News from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
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License required for training bird dogs using birds not raised in captivity
News from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
HELENA – Anyone training bird dogs using game birds not raised in captivity needs to hold a bird dog training license, whether on private or public land. If you are training dogs with captive-reared birds, a license is not required.
The Fish and Wildlife Commission requires anyone purchasing a bird dog training license intending to train on public land to designate the number of dogs being trained.
These licenses can be purchased online through the FWP Online License Service, any FWP regional office or any license provider. The license is $5 for residents ages 18 and over and $10 for nonresidents 18 and over. For residents and nonresidents ages 12 to 17, the license is free.
Bird dog training season with wild birds on public lands for residents runs from Aug. 1 to March 31, 2025; for nonresidents the season runs from Sept. 1 to March 31, 2025.
For those commercially training bird dogs on state trust land, a special recreational use license (SRUL) is required from the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.
Public comment being accepted
News from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
HELENA — The Fish and Wildlife Commission is accepting public comment on agenda items for its June 20 meeting. The meeting will be held through Zoom only.
To make a comment during the meeting, you must register by noon on June 19 on Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ website. Written comments can also be submitted through May 27 on the FWP website or sent to: 1420 E. 6th Ave., Helena, MT 59601, Attn: Erik Wickman.
Among other issues on the agenda, the following proposal is up for public comment:
Flathead Lake Wildlife Habitat Protection Area Rules: FWP proposes the installation of composting toilets and establish designated campsites on Bird and Cedar islands to mitigate negative habitat impacts, reduce the potential for social conflicts, and reduce the overall impacts to existing vegetation. Camping fees would be charged to offset the cost of operations.
For more information on these proposals, including supporting documentation and any collected public comment Fish and Wildlife Commission page on the FWP website.
