Grizzlies Emerging as First Sign of the Spring Season
With spring officially underway, what better way to mark the new season than with the emergence of some of our favorite large mammals? Just the same as songbirds begin to return to North America from their wintering grounds in the tropics of South and Central America, the grizzly bear is beginning to show up […]
Montana Grizzly Delisting Inches Closer as Resolution Clears Final Vote
A Montana house resolution passed a final vote of the House this week in the state’s continued push to see the management of grizzly bears moved back to Montana’s wildlife agency. Sponsored by Rep. Steve Gunderson, R-Libby, House Joint Resolution 15 cleared its first vote of the full House on Tuesday and final vote […]
6-Year-Old Montana Boy in Close Encounter with Mountain Lion
As winter conditions bring more large mammals such as deer and elk into populated areas, predatory species such as mountain lions are also moving into Montana’s residential neighborhoods. So far this year, six mountain lions have been killed in Missoula alone, and now a close encounter between a pair of children and a sickly […]
Montana Bill Sets Out to Add Hunting and Fishing as a Constitutional Right
A bill introduced earlier in the month to the Montana Legislature is asking the state’s voters to decide whether hunting, fishing, and trapping should be established as “a right essential to pursuing life’s basic necessities” under the Montana Constitution. Carried by Republican Senator Jennifer Fielder of Thompson Falls, Senate Bill 236 is two-pronged in that […]
Report Shows the Economic Impact Big Game Hunting has in Montana
The American west carries a deep historical connection to hunting, wildlife and the outdoors, attracting the mountain men of the past and the big game hunters of today. While dramatic vistas, tough and unforgiving mountain terrain are characteristic of many western states, the state of Montana has long been a bucket list destination for […]
Helena Rally Attracts 1,000+ Public Land Advocates
A crowd of over 1,000 public lands advocates packed Montana’s State Capitol Monday afternoon to denounce public land transfer. The action, taking place on the main rotunda floor and overhead balconies, attracted supporters from across Montana and all walks of life. Despite being viewed as strictly an infringement on the access rights of hunters […]
Officials Pursue Trespassers on Protected Elk Winter Range
After being alerted by residents who observed a pair of hikers traversing the closed slopes of Mount Jumbo Missoula officials took chase in an attempt to bring the two men off the mountain. The area above the “L” monument on Mount Jumbo is closed and prohibits travel during the winter months spanning from December […]
Four Bighorn Sheep Killed After Mixing with Domestic Sheep
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks released a statement Thursday indicating that the department had to remove four bighorn sheep that had mixed with domestic sheep. In an attempt to curb the spread of disease, officials followed Fish, Wildlife and Parks policy that dictates the killing of sheep. When wild and domestic animals mix, the […]
Report Indicates Northern Yellowstone Elk Population Stable
Results from the recently released elk survey conducted by the Northern Yellowstone Wildlife Working Group displayed promising results for elk in Yellowstone National Park’s northern range. Marking an increase of nine percent from last year’s numbers, state, and federal wildlife biologists counted 5,349 elk in the region. The promising results indicate a stable population […]
Montana Biologists Drop the Net on Bighorn Sheep Herd for Health Testing
In an attempt to test the overall health of a native herd of bighorn sheep, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists and various volunteers captured and tested 32 bighorn sheep last week. The capture, taking place at the Woods Ranch Wildlife Management Area, was conducted by utilizing a large, suspended drop net. Enticing the […]