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Helena – The Montana Outfitters and Guides Association has recognized the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission for making important changes to the state’s hunting season rules and regulations. The Commission’s actions strike a delicate balance between wildlife management, conservation efforts, public access, and hunter opportunity. Speaking on behalf of MOGA, Mac Minard, executive director, emphasized the critical nature of these changes. “These are pivotal adjustments designed to protect mule deer populations, enhance hunting opportu...
Ahead of fall public meetings, the Draft Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System Annual Operating Plan for the 2023-2024 runoff season is now available for public comment. The Missouri River Water Management Division has made the draft 2023-2024 Annual Operating Plan available at: https://www.nwd.usace.army.mil/MRWM/Public-Meetings/. The public comment period on the draft plan will close Nov. 30. The draft plan will be presented to the public in six meetings to be held in early November....
North Dakota’s waterfowl season opens for residents Sept. 23, while nonresidents may begin hunting waterfowl Sept. 30. The season for swans opens Sept. 30 for both residents and nonresidents who have purchased a swan license. Hunters may take six ducks, including mergansers, per day, with the following restrictions: five mallards of which two may be hens, three wood ducks, two redheads, two canvasbacks, one scaup, and one pintail. Mergansers are included in the total duck limit, with no species restrictions. Hunters can take two additional b...
North Dakota’s two-day youth pheasant season, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, is a great opportunity to introduce a new hunter to the outdoors, with limited competition. That’s when legally licensed residents and nonresidents 15 and younger can hunt rooster pheasants, statewide. An adult, at least 18, must accompany the youth hunter in the field. The adult may not carry a firearm. A general game and habitat license is required, and hunters 12 and older need to have passed a certified hunter education course or obtain an apprentice hunter validation, whi...
The deadline for submitting entries in the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual Watchable Wildlife Photo Contest is Oct. 2. The contest has categories for nongame and game species, as well as plants/insects. An overall winning photograph will be chosen, with the number of place winners in each category determined by the number of qualified entries. Photographers should go to the Game and Fish Department’s website at gf.nd.gov/photo-contest. Then it is a matter of providing some pertinent information about the photo and uploading it....
Helena - While mule deer populations remain steady in portions of the state, spring green-up surveys conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wildlife biologists showed populations in some parts of the state remain lower than desired, and as a result, licenses available to hunters in those areas have been cut back. Over the past few years, persistent drought, particularly in southeast Montana, has affected both survival and recruitment rates for mule deer. This drought has also, at times, been coupled with hard winters, making it especially...
Helena - So far this year, FWP and its partners have inspected 66,000 watercraft for aquatic invasive species. Of those, 35 were mussel-fouled and more than 200 were found with aquatic weeds. FWP and partner agencies, which include tribes, counties and conservation districts, operate more than 17 road-side watercraft inspection stations across the state. To find a watercraft inspection station or to learn more, go to CleanDrainDryMT.com or call the FWP Aquatic Invasive Species Bureau at 406-444-2440. A July survey for Eurasian watermilfoil...
Lewis and Clark State Park is situated on one of the upper bays of Lake Sakakawea. The park features miles of shoreline with picturesque views of towering buttes and rolling hills that provide a rugged backdrop for the park. Modern boating facilities, including a marina with slip rentals and boat ramps, are major attractions. Anglers will find excellent fishing for walleye, sauger and northern pike. Lewis and Clark State Park is home to a large native mixed-grass prairie. Visitors can become...
While the effort to stop the introduction and transportation of aquatic nuisance species in North Dakota has been mostly successful, challenges remain as not all anglers, pleasure boaters and other water enthusiasts are abiding by the clean, drain, dry message. For example, last week department game wardens and other department staff inspected over 1,200 watercrafts throughout the state. Unfortunately, these inspections found four watercraft that were transporting zebra mussels. Luckily, in all four incidences, the zebra mussels were determined...
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 with the exceptional fish bite at Lake Sakakawea this summer, anglers should know fish reeled in from this depth will likely die if released. “As water warms during summer, fish tend to move to deeper, cooler water,” Gangl said. “This is particularly true for walleye in the big lake, where they follow their...
Glasgow – A popular Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 6 program that allows kids and their friends or 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 and maintained over 350 fishing rods in most of the 41 different location sites across Montana's Hi-Line. The "Kids to Fish" program lets anglers check out fishing rods and reels equipped with basic tackle, such as hooks, bobbers, and sinkers. Typically, e...
Regardless of how safe and cautious boaters are on the water, accidents happen. If a boating accident involves injury, death or disappearance of a person, an accident report must be completed and sent to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department within 48 hours of the occurrence. If property damage exceeds $2,000, but no deaths or injuries occur, a boat operator has five days to file a report. These reporting requirements are mandatory whether there is one or more boats involved. A boat accident form is available on the Game and Fish...
