Outdoors

News from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks HELENA — It might seem like a good idea at the time, but dumping an aquarium pet into a lake or river is not good for the pet or for the native wildlife. The pet probably won’t survive, and native wildlife won’t know how to compete with the invasive species. Earlier this spring, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks personnel identified two species that were the result of aquarium dumps. The first detection was mystery snails at Finley Point in Flathead Lake. Mystery snails are an aquarium snail that are found in many waters in the West. But this is the first mystery snail population identified in Montana. FWP plans to a...

News from Montana, Fish, Wildlife & Parks HELENA — This month, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks researchers will begin the second season of a multi-year study on black bears aimed at better understanding and estimating the population across the state. FWP staff will collect hair samples b...

News from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks HELENA — Most of Montana’s 76 Wildlife Management Areas open at noon on Wednesday, May 15. The long winter and heavy snowpack have left a limited area for wildlife to forage. With grizzly bear activity increasing, people visiting WMAs should remai...

News from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks HELENA — The outdoor opportunities at Montana’s state parks are no secret to those who like to recreate. Last year, more than 3.1 million visitors took advantage of the hiking, camping, fishing, swimming, and site-seeing destinations available at ...

News from Montana Fish,Wildlife & Parks KALISPELL — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking volunteers for a trail maintenance project on Wild Horse Island on Flathead Lake in May.  FWP is planning to spend a half-day on the island completing general maintenance of the state park...

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 trainin...

News from Jennifer Guse, Flathead Land Trust MISSION VALLEY — A 122-acre ranch and wildlife haven in the Mission Valley, once platted for subdivision, has been protected in perpetuity with Flathead Land Trust. John Weaver, distinguished retired conservation biologist and land steward, added this p...

MSU News Service BOZEMAN — Prominent voices from the mountaineering realm will keynote the second annual Minds on Mountains Conference sponsored by Montana State University’s College of Letters and Science on April 25–26. The event, which is organized by the Mountains Working Group ...

News from Montana Fish, Wildllife & Parks KALISPELL — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public input on a potential project that would place nearly 33,000 acres of private timberland in northwest Montana under a conservation easement and protect working lands, public recreation acc...

News from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks HELENA – A Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks warden stopped a driver pulling a ski boat after he drove past an aquatic invasive species (AIS) inspection station near Anaconda in early April. The warden noticed some mussels on the boat and had the drive...