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The 16th Annual Watford City Children's Fishing Derby was held Saturday morning, June 13. This year there were two separate sessions with 150 participants registered. Due to COVID-19, lunch was not served, but there were door prizes and snacks along with worms and fishing poles....
So far, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks hasn’t found signs of the deadly white-nose syndrome (WNS) in the state’s bat populations, but biologists are closely monitoring the situation. Recent reports of bat deaths from WNS just over the border in North Dakota make monitoring efforts even more critical. “Bats provide important services in protecting crops and timber from flying pests,” said Lauri Hanauska-Brown, Montana FWP nongame wildlife management bureau chief. “Bats also eat tons of mosquitoes each year, meaning they play a role in reducing...
Whether you’re tying on a salmon fly or putting a night crawler onto a hook, during Father’s Day weekend, everyone in Montana can fish for free. While this family-oriented opportunity allows anyone to fish without a license on June 20-21, all other fishing rules and regulations are in effect and must be followed. FWP encourages all would-be anglers to be aware of boating and water safety on Montana’s rivers and streams, particularly this year as many rivers across the state are still experiencing spring runoff and flood conditions. Addit...
The tragic drowning of a Great Falls man who was swimming in Belt Creek near the Sluice Boxes area on Wednesday is a good reminder for swimmers, boaters, floaters and anglers to use caution in and near the water. Water levels are higher and swifter in rivers throughout Montana due to spring runoff, and recreationists should be aware of extra risks that come with high flows. These conditions can change rapidly, creating new and hidden hazards for boaters. Water temperatures are also especially cold this time of year, which increases the risk of...
The Savage Volunteer Fire Department Catfish Tournament will proceed on June 12-13 with a few minor exeptions. The calcutta will take place June 12 at 7 p.m. It will take place outdoors, rain or shine. They strongly suggest attendees keep the recomended social distancing of 6 feet or more. The tournament will move forward as planned on June 13. They ask that all family groups maintain the 6 foot social distancing while at the weigh in trailer. Tournament & calcutta winners will be announced at the end of the weigh ins & the fish have been...
North Dakota residents who want to give fishing a try are reminded they can fish for free June 6-7. That is the state’s free fishing weekend, when all residents age 16 and older can fish any North Dakota water without a license. Residents age 15 and under do not need a fishing license at any time of year. Fishing regulations and information on fishing waters is available on the Game and Fish website at gf.nd.gov....
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will open offices June 8 to public access by appointment only, and under the low risk phase guidelines established by North Dakota Smart Restart. State facility occupancy must remain below 50%, therefore most Game and Fish staff will continue to work remotely. COVID-19 wellness screening will be required upon entering the building, and wearing a mask or cloth face covering is encouraged. Physical distancing must be followed. Personal appointments will only be available for those who can’t receive h...
As the state moves into Phase 2 of Gov. Steve Bullock’s Reopening the Big Sky Plan, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offices and visitor centers will open to the public June 3. FWP offices have been closed since late March due to Montana’s COVID-19 pandemic response. As the public returns, strict adherence to Phase 2 guidelines will be critical: stay at home if you feel sick, make sure to frequently wash and sanitize your hands, and maintain at least six feet of distance from other people. FWP front offices around the state will be set up to hel...
A one-week paddlefish snag-and-release season will be open May 15-21 for anglers who hold a valid fishing license, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department announced this week. However, if conditions warrant, Game and Fish may close the season with a 24-hour notice. Game and Fish announced April 3 that the annual paddlefish snagging harvest season, which was scheduled to open May 1, was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the agency held open the possibility of a snag-and-release season in mid-May. Fisheries chief Greg Power...
The 2020 paddlefish seasons on the Yellowstone and Lower Missouri rivers (yellow tag) are canceled in response to Gov. Steve Bullock’s extension of the directives for social distancing and non-resident quarantine to help stop the spread of COVID-19. As of now, paddlefish season on the Upper Missouri River from Fort Benton downstream to Fort Peck Dam (white tag) will remain in place and the drawing for these limited tags occurred April 6. The fishery opens May 1 and is conducted in a more dispersed manner. There are also no proposed changes t...
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Fort Peck Reservoir walleye spawn/egg-take effort will be completed using only Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 6 staff. Unlike prior years, no volunteers will be participating in this popular spring event. FWPs’ number one priority is the health and safety of the public and its employees. FWP Fisheries Chief, Eileen Ryce, determined that with the current social distancing guidelines, this was the best decision for all those involved. Many other projects across the state that oftentimes use v...
The North Dakota 2020-22 fishing proclamation has been amended and the state Game and Fish Department is canceling the upcoming paddlefish snagging harvest season due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the amendment does allow for the possibility of a one-week snag-and-release season May 15-21, which is two weeks later than the normal opening day. Fisheries chief Greg Power said safety of snaggers, caviar processors and data collection staff are a major concern. “Paddlefish snaggers concentrate in large numbers in a small area, and often p...
