Outdoors

News from MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks HELENA — Pheasant season opens this Saturday, Oct. 8. To increase hunters’ opportunity for success, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will release pheasants at four wildlife management areas (WMA). The birds will be released in the days prior to Oct. 8 at Warm Springs WMA near Deer Lodge, Canyon Ferry WMA and Lake Helena WMA near Helena, and at Freezout Lake WMA near Choteau. Prior to the youth pheasant hunt weekend on Sept. 24 and 25, FWP staff released pheasants at 15 WMAs around the state, including Lake Helena, Canyon Ferry and Freezout. This will be the first release at Warm Springs WMA this year. More releases are planned o...

News from Montana FWP HELENA — Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus was detected in wild birds and domestic poultry in Montana earlier this year. While HPAI cases in wild birds did appear to decline over the summer, there are detections of new cases in parts of the U.S., including Montan...

HELENA — Hunting for ducks, coots and geese opens Saturday, Oct. 1. Here are a few reminders: The aggregate daily bag for dark geese in the Pacific Flyway has increased from four to five. Dark geese include Canada geese, cackling geese and white-fronted geese (any geese other than snow, blue and ...

JOCKO VALLEY — The Mission Mountain Area Pedal to Plate (MMAPP) bike tour kicked off on Saturday in a 26-mile route through farms around Arlee.  “The whole goal behind it is to promote our small-scale agriculture and the really diverse range of producers that we have here,” explaine...

News from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks HELENA — There are only two remaining trapper education field days left this year before trapping season for most species begins on Nov. 1. As a reminder, to purchase a Montana resident trapping license, trappers must complete the Montana Trapper Educa...

News from MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks KALISPELL — This fall, staff in Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Region 1 (northwest Montana) will be offering free clinics to teach hunters how to collect lymph node samples from the animals they harvest to have them tested for chronic wasting dise...

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 is...

News from Montana FWP MONTANA — It’s important to continue to clean, drain and dry your boat and gear when you recreate on the water to prevent the potential spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS).   So far this year, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and its partners have inspected...

News from Montana FWP HELENA — While air temperatures remain hot, smoky conditions have caused water temperatures to cool down to meet the criteria to lift fishing restrictions and closures on several rivers in western Montana. The restrictions and closures were lifted Wednesday, Sept. 7. All r...

News from Glacier National Park WEST GLACIER — As the autumn season approaches, operations in the park will start winding down. On Sept. 11, the park’s 2022 vehicle reservation pilot study ended. Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead and prepare for temporary traffic restrictions at the west...