A total of 37 teams participated in the Monster Cat Roundup, July 15, on the Yellowstone River outside of Sidney. Some of the fishing teams included six husband and wife combos, eight father and son or daughter combos, three grandfather and grandkid combos. The tournament was run by the Montana Catfish Association and Steve and Ashley Harris. Its total weight of five fish. The top ten teams and their hometowns are listed below. 1st Place Team 9: Todd Lindsay, and JJ Lindsay, both of Laurel, MT,...
Miles City - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is proposing to make improvements at the archery range in Makoshika State Park in Dawson County. Public comment is being sought on this proposal. The improvements will include new targets, a new vault latrine, road repairs and an additional storage shed. The archery course dates back to the 1960s and needs upgrades to improve safety and increase amenities while visitors use the course. The project will open access to archery recreation for visitors to Makoshika State Park. A draft Environmental...
Helena - When recreating on Montana's waterbodies this spring, summer and fall, be on the lookout for harmful algal blooms (HABs) that can occur on Montana's reservoirs and lakes. While not all algal blooms contain toxins, the blooms can impact human health and the health of freshwater ecosystems. Report suspected HABs at HAB.mt.gov to help others be alert and prevent illness. How to identify HAB: • A coloration or scum on the surface of the water that can look like grass clippings or spilled p...
Anglers can assist Fort Peck fisheries management by answering a few questions Fort Peck- Anglers on Fort Peck Reservoir this summer may be asked a few questions about their fishing experience when they come off the water. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is conducting an angling "creel" survey at one of the state's largest and most popular warm water fisheries. The information collected help biologists understand angler catch rates of popular game fish and determine level of satisfaction with...
The annual Kids Fishing Derby was held at Kent Pelton Nature Park in Watford City on June 3....
The Montana Yellow Tag Paddlefishing season started May 15. As of June 3 a total of 596 were reported to have been caught this season. The season will end when the 1000th paddlefish has been harvested....
On Tuesday, May 23, the area sixth graders were invited to participate in Kids Fishing Day at Gartside Reservoir. Marla Prell, fMiles City Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks office has been doing this for seven years. "I know this event goes back to at least the mid 90s. Today, we have Miles City and Glendive members of the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, MonDak Walleyes Unlimited and Blue Rock Products Company are here to assist. We have four stations for the kids to go through while they learn...
The 4th Annual Richland County Sportsman's Club Car Show will be Saturday, June 17, this year. Several local enthusiasts are expected to bring their classic cars, current hot rods, and works in progress to show off their rides. The car show was started back in 2019 for the Sportsman's Club to raise money to establish an outdoor public shooting range in Richland County. Larry Christenson said, "We're still looking for land, but that ain't nothing new." There is, currently, one shooting range...
Jeff Benda, Fargo, poses with his paddlefish caught at the Confluence on May 2, 2023....
Miles City - The 2023 yellow tag paddlefishing season on the Yellowstone River and Missouri River downstream of Fort Peck Reservoir started Monday, May 15. Wednesday, May 17, will be the first harvest days of the season during which paddlefishing is allowed in all designated areas. Sunday, Monday and Thursday are designated catch-and-release days for paddlefish, and Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are harvest days. Catch-and-release days restrict paddlefishing to the Intake Fishing Access Site only near Glendive. The paddlefish season w...
Helena - Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks recently approved $22,445 in funding for a project to enhance angling at Hollecker Lake near Glendive. The funding will come from FWP’s Community Grant Program. The Glendive Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited will lead an effort to maintain and repair important lake amenities such as the accessible ramp and fishing pier, fishing access points, access road and more. This project is expected to ensure public access and angling opportunity are continued at this important community fishery. FWP accepts a...
Helena - During its meeting on Feb. 22, the Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted a new regulation that prohibits snagging of paddlefish within the intake fish bypass channel on the Yellowstone River. The intake fish bypass channel is part of a Yellowstone River intake diversion dam project. The project’s objectives are to improve upstream and downstream fish passage for pallid sturgeon and other native species, including paddlefish, while maintaining water diversions into the lower Yellowstone project main canal. Snagging for paddlefish is v...
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum met with U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Interior Tommy Beaudreau and National Parks Service (NPS) Director Charles Sams to discuss a variety of North Dakota-related issues including the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, Painted Canyon, water supply project funding, oil and gas development on federal lands and the state’s recent offer to help the NPS manage the herd of wild horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. “We appreciate Deputy Secretary Beaudreau and Director Sams taking the time to discuss opp...
