Elk management recommendations released for comment
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News from MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks
HELENA — The suite of recommendations developed by the Elk Management Citizen Advisory Group are available for public review and comment.
The group was organized this past spring by FWP director Hank Worsech to develop recommendations on elk management issues and to improve relationships between stakeholders interested in improving elk management. The group was composed of 12 citizens who represent a broad range of viewpoints and experience.
The group held 10 facilitated, public meetings and grappled with a variety of issues, settling on a list of 15 recommendations for Director Worsech. The recommendations were reviewed by FWP staff to assess implementation. The recommendations were also evaluated for their fiscal impact to FWP.
The staff evaluations, fiscal impact, and full text of the group’s recommendations are available online, where people can also provide comment. The 15 issues are;
Access Plus Program; Choose Your Weapon/Season; Collaboration between FWP, USFS, BLM & DNRC and Any Other Pertinent Local, State, or Federal Land Management Agencies; Create an A9 Tag Bundle; Develop User Friendly and Effective Methods to Collect Data; Establish (where possible) Localized Elk Working Groups; Expanded Hunter Education; Promote Focused Damage Hunts; Improve Accessibility to the FWP Videos, Programs, PSAs, etc. that Promote the Desired Behaviors between Landowners and Hunters; FWP Landowner Liaison; We have to Manage Elk Where They Are Not; Understand and Mitigate the Disease of Brucellosis in Elk; Use of Shoulder Seasons; Stakeholder Meetings; Enforce Stricter Penalties for Trespassing and Other Bad Behaviors by Hunters and Landowners.
To review the recommendations and to comment, go to; https;//fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/public-comment-opportunities/emcag-recommendations. The deadline for comment is 5 p.m. Oct. 14.
