HELENA – Furbearer and wolf hunting and trapping regulations for the 2024-2025 season are on the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission agenda for Aug. 16. To give Fish, Wildlife & Parks additional opportunity to assess wolf trapping dates and where those dates would apply, agenda discussion and decision on those specific aspects of the wolf trapping regulations will be postponed until the commission meeting on Oct. 10.   

All other elements of the 2024 wolf harvest regulations including hunting dates, harvest quotas, bag limits, trap setbacks, harvest reporting and proposed amendments will remain on the Aug. 16 meeting agenda. 

By postponing commission action only on the trapping dates and where they apply, the wolf hunting regulations would be publicly available after the Aug. 16 commission meeting, before the start of the wolf hunting season. 

The proposed trapping dates and where those dates apply will be posted on FWP’s website before the October meeting for the public to review and provide comment. After the October meeting, a supplement outlining trapping dates and where they apply would be available before the start of the wolf trapping season.

To see the full slate of topics on the agenda for the Aug. 16 meeting, click here.

HELENA – Full fishing closures at the mouth of some tributaries of the Clark Fork River take effect at midnight tonight, July 23. Full fishing closures prohibit any fishing at all. Hoot-owl restrictions take effect tomorrow, July 24, at 2 p.m. on the entire North Fork Flathead River and sections of the St. Regis River and Rock Creek. Hoot-owl restrictions prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight each day. These closures and restrictions will stay in effect until conditions improve.

Full fishing restrictions: 

• Clark Fork River in the mainstem at the mouths of these creeks
  • Within a 100-yard radius of the mouth of Rattlesnake Creek at the Clark Fork River confluence
  • Within a 100-yard radius of the mouth of St, Regis River at the Clark Fork River confluence
  • Within a 100-yard radius of the mouth of Fish Creek at the Clark Fork River confluence

Hoot-owl restrictions:

• Rock Creek
  • From Stoney Creek to the confluence of the West Fork Rock Creek and Middle Fork Rock Creek (formation of Rock Creek)
• St. Regis River
  • Twelvemile Creek to the confluence with Clark Fork River
• North Fork Flathead River
  • Entire river – from the Canadian border to the confluence with the Middle Fork of the Flathead River

To view a full list of restrictions, click here.

FWP's drought policy provides for angling restrictions when flows drop below critical levels for fish, when water quality is diminished or when maximum daily water temperatures reach at least 73 degrees for three consecutive days. Water temperatures of 77 degrees or more can be lethal to trout.

These restrictions are designed to protect fish that become more susceptible to disease and mortality when conditions like this exist. One short-term strategy to address heat-induced stress in Montana's wild trout is to reduce catch-and-release mortality by alerting anglers to fish only in the morning. 

Anglers can reduce stress on fish at all times of the year by getting fish to the net or in hand quickly, keeping them in the water and reviving them prior to releasing them back into the river.  

If high temperatures and extremely low flows persist, anglers may want to consider fishing areas with less stressful temperatures and conditions, such as larger lakes or reservoirs, or higher elevation waterbodies.

Along with monitoring stream temperatures, FWP also monitors stream flows and in some streams holds instream flow water rights. FWP’s water program can issue a call on junior water users, when appropriate, to contribute to stream flows through the late summer and early fall. For more information on FWP water rights, click here.

HELENA – Mineral County entered Stage II fire restriction on Saturday, July 20. Stage II fire restrictions are also in place in Missoula and Ravalli counties. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks follows the counties’ lead in placing fire restrictions on its properties within each county.  

These restrictions are in place for all fishing access sites (FAS), state parks and wildlife management areas (WMAs) managed by FWP in Mineral County, including Fish Creek WMA and state park and the following FASes: 

• Cyr Bridge  

• Upper/Middle/Lower Osprey  

• Tarkio and Tarkio East  

• Ralph’s Takeout  

• Big Pine  

• Forks  

• Quartz  

• Forest Grove  

• Big Eddy  

• Dry Creek  

• Sloway  

• St Regis  

• Natural Pier 

• St. Johns 

Stage II fire restrictions include those put in place under Stage I restrictions, which prohibit maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire at FWP sites; smoking within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least 3 feet in diameter that is cleared of flammable materials. Recreationists may cook on a liquid petroleum gas or propane stove that can be turned on and off. 

Stage II restrictions also prohibit operating lawn mowers, weed trimmers, chainsaws and other internal combustion engines from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.; welding or operating acetylene or other torch devices with an open flame between 1 p.m. and 1 a.m.; using an explosive between 1 p.m. and 1 a.m.; and operating motor vehicles off designated roads and trails, with exceptions for those carrying out official business related to the function of governmental agencies and public utilities. 

These restrictions at FWP sites will be in place until further notice. Due to dry conditions and high fire danger FWP urges people to use caution while they are out recreating. 

