Summer Update
A Super Opportunity for Hunters
Win the hunt of a lifetime! For the first time ever, five lucky hunters will win a SuperTag license to hunt moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, elk, or deer in any hunting district in Montana—including Montana’s legendary trophy districts. An unlