Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is holding a meeting in Kalispell this weekend on the 2014-2015 hunting regulation proposals. The informational public meeting is at the Red Lion Hotel inside Kalispell Center Mall, on Saturday, Jan. 4.
Other events are scheduled around Northwest Montana but this is the main hearing for collecting public comment from hunters across FWP’s Region One.
The schedule calls for an open house to be held from 9-10 a.m. with FWP biologists and managers explain informationing on wildlife populations and proposed regulations.
The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Gary Wolfe will be on hand to listen to comments. Each member of the public who wishes to speak will have a time allotment for each group of tentative regulation.
For Northwest Montana’s Region One, the proposed regulations include:
— White-tailed Deer: offer a limited number of antlerless B-licenses through the drawing. In HDs 101, 102, 109, 110 and 120 they would be valid only on private land, excluding Plum Creek and Stoltze Timber Company land. In HDs 121, 122, and 124 they would be valid district wide on all lands.
— Mule Deer: no change – remaining in a restrictive season.
— Elk: no change–remaining in a restrictive season.
— Moose: no change
— Bighorn Sheep: no change except eliminate ewe licenses in HD 123
— Mountain Goat: no change
— Black Bear: no change
— Mountain Lion: initiate a male subquota in most HDs
— Upland Bird: no change
— Turkey: allow two turkeys to be taken in the fall, one either sex and one hen
Details on all the proposed hunting regulations are available on FWP’s website. Click “2014-2015 Hunting Proposals.” Comments can also be mailed to: Wildlife Bureau, Attn: Public Comment, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701.
The state commission will adopt final regulations at its Feb. 13 meeting in Helena.