Montana Fish & Wildlife Sets Sights on 5,000+ Acre Wildlife Management Area
Located north of Yellowstone National Park, Montana officials are considering the acquisition of over 5,000 acres in an area state biologists and officials believe to be a pertinent migration corridor out of the park. According to the commission, the land has been on the market for some time and its importance to the winter activities […]
Young Bull Elk Gather in Secret Location to Spar
After hiking in western Montana, biologist Craig Jourdonnais has accidentally stumbled upon a somewhat secret locale that the young bull elok seem to be using as an octagon-inspired proving ground for the upcoming rut. Gently clashing with each other, Jourdonnaise says he had over 200 videos depicting the young elk gathering at the location on […]
How to Survive a Double Grizzly Attack with Todd Orr
Most of us heard about Todd Orr’s harrowing encounter with a grizzly bear last fall after he self-filmed himself after the near-deadly encounter. With some prescribed rest and rehabilitation for the past few months, Orr is all healed up and ready to share his story with the world with the hopes that his experience could […]
A Conservation Milestone: Yellowstone Grizzlies Removed from Endangered Species List
Despite being clouded in controversy, the decision to lift the federal protection of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is a victory in sound wildlife conservation. After living under the protective umbrella of the Endangered Species Act for over 40 years, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke called the recovery “one of America’s great […]
Montana’s Wolf Population Still Strong, Report Shows
Wolf numbers in Montana remained healthy in 2016 and more than three times the federally-mandated minimums. Montana’s annual wolf report shows a minimum of 477 wolves were counted for 2016. This is down from 536 wolves counted in 2015, but doesn’t necessarily reflect a reduction in wolf numbers, but rather a reduction in counting effort. […]
Study Points to Elk as More Significant Brucellosis Transmission Risk than Bison
Present in both bison and elk, Brucellosis is an infection that causes infected animals to abort their calves. While the infection has historically affected both species, it is the bison where much of the efforts to contain brucellosis were concentrated. As large grazing animals who often encounter livestock, ranchers have grown abundantly concerned that the […]
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Investigating Grizzly Bear Killing
Taking in a spring black bear hunt northeast of Montana earlier this month, a black bear hunter reportedly shot and killed a mature grizzly bear. Given the fact that the animal killed was one under federal protections, few details have since been released. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in conjunction with its partners at […]
Montana World Record Elk Goes on Display
Confirmed by both the Boone and Crockett Club and the Pope and Young Club earlier this year, Steve Felix’s official world record elk will be on display at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) headquarters in Missoula. While solo hunting with his bow in the fall of 2016, Felix took this massive bull that immediately […]
Father & Son Poaching Duo Slapped with Extended License Suspensions
After illegally killing an elk in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in 2015, a father and son duo was finally sentenced as part of plea agreements last week. According to reports, William Bartlett and his son Leland were charged last fall after a conversation overheard inside a Seeley Lake gym spawned an investigation by Montana […]
Butte Man Charged with Shooting Trophy Mule Deer in Downtown Butte
A trophy-sized mule deer was found dead in the streets of downtown Butte, Montana on a Monday morning last fall with a fresh bullet wound in his side. Causing an uncharacteristic Monday morning traffic jam, Montana officials immediately suspected foul play and got to work in the investigation. Given the public nature of the […]