The search stops here: New hunting and fishing companion websites now available
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It’s no secret that Montana has a wealth of outdoor recreation venues to offer those who thrive off of getting lost in the wild, but until recently, many were clueless about where to turn when seeking up-to-date hunting and fishing information. Earlier this spring, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks teamed up with the Montana State Library to be the first state to bring the most important hunting and fishing information to the public in two concise websites.
“It was a co-op process,” Montana FWP Information Bureau Chief Tom Palmer said. “The State Library wanted to reach out to their hunters to offer them a one-stop shop for hunting and fishing in Montana.”
The hunting and fishing companion websites tend to their specified sports, providing information based on the four main questions beginning outdoorsmen ask before heading into the wilderness. The four topic groups answer any questions a hunter may have about what to hunt, where to hunt, when to hunt and how to hunt. All of this was launched for the public in August, and the site has 1,733 page views in the last 30 days.
“It’s been very well received,” Palmer said. “People like it because they can access recreational activities quickly.”
Through these different topics, you can find information on how to get licenses, regulations, game species guides, harvest and hunting reports, and public and private land ownership maps, to name a few.
According to Montana State Library Communications and Marketing Coordinator Sarah Groves, the reasoning behind the website was due to a large demand voiced by librarians throughout the state.
“We were hearing a lot of questions about hunting resources,” Groves said. “So we collaborated general information for a hunting trip.”
She added they made the website’s information easy to access, so hunters and fishermen can find the specific information they are seeking.
“It’s nice because they don’t have to wade through tons of information to get what they want,” she noted.
Many of the links on the website connect with FWP’s website, as the department drove the majority of the content, according to Groves.
“After we went through and found all the information for the content areas, we tested the site with Montana librarians,” she said. “It took a few months, but I think people who are interested in hunting will find this website provides all the necessary information to go out and hunt.”
“We just wanted to make it easier for them to get out and explore Montana,” Palmer added.
To view the sites, visit http://msl.mt.gov/hunting/, and for fishing go to http://msl.mt.gov/fishing/.