Learn more about wildfire prevention and the latest information on fires in Montana at www.mtfireinfo.org. 

Summer heat sends many people to their favorite outdoor recreation spots, but it also increases
the potential for Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). When HABs are present it can be dangerous to your health. The Gallatin City-County Health Department wants to make sure you, your family, and your pets stay safe while enjoying the lakes, rivers, and streams in and around Gallatin County.

The Gallatin City-County Health Department has been notified of a potential HAB at Hyalite
Reservoir on July 17. This potential HAB tested negative for microcystin, there is no current advisory at this time. Conditions can change rapidly, and it is recommended to review the HAB dashboard before visiting any water recreational area. It is also very important to read and follow all signage on-site when you visit.

“The dangers posed by HABs and other waterborne illnesses can be severe. In previous years, there have been reports of pets and livestock dying after exposure to HABs. These incidents occur when animals drink or swim in contaminated water,” says Travis Horton, Environmental Health Director at Gallatin City-County Health Department. “Ensuring pets and livestock do not drink or swim in affected areas can prevent these severe outcomes. Always follow posted warnings at all recreation areas and remember, when in doubt stay out.”

HABs are hazardous for humans and pets. Do not ignore signs posted near any body of water. HABs are a type of algae, known as cyanobacteria that can create toxins. Ingestion or prolonged contact with the algal bloom may result in illness, with impacts such as muscle twitching, staggering, convulsions, paralysis, and death. Importantly, children and pets are more likely to ingest HAB infested waters. Direct contact, ingestion, or inhalation of cyanotoxins may irritate the skin, eyes, nose, and respiratory system or cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or headaches.

If you suspect a HAB-related illness in a person or animal, call Poison Control 1-800-222-1222 and seek medical attention.
 
Report a suspected HAB at www.hab.mt.gov or call 888-849-2938. You may also report a
suspected HAB by calling the Gallatin City-County Health Department at 406-582-3120. For more information about, or to learn how to identify HABs, visit: Harmful Algal Blooms (mt.gov)
The Gallatin City-County Health Department’s website includes water testing of select locations
from the Gallatin Local Water Quality District. The Healthy Gallatin website includes local water testing as well as a link to the DPHHS HAB dashboard.

The mission for Gallatin City-County Health Department is to promote and protect health in the
communities we serve. For more information, visit our website www.healthygallatin.org.

GARDINER – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff shot and killed a grizzly bear Thursday after it had become conditioned to obtaining unsecured food attractants and breaking into houses in and around Gardiner.

On Wednesday night, FWP grizzly bear specialists and game wardens conducted a patrol with partner agencies in search of a grizzly bear that has frequented Gardiner and nearby communities. Early Thursday morning, they received a report that a bear had broken into a home in Maiden Basin, north of Gardiner. FWP staff responded and dispatched the bear while it was in the Yellowstone River. They recovered the carcass from the river Thursday afternoon and confirmed that the same bear had been involved in many recent conflicts.

Bear conflicts

Initial reported conflicts in Gardiner began in early June, with increasing frequency over the past three weeks. During that time, a grizzly bear regularly sought and obtained unsecured attractants at residences, businesses and vehicles. The attractants included garbage, human food, barbecue grills and pet food. These were stored in coolers, vehicles, camp trailers, sheds, garbage cans that were not bear resistant or unlocked bear-resistant garbage cans.

The bear also broke into several occupied residences to retrieve food, including homes in Gardiner and Maiden Basin, as well as a National Park Service employee house in Mammoth. Several property owners attempted to haze the bear, but it returned to Gardiner and surrounding areas almost nightly to obtain food.

No human injuries were reported.

FWP staff and Bear Aware Gardiner offered extensive educational outreach, working with several property owners to secure or upgrade their garbage cans or install electric fencing.

With human safety as a top priority, and in consultation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, FWP bear specialists began nightly efforts to trap and remove the bear. However, the wide availability of unsecured attractants, combined with the bear being active almost exclusively at night, limited opportunities to remove the animal without creating additional human safety risks.

These events and management efforts led to increased bear awareness in the community, an elevated patrol presence this week, and the safe removal of the habituated bear minutes after it had broken into an occupied home.

Bear specialists had collected genetic samples from the bear at several conflict locations. These samples matched a genetic profile for a known adult male grizzly bear that had been captured previously for research purposes and given a numbered ear tag. The bear killed Thursday had the same ear tag and was confirmed to be involved in the recent conflicts.

FWP would like to thank staff from the U.S. Forest Service, Yellowstone National Park, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey’s Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team for their assistance with the capture effort. FWP would also like to thank Gardiner residents who offered assistance where possible.

As residents continue their efforts to secure attractants, they will help avoid future conflicts with wildlife.

Be bear aware

Montana is bear country. Grizzly bear populations continue to become denser and more widespread in Montana, increasing the likelihood that residents and recreationists will encounter them in more places each year. People should be prepared to encounter grizzly bears in Montana, including places where grizzly bears haven’t been present for decades.

Residents, businesses and visitors are asked to store food, garbage and other attractants securely indoors or in certified bear-resistant containers. Feeding wildlife, including bears, is illegal in Montana and can lead to fines and other penalties.

Avoiding conflicts with bears is easier than dealing with such conflicts. Here are some precautions to help residents, recreationists and people who work outdoors avoid negative bear encounters:

• Carry bear spray and be prepared to use it immediately.
• Travel in groups whenever possible and make noise, which can help alert bears to your presence.
• Stay away from animal carcasses, which often attract bears.
• Watch for signs of bears such as bear scat, diggings, torn-up logs, turned-over rocks, and partly consumed animal carcasses.
• Follow food storage orders from the applicable land management agency.
• If you encounter a bear, never approach it.
• Keep garbage, bird feeders, pet food and other attractants put away in a secure building from March until December. Keep garbage in a secure building until the day it is collected. Certified bear-resistant garbage containers are available in many areas.
• Never feed wildlife. Bears that become food conditioned lose their natural foraging behavior and pose threats to human safety.

Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Management authority for grizzlies rests with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, working closely in Montana with FWP, the Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey, Wildlife Services, and Native American tribes. This collaboration happens through the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.

For more information, resources and education events on bear safety, visit fwp.mt.gov/bear-aware.

HELENA – Dry, hot weather has led several counties around the state to enter fire restrictions. Meagher, Judith Basin and Granite counties are under Stage I fire restrictions. Missoula and Ravalli counties are under Stage II restrictions. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will follow the counties’ lead in placing fire restrictions on its properties within each county.

FWP managed property in Meagher County includes Smith River Wildlife Management Area, Smith River State Park, Newlan Creek Reservoir Fishing Access Site (FAS) and Fort Logan FAS.  FWP managed property in Judith Basin County includes the Judith River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and Ackley Lake State Park.

FWP managed property in Granite County includes Bearmouth, Drummond and Gilles Bridge/Westslope FASes. FWP managed property in Missoula and Ravalli counties includes Johnsrud Park, Thibidoux, Red Rocks Ninemile Prairie, Roundup, Deep Creek, Russell Gates Memorial and Deep Creek FASes, among others; Travelers Rest, Placid Lake and Salmon Lake state parks, among others; and Blackfoot Clearwater Marshall Creek and Mount Jumbo WMAs. FWP managed property in Ravalli County includes Bass Creek, Bell Crossing, Tucker Crossing, Woodside Bridge, Demmons, Anglers Roost, Wally Crawford, Darby Bridge and Hannon Memorial FASes, among others; and Three Mile and Calf Creek WMAs.

Under Stage I and Stage II restrictions, building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire at FWP sites is not allowed. Smoking is prohibited except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is cleared of flammable materials. Recreationists may cook on a liquid petroleum gas or propane stove that can be turned on and off.

Stage II restrictions also prohibit operating lawn mowers, weed trimmers, chainsaws and other internal combustion engines from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.; welding or operating acetylene or other torch devices with an open flame between 1 p.m. and 1 a.m.; using an explosive between 1 p.m. and 1 a.m.; and operating motor vehicles off designated roads and trails, with exceptions for those carrying out official business related to the function of governmental agencies and public utilities.

These restrictions at FWP sites will be in place until further notice. Due to dry conditions and high fire danger FWP urges people to use caution while they are out recreating.

Learn more about wildfire prevention and the latest information on fires in Montana at www.mtfireinfo.org.

Visions West Contemporary is pleased to present A Universe Beneath, a group exhibition celebrating the poetics of fly-fishing and the feeling of being at the whims of the water’s current. This exhibition will include Jeb Todd, David Korty, Charles Lindsay, Ted Waddell, Johnny DeFeo, Rachel Dinwiddie, Robert McCauley and others.

The artists in this exhibition each reflect on their experiences with bodies of water–from the tactile collections of nymphs and dry flies to the nuanced play of light and shadow along the water’s surface.
 
We turn to rivers, streams, and creeks not only during times of uncertainty but also during periods of clarity, seeking adventure or solitude. The dichotomy of water itself mirrors this duality, as its unpredictable nature often oscillates between serenity and destructiveness.
 
This exhibition is not solely focused on fly-fishing as an activity; it serves as a reminder of the complex ecosystems that sustain these waters. It's about tuning into the subtle cues of currents, insects, and shadows while on the water and honing a deep connection with the natural world.
 
In many ways, the shifting currents and dualities of water echo our own experiences–the uncertainties of life, and moments of calmness amidst chaos.
 

Image Credit: Untitled (Trout No. 11), 2024, paint, pen, ink, pencil and collage on Hahnemuhlepaper, 18.5" X 24"

July 26th – August 21st
Opening Reception 6 – 8pm
Visions West Livingston