In 1997 Doug Hill, Kevin Mayer and Russ Wells established the MonDak Walleyes Unlimited Chapter. The purpose of starting this Chapter was to educate the public on the importance of warm water fishing, improve and conserve warm water fish, and promote fishing by funding community projects. Since the start of the Chapter, MonDak Walleyes Unlimited members have gone above and beyond to accomplish their mission. Today there are approximately 150 members within the MonDak Chapter, and they have...
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department encourages hunters and anglers to make mindful decisions on outdoor activities by following guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Customer, volunteer and employee well-being is of top priority. Earlier this week, Game and Fish canceled upcoming public gatherings such as the National Archery in the Schools state tournament. In addition, several hunter education classes scheduled to begin in the next few weeks were canceled or postponed, and late-season ice fishing...
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department encourages hunters and anglers to make mindful decisions on outdoor activities by following guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Customer, volunteer and employee well-being is of top priority. Earlier this week, Game and Fish canceled upcoming public gatherings such as the National Archery in the Schools state tournament. In addition, several hunter education classes scheduled to begin in the next few weeks were canceled or postponed, and late-season ice fishing...
As the current license year is winding down, hunters and anglers can look for a few immediate changes for the coming year. The new license year starts on March 1, which means that is the day you can buy your 2020 hunting and fishing licenses and begin applying for permits and special licenses. The deadline to apply for deer and elk permits is April 1. Hunters should keep a couple of things in mind as they look to the application process for this year. First, this will be the first year that hunters will be able to apply for all their permits...
A young bull moose that had been stuck on ice for at least three days on the Missouri River in Richland County had to be dispatched Tuesday by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. “It’s been three days,” said FWP Region 7 Warden Ryan Kasson. “We did what we could do, and let Mother Nature try to take its course, but unfortunately the moose didn’t get up.” The moose was spotted earlier this week by citizens flying over the area in a helicopter. The animal was lying on river ice near the Snowden Bridge Fishing Access Site, about 2-1/2 miles west...
It’s that time of year when ice anglers will be heading out to Montana’s waters for the ice fishing season. Ice fishing is a great winter activity that the entire family can enjoy. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks reminds anglers that safety should be the number one concern during a day out on the ice. While the first ice of the year often offers some of the best fishing, it also can be quite variable from location to location and from day to day. Anglers should be familiar with the water body they plan to fish. The safest ice anglers are tho...
Samples from three deer harvested in southeast Montana have tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease. These are the first positive results in the southeastern corner of the state. A second test will be conducted to confirm the initial positive results. The positive animals include a mule deer buck shot 60 miles north of Miles City in Hunting District 701 in Prairie County, a white-tailed buck harvested two miles north of Hysham in HD 701, and a white-tailed doe taken near Decker in HD 704. The Decker deer was harvested within the...
Hunters who use boats to access waterfowl or big game hunting areas can help prevent aquatic invasive species from infesting Montana's wetlands, rivers, and lakes. The three steps of Clean, Drain, Dry greatly minimize the risk of spreading invasive species. Waterfowl hunters should clean gear that can unintentionally carry invasive plants or animals. Before hunting in a new area all hunters should: • Clean aquatic plants, animals, and mud from boat, trailer, anchor, waders, boots, decoys, d...
Don’t wait until opening day to discover your license and carcass tags are faded and need to be replaced. Hunters and anglers with licenses that are displaying faded text making them difficult to read can have those licenses replaced at no cost at their regional Fish, Wildlife & Parks office. License providers will soon receive new license paper that will not fade, as is the issue with the current yellow paper. This paper will be shipped to providers during the week of September 9. The new paper rolls will be white, not the traditional b...
Hunters of the Corps of Discovery primarily conserved lead and gun powder for big game to feed the most men with the least resources. During the 28-month expedition they killed and ate 1,001 deer, 375 elk, 227 bison, 62 antelope, 35 bighorn sheep, 43 grizzly bears, 23 black bears, 113 beaver, 16 otters, 104 geese and brant, 46 grouse, 9 turkeys, 48 plovers, a number of horses and dogs, plus 18 wolves, of which they only ate one. Although the men were voracious predators, the impact of the...
As surplus licenses go on sale on Monday, Aug. 12, hunters should remember that, according to the 2019 regulations, they are allowed only one Elk B License, despite legislation passed during the recent Montana Legislature. In the 2019 legislative session, House Bill 497 was passed providing hunters the opportunity to harvest up to three elk. However, this legislation doesn’t change the regulations for this year, which state: “Each hunter may possess only one Elk B License per year in addition to a General Elk License.” “For the 2019 hunting...
North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries personnel encourage anglers to keep fish caught from depths of more than 25 feet, rather than practice catch-and-release. Scott Gangl, Game and Fish fisheries management section leader, said while catch-and-release is often encouraged under the right conditions, fish reeled in from this depth will likely die if released. “Fish caught from deep water likely won’t survive because of the extreme change in water pressure,” Gangl said. Change in water pressure will cause the swim bladder to expan...
