Montana FWP Commissioners Offer Amendments To Proposed Hunting Regs for Next Year

Several hunting seasons have already ended or are set to end at the end of the month, and Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks commissioners are already looking towards next season.

In addition to encouraging new prospective hunters to take hunter education classes early and get it out of the way, the commissioners are currently reviewing the state hunting regulations, a process that happens every other year.  Two amendments have already been proposed with the possibility of more to follow.

What's been proposed?

One proposal would would have created multiple new elk permits for three districts in southeast Montana.  The proposal has since been amended to eliminate one of the  permits (798-20).  In order to compensate, the amendment would increase the maximum number of another permit (799-20) by a smaller amount and expand it to include the districts that were covered by the 798-20, while still creating one of the proposed new permits, which would be valid in all three of the affected districts.

Another involves creating a new archery elk permit for four hunting districts in central Montana, specifically around Lewistown.  The proposal would take the separate permits already issued for the districts and combine them into a single permit good in all the relevant districts.

When will this be decided?

The opportunity for public comment is open until the end of November.  After that, the commission will vote on these proposals and any others that may be brought forward in the next few days in their regular meeting on December 4th at 8am.

If you would like to watch the meeting via Zoom, please register by noon on December 3rd.