1 until May 1. Trespassing during the wildlife closure is prohibited and violators may be fined up to $500. ... more
The Rut Kicks in as Hunting Season Reaches Final Weeks
By DILLON TABISH - With the rut in full swing, the annual big game hunting season is counting down in Montana. The last day to hunt deer and elk is Nov. 30.... more
Two Dog Years
By ROB BREEDING - I’m in my early 50s and I’ve begun to measure my time in bird dog years. My current hunting partner, Doll, is 5 and I can reasonably expect another 5 to 7 years with her.... more
Hunters Need To Be Bear Aware
By BRUCE AUCHLY - Hunters along the Rocky Mountain Front, especially bird hunters in riparian areas, need to be aware they are in bear country.... more
Montana Hunting Guide 2014
By DILLON TABISH - The arrival of autumn marks the beginning of big game hunting season, a beloved time of year for the thousands of Montana residents who partake in the traditional custom.... more
Archery Season in Montana: Technology’s Role
By BRUCE AUCHLY-Let’s be clear. Advances in gear, archery equipment and clothing are wonderful. They are also not the culprit. The problem is not technology but what it does to us. ... more
Hunting is a Bargain for Nonresident College Students
By BRUCE AUCHLY - A discount on Montana’s big game combination license will be available beginning Sept. 9 for nonresident college students to hunt in Montana.... more
Hunters Must Expect to See Bears
With Montana's upland game bird season opening Sept.1—and the bow hunting season set to open Sept. 6—remember that slow moving, quiet and camouflaged hunters will soon be encountering bears.... more
Hunters: Make Fire Safety a Top Priority This Season
By JOLEEN TADEJ - About 5,000 Montana archery hunters can head afield beginning Aug. 15, and ALL early season hunters need to make wildfire prevention a top priority.... more
What Do Ants Taste Like?
By BRUCE AUCHLY-So does an ant taste like a bitter, or lemony, crunchy morsel to a rainbow trout? Nobody knows, and the trout I’ve talked to, don’t answer.... more
The Name Game
By ROB BREEDING - I used to correct people when they used the A word. Pronghorns are not true antelope, I’d explain, and are actually an animal in a family all by themselves.... more
Becoming an Outdoors Woman Summer Workshop August 1-3
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' popular Becoming an Outdoors-Woman summer workshop is set for August 1-3 at Boulder Hot Springs near Boulder.... more
Fish and Wildlife Commission Adopts New Hunting Regulations
Montana's fish and wildlife commissioners recently adopted a number of new regulations that will be in effect for the next two hunting seasons.... more
Winter Survival
By BRUCE AUCHLY - While we can adapt to winter's overdue cold spells, wild animals have three basic strategies for dealing with winter and they are the same each year, no matter the weather.... more
New Hunt & Fish Licenses; Deer & Elk Permit Applications Available
Montana's new 2014 hunting and fishing year begins March 1. Licenses are now on sale along with applications for resident and nonresident buck deer and either-sex elk hunting permits.... more
Christmas Shopping Suggestions for the Outdoor-Type
By ROB BREEDING - It's hard to buy Christmas gifts for the serious hunter or angler, but here are a few gifts I think most culinary-minded outdoors types would love to find under the tree:... more
Turkey Day Blues
By ROB BREEDING - Who was the bright boy who decided to foul a national sports holiday with a feast centered on an impossibly difficult-to-cook bird? ... more
Elk Totals Above Average, Deer Below Average on Rocky Mountain Front
By BRUCE ACHLEY - At the end of the fourth weekend of Montana’s big game general season, harvest numbers for elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer continues below the long-term average on the Rocky Mountain Fr... more
Elk Hunting: It’s a Young Person’s Game
By BRUCE AUCHLY - So why, you may ask, do I continue to go elk hunting. Each year it gets harder. The mountains are taller. My muscles ache more.... more
Hunters, The Time is NOW!
By TONY REINHARDT - Weather is a huge factor during hunting season and this latest storm front making its’ way through the state is what many hunters have been waiting for. ... more
Big Game Harvest Continues Down on Rocky Mountain Front
By BRUCE ACHLEY - At the end of the fourth weekend of Montana’s big game general season, harvest numbers for elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer continues below the long-term average on the Rocky Mountain Fr... more
Dodging Deer
By ROB BREEDING - Judging by the deer carcasses that line roadways in the Northern Rockies pretty much year round, I’m convinced they rarely look before they cross the road.... more
Hunter Numbers Strong, Wildlife Harvest Down on Rocky Mountain Front
By BRUCE AUCHLY The number of hunters remains strong on the Rocky Mountain Front but the number of animals taken is mostly below the 10-year average at the close of the second weekend of Montana’s general ... more
Opening of Big Game Season Slightly Below Average on Rocky Mountain Front
By BRUCE AUCHLY - Hunters hit the Rocky Mountain Front for the opening weekend of Montana’s general big game season and took home slightly fewer elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer compared to the past three... more
Avoid These 10 Common Hunting Mistakes
By BRUCE AUCHLEY - Here are 10 problem areas, courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks game wardens, that hunters seem to stumble over year after year:... more
Diseased Deer Prompt Immediate Changes to Region 4 Deer Hunting
By BRUCE AUCHLY - The Fish and Wildlife commission has taken additional action to address the effects of disease on white-tailed deer in north central Montana.... more
Turning the Corner
By ROB BREEDING - The signs of change are in the air. Yesterday I wore fleece to work. And the other night when my students had to work late in the lab, I fixed them a pot of soup. ... more
Hunters Beware: Two Grizzlies Spotted on Sun River near Simms, Fort Shaw
By BRUCE AUCHLY - Two separate grizzly bear sightings since Sunday near the Sun River west of Great Falls have prompted state wildlife officials to alert homeowners and hunters in the area.... more
Fall is Here in Montana
By BRUCE AUCHLY - Fall is a welcome assault on the senses. We see it, hear it and smell it. For those who hunt, or wait for cooler water to fish again, there's not other season like it.... more
The Third Week in September
It's the autumnal equinox, which some equate with death. But for hunters, anglers, and hikers, the third week of September is a time to anticipate, to delight in, to anxiously await. ... more
Heads You Lose
By ROB BREEDING - I’ve got an elk head on the wall. I should say “had” an elk head on the wall. It’s been in storage for the last year. It will be back up on the wall soon, once I get situated in my new... more
No-Wait Nonresident Deer Hunting Licenses Going Fast
F.Y.I. - With fewer than 300 no-wait nonresidents deer combo hunting licenses left for sale out-of-state hunters still hoping to trek to Montana this fall need to move fast.... more