This is an email that I received from Larry Copenhaver who is the Conservation Director of Local Issues for the Montana Wildlife Federation.

In keeping with Montana Wildlife Federation’s (MWF) mission to keep you informed, the following meetings are scheduled for Region 4 and Region 6 locations, please forgive any multiple postings. Please attend and share your concerns for the Tentative Regulations for 2010.

MWF will also be sending along other conservation news shortly. If your sporting club would like to know more about MWF please contact us at this email address. If you want to be removed, please respond as well.

FWP Region 4 Schedules Meetings on Wildlife Tentatives
Fish, Wildlife & Parks has set meeting dates in north central Montana to discuss the tentative 2010 big game hunting regulations.
For the 2010 hunting season some of the proposed changes affecting FWP Region 4 include:

ELK
* Create five either sex permits valid throughout the hunting district (HD) 425.
* Adjust the A9/B12 antlerless elk license to be valid on private and DNRC lands in all Region 4 HDs except 401, 410, 417, 420 and 455. Currently not valid in 12 HDs.
* The addition of general license opportunity during the last nine days of general firearm season in HD 448.

DEER
* Convert any general A license from either sex mule deer to antlered buck only mule deer for both archery and firearm seasons.
* Combine unlimited resident and nonresident single region antlerless whitetail license.

STATEWIDE ISSUES
* Statewide deer and elk opener one day earlier than traditional Sunday for firearm season.
* Statewide create youth deer hunting season on third Thursday and Friday of October.
* Move opening day of the general firearm season for antelope to Saturday of Columbus Day weekend and adjust the antelope archery only season to end the day before this opener.

All of the proposed changes are on the FWP web site at www.fwp.mt.gov under recent public notices: request for public comment – 2010-2011 hunting season proposals – interested persons letter.

Here are the R4 season setting meeting dates & places.  Everything starts at 7PM.
•    Jan. 5, Fort Benton, city hall;
•    Jan. 7, Wolf Creek, elementary school;
•    Jan. 11, Chester, high school auditorium;
•    Jan. 11, White Sulphur Springs, city hall;
•    Jan. 12, Augusta, Catholic church;
•    Jan. 12, Shelby, Marias River Electric Coop;
•    Jan. 13, Stanford, city hall;
•    Jan. 14, Conrad, Pondera shooting sports club;
•    Jan. 14, Lewistown, FWP office;
•    Jan. 19, Great Falls, MSU-COT Heritage Hall.

REGION 6 MEETINGS
GLASGOW, Mont. – Montanans will have a variety of opportunities to review and comment on 2010-2011 hunting regulation proposals by going online or by attending one of 46 public meetings taking place across the state beginning in January.

In FWP Region 6, meetings to discuss the proposed hunting regulations will take place:
•    Antique Room of the Duck Inn in Havre on Jan. 11
•    Jubilee Room of the Sheridan County Library in Plentywood on Jan. 14
•    Cottonwood Inn in Glasgow on Jan. 19,
•    Malta High School cafeteria in Malta on Jan. 20.

Each of the meetings will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The full statewide meeting schedule is available on the FWP Web site at “fwp.mt.gov” under the “2010-2011 Hunting Season Comments” section.

In addition, the public can meet informally with FWP Region 6 staff to discuss any other items of interest, scheduled
.
•    3:30 – 5:30 p.m  on Jan 14 at the Main Bistro in Plentywood
•    3:30 – 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 11 at Havre’s Duck Inn.

Comments, which are due by 5 p.m. on Jan. 22, may be submitted at the public meetings or electronically on the FWP Web page. Written comments also may be sent to: FWP-Wildlife Bureau, Attn: Public Comment, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701.

Tags: Hunting Season Proposals, Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks (FWP), Montana Wildlife Federation (MWF)