FWP Seeks Comment On Elk Proposals

Friday, July 25, 2008
Hunting

This article was Archived on Monday, August 25, 2008

The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission is seeking public comment on several recently approved elk-related proposals for the upcoming hunting season, including adjustments to elk management plan objectives in western Montana.

Here’s a summary of the proposals would result in changes for the upcoming season:

2008 Elk Season Harvest Quotas Region 2—Western Montana

Reduce cow elk quota in hunting districts 204, 261 and the northern portion of 270 from 200 to 100. This quota is tracked through the Darby Check Station, which triggers closure of the antlerless portion of the brow-tined bull/antlerless season in these hunting districts.

Reduce the cow elk quota in the southern portion of hunting district 270 from 300 to 200. This quota is tracked through the Darby Check Station, which triggers closure of the antlerless portion of the brow-tined bull/antlerless season in the southern portion of hunting district 270.

  2009 Elk Season Harvest Quota Ranges Region 2—Western Montana

The following harvest-quota ranges should have been established earlier this year, but were mistakenly not included in the biennial season-setting package approved by the FWP Commission in February. The range sets the low and the high harvest quota for wildlife managers to consider based on current conditions.  

Establish a quota range for the 2009 hunting season between 50 to 300 cow elk for hunting districts 204, 261, and the northern portion of 270.

Establish a quota range for the 2009 hunting season between 100 to 400 cow elk for the southern portion of hunting district 270.

  2008–2009 Elk Game Damage Permit Authorization

Region 3—Southwestern Montana

Adjust Region 3 elk game damage and management season permit authorization from 1,000 to 2,000 to allow FWP to potentially expand hunter-harvested elk-testing program to determine extent and range of elk brucellosis exposure.

  Elk Plan Population Objectives Adjustments

The following adjustments are proposed for Montana’s elk management plan population objectives in western Montana. The adjustments are proposed due to the newly created hunting district 298, a new population survey process, and in response to elk populations split among those that are accessible to hunters and vulnerable to over-harvest and those that are not accessible.

Region 2

Hunting District 210—increase from 725 to 1,000

Hunting District 216—increase from 325 to 450

Rock Creek Elk Management Unit—increase from 2,370 to 2,770

Hunting District 212—increase from 850 to 1,500

Hunting District 213—increase from 650 to 750

Flint Creek EMU—increase from 1,500 to 2,250

Hunting District 214—increase from 200 to 450

Sapphire EMU— increase from 3,800 to 4,050

Hunting District 215—increase from 1,000 to 1,200

Deer Lodge EMU—increase from 2,100 to 2,300

Hunting District 290/298—establish at 800 for new hunting district 298

Hunting District 292—decrease from 1,100 to 900

Garnet EMU—increase from 2,200 to 2,800

Hunting District 293—decrease from 750 to 500

Granite Butte EMU—decrease from 2,150 to 1,900

Hunting District 270—establish a sub-objective of 2,600 for publicly accessible elk; maintain hunting district objective of 3,000. Sapphire EMU objective is not influenced by this specific change.

Comments can be entered electronically or sent to:   FWP—Wildlife Division, Attn: Public Comment; P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701.

E-comment links can be found online at fwp.mt.gov. Click Hunting, then select the link listed under “Opportunity for Public Comment."  

The deadline for public comment is Aug. 29.   The FWP Commission will take final action on these items at its Sept. 25 meeting in Hamilton.