Sorted by date Results 250 - 274 of 781
The 2018 paddlefish season on the Yellowstone River and the Missouri River downstream of Fort Peck Dam (yellow tags) has been under way for over a week, and as of Saturday, 284 paddlefish have been processed at the Intake Fishing Access Site station near Glendive. The estimated harvest for the entire basin was 265 fish. The high volume of water and rapid flows continue to challenge angler success. By comparison, last year’s harvest season closed in just over three days, when it was anticipated that the harvest cap of 1,000 fish would be met. M...
The MonDak Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited held their annual Kids Fishing Day at Gartside Reservoir on May 18. Sidney 6th graders had the opportunity to learn about fishing, boating and water safety from chapter members and MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks representatives....
Ally Harris, of Sidney, snagged a 75 pound paddlefish at the MDU bridge last week. (Photo submitted)...
Due to high flows and ice jams during spring runoff on the lower Yellowstone River, a few boat ramps will be unusable for an extended period of time. Elk Island Fishing Access Site in Richland County suffered extensive damage during ice jams this spring. Water more or less washed away the entire site, making it impossible to reach the boat ramp. Elk Island has a second boat ramp on the Wildlife Management Area that was also destroyed during ice events this spring. Boat ramps at Elk Island FAS...
The annual Montana and North Dakota paddlefish season begins soon, with the Missouri River harvest starting on May 1 and ending on June 15, and the Yellowstone River harvest starting on May 15 and ending on June 30. Depending upon harvest numbers, however, the season is subject to immediate early closure by announcement of the Montana or North Dakota Game and Fish departments, respective to the area to be closed. Paddlefish anglers must obtain a paddlefish tag, a conservation license and state...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will hold two public meetings in January to gather public comment on proposed hunting seasons and regulations for the next two years. A meeting will be held in Miles City on Wednesday, January 10 at Miles Community College from 7-9 p.m. in Room 106. A second meeting will be held in Glendive on Thursday, January 11 from 7-9 p.m. at Dawson Community College, in the UC Buildings Room 102. Proposals for Region 7 include expanding B license elk and spike bull opportunities in specific hunting districts. Another...
Winter anglers are reminded that any fish house left unoccupied on North Dakota waters must be made out of materials that will allow it to float. A popular question this time of year is if campers qualify as legal fish houses. The answer is the same for any structure taken on the ice – if it's left unattended, it must be able to float; if it's not able to float, it must be removed when the angler leaves the ice. Other fish house regulations include: - Fish houses do not require a license. - O...
When drought and the accompanying heat hits, attention tends to focus on withering crops, explosive wildfires and subsoil moisture. While those drought-caused problems are obvious, creatures that spend their lives underwater and out of sight can suffer as well. If a stream bed dries up, of course, fish don’t do well. But even before that final step, higher temperatures and reduced stream flow hurt. The Smith River south of Great Falls is a good example. “This has been a particularly tough year on the Smith,” said Grant Grisak, Fish, Wildl...
A popular Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 6 program that allows children and their families to check out free fishing rods and tackle is in full swing again this year. In time for summer fishing, FWP staff has restocked the 44 different location sites across Montana's Hi-Line. The "Kids to Fish" program lets youngsters check out fishing rods and reels and use basic tackle, such as hooks, bobbers, and sinkers. Typically, eight rods are at each location, and usually a tackle box is...
Surplus wolf and over the counter licenses are now on sale. Surplus deer B, elk B licenses, and antelope licenses went on sale as of Monday, Aug. 7, also available are wolf and over-the-counter licenses listed in the regulations. The surplus licenses will be available on a first come, first serve basis. Online sales began after nighttime maintenance on the licensing system. The total number of Deer B licenses an individual may hold through a combination of drawing, over the counter and surplus is 7. A list of available surplus...
Bob Buxbaum of Fairview, MT found this unusual looking cucumber when picking vegetables from his garden Sunday morning....
Richland County residents and their families gathered at Gartside Reservoir on Sunday, July 22 to get some relief from the recent heat wave in the area....
By the end of this week, all 11 counties in the Miles City Fire District will be under at least Stage I fire restrictions, banning campfires, smoking and other activities in all but a handful of exempted areas. Affected counties are Garfield, McCone, Richland, Dawson, Prairie, Wibaux, Rosebud, Custer, Fallon, Powder River and Carter. State and federal agencies including Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks follow the counties’ lead in placing fire restrictions on sites they administer within those counties, so visitors to Fishing Access Sites and oth...
Hunters who did not apply for bonus points during this years big game drawings or who are new to hunting, can now purchase a bonus point until September 30 to help in next years drawing. This new feature at Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks was set up by House Bill 623, introduced by Rep. Kerry White during the 2017 Legislature, and allows anyone who missed applying for bonus points to still participate in the program by purchasing a bonus point for the drawings. The legislation also ensured any bonus points accumulated will not expire, allowing...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks annual walleye spawn egg-take on Fort Peck Reservoir was completed at the end of April. In addition, stocking efforts were completed in June. With the help of FWP personnel and over 95 volunteers, the egg collection goals were exceeded. Volunteers, Fort Peck Reservoir Biologist Heath Headley says, are key to the operation. "We wouldn't be able to set all the trap nets, collect fish, and spawn them on a daily basis unless we had help," he explained. "Volunteers...
North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries personnel are wrapping up a record year for stocking of walleye fingerlings in more than 130 waters across the state. Jerry Weigel, fisheries production and development supervisor, said more than 12 million fingerlings were stocked, besting the previous high by more than 1 million fish. “Considering not many went into Lake Sakakawea, this included an unprecedented stocking of nearly 7 million fingerlings into the smaller fishing waters across the state,” Weigel said. With more than 50 new wal...
Extensive vegetation growth along docks and boat ramps serves as a good reminder for anglers and boaters to follow aquatic nuisance species regulations. North Dakota Game and Fish Department ANS coordinator Jessica Howell said the Department has received reports of increased vegetation in local waters. “Aquatic plants can be the most abundant in the warmer months due to a combination of available nutrients, light and steadily increasing water temperatures,” Howell said. State regulations require all aquatic vegetation be removed from boats, per...
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will again participate in Operation Dry Water as part of a nationally coordinated effort to increase knowledge about the dangers of boating under the influence. The goal is to reduce the number of accidents and deaths associated with alcohol and drug use on our waterways. Operation Dry Water weekend, June 30-July 2, is the national weekend of heightened enforcement effort directed at boating under the influence laws and recreational boater outreach....
Montana’s welcoming summer waters annually draw anglers, hikers, wildlife viewers, campers, floaters and boaters into the outdoors because it’s still easy to have a great summer experience on Montana’s rivers. The key is river etiquette, a mix of common sense, courtesy, and respect to minimize one party’s impact on another party’s good time. Here are some examples of basic river etiquette. • Respect People’s Space and Privacy—The point at which someone feels crowded is subjective, but every outdoor activity requires space. On the river, main...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wardens will be trying to catch young people doing something right this summer. FWP and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary have teamed up with McDonald’s and Super 1 Foods stores to hand out coupons for free ice cream cones to young boaters ‘caught’ wearing their life jackets while boating. The coupons will be given to anyone 16 years of age and under wearing a life jacket while enjoying Montana’s waters. Montana law requires youth under 12 years of age to wear a life jacket when the boat is in motion. “Having...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wants to remind persons using stand-up paddleboard (SUPs) that a life jacket is required to be on board. The use of SUPs has exploded in Montana over the past few years. The vessels are fun, easy-to-use and have equipment requirements, not unlike other vessels. All SUPs need to have a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket on board, children under 12 years of age must wear a life jacket. With this increase in popularity more people than ever are participating in this recreational activity. In 2008 the U.S. Coast...
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department reminds citizens that possession or use of fireworks on state wildlife management areas is prohibited. The primary objective of a wildlife management area is to enhance wildlife production, provide hunting and fishing opportunities, and offer other outdoor recreational and educational uses. Only activities that would not disrupt the intentions of how these areas are managed are encouraged, and a fireworks display is not compatible. Excessive noise and commotion that come with fireworks disturbs...
Aquatic invasive species are non-native animals or plants that are usually spread through the water, and from one waterbody to another, by attaching to watercraft, trailers and related aquatic equipment. Aquatic invasive species such as zebra and quagga mussels pose a serious threat to lakes and waterways in western Canada. These small but destructive mussels have been discovered in Ontario, Manitoba and 34 states, including Montana and North Dakota. The Adult Invasive Mussel Monitoring (AIMM)...
Tobacco Gardens Resort and Marina on Lake Sakakawea near Watford City held their Kite Festival June 9-11. The festival featured enormous kites for people to enjoy and smaller ones available for kids and families to fly. They also had parachute races and candy drops for kids of all ages....
North Dakota boaters who are traveling to other states or Canadian provinces should check the aquatic nuisance species regulations of their destination to make sure they are in compliance. While many of North Dakota’s ANS prevention regulations are similar to surrounding states and provinces, state Game and Fish Department ANS coordinator Jessica Howell says there are some subtle differences that could lead to travel interruption or citations depending on the circumstances. “Removal of all water and vegetation, as well as pulled plugs whi...
