Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is taking public comment on the proposed 2020 Elk Management in Areas with Brucellosis Annual Work Plan and the biennial season setting process for the 2020-2021 hunting seasons.
2020 Elk Management in Areas with Brucellosis Annual Work Plan
In January 2013, the Fish and Wildlife Commission endorsed elk management recommendations from a citizen working group for use in areas with brucellosis (the Designated Surveillance Area as described by the Montana Department of Livestock). Annual work plans describe specific management actions based upon these recommendations. The proposed 2020 annual work plan essentially restates the 2019 plan to include hazing, limited fencing, limited lethal removal of elk, habitat modifications, and other efforts to move elk away from cattle at small scales to reduce the risk of brucellosis transmission from elk to cattle. The proposed 2020 plan also maintains previous landownership and date descriptions clarifying where and when elk may be lethally removed to move elk away from cattle. The number of elk that may be taken is also proposed unchanged.
2020-21 Biennial Season Setting Process
In Montana, hunting seasons can be changed every two years. Between Aug. 15 and Sept. 16, FWP will reach out to local sporting groups, work groups, citizen advisory committees, interested individuals, and more on any recommendations for season changes and encourage comment and additional ideas. Those interested can also submit comments and ideas through an online survey. The department will consider these comments in drafting season-change proposals to be presented to the Fish & Wildlife commission in December. Following this scoping effort, there will be opportunity to comment on season proposals presented to the commission in December.
Comments on both the proposed Brucellosis Work Plan and 2020-21 Biennial Season Setting will be taken until Sept. 16 at 5 p.m. Final commission action on the Brucellosis Annual Work Plan will take place at the Oct. 17 commission meeting. Additional clarification and materials can be provided by calling the Wildlife Division office at 406-444-2612 or emailing [email protected].
Public comments can be submitted by mail or electronically. Comments can be mailed to FWP, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620, emailed to [email protected], or by clicking on the following links:
2020 Elk Management in Areas with Brucellosis Annual Work Plan
http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/publicComments/2019/brucellosisWorkPlan.html
2020-21 Public Scoping Biennial Season Setting
http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/publicComments/2019/biennialSeasonSetting.html
Reader Comments(0)