FWP seeks to simplify hunting regulations

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is starting a biennial review of the state's hunting regulations, and this year the department is looking to take a fresh approach.

The review typically has resulted in only minor changes to existing regulations. But this year, FWP will tackle more significant changes such as combining hunting districts and simplifying license structures, while staying focused on managing wildlife populations across the state.

"Hunters have told us for years that our regulations are too complicated," FWP Director Hank Worsech said. "Past efforts to simplify the regulations have mostly resulted in small changes every two years. It's time to take a more holistic look at the regulations to make them more understandable and effective."

In the past, the hunting regulation process typically had few changes to the existing regulations. This year, FWP will tackle more significant changes such as combining hunting districts and simplifying license structures, while keeping focused on statewide wildlife population management goals.

Hunters have often said the regulations were difficult to understand and even some FWP employees have struggled to fully grasp what is meant to be stated. The redesign is directed at making them more understandable to hunters when applying for special permits and licenses which will make them more effective for everyone.

Liz Bradley, FWP Biologist for Region 2, shared a proposal that is on the table.

“We will no longer be offering antlerless elk permits (which are used with your general elk license) so any cow hunting will be allowed through B-licenses only (which is a second elk license in addition to your general license)”, she explained. Meaning, this is an opportunity to harvest a bull and a cow in Mineral County if you are drawn for the B-license (tag).

In several instances around the state, adjacent hunting districts have similar regulations.

In those cases, FWP may propose combining hunting districts and eliminating duplicative regulations.

“We are considering some new hunting districts that could cross regional boundaries (like Regions 1 and 2). In Region 2 we are currently only looking at changes with deer and elk but simplifications to regulations with other species could happen soon as well.”

The proposed changes would take effect for the 2022 hunting season and with those changes comes a long process of examining and studying the effects of the adjustments. “We will continue to survey elk and deer populations annually and continue to monitor elk and deer harvest with the phone survey and check stations,” Bradley said.

These proposed changes will be posted at fwp.mt.gov when they first become available for public comment in September.

Hunters and the public will have multiple opportunities to comment during this year’s season setting process. In late September, FWP will put potential changes to hunting regulations for the 2022 and 2023 seasons out for 30 days of public comment.

Here is a link to the hunting season proposals and info on how to comment:

https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/public-comment-opportunities/hunting-reg-changes.

A public open house scheduled for Sept. 28 was cancelled due to coronavirus concerns.

A second 30-day public comment window will follow the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission's Dec. 14 meeting.

"We'll put science-based proposals out for people to chew on early in the process, to promote transparency and encourage public engagement," Worsech said.

The Fish and Wildlife Commission will see both the department's proposals and public comments before its meeting Dec. 14. At that meeting, the commission will approve a refined, draft set of regulations for further public comment.

The commission will adopt the final 2022 and 2023 hunting regulations in February.

A simplified approach to hunting regulations is something FWP staff have worked on for the past four years. The first steps were to clarify and simplify some of the legal language in the regulations and make them consistent in all FWP regulation booklets. That step was completed almost three years ago.

"Ultimately, the aim is to have regulations that are consistent with state law and management objectives, clarify hunter opportunity and encourage participation," Worsech said. "It's time for a better approach, and we're eager to hear what hunters think. We'll focus directly on the wildlife resource and look to the public and commission to help us get this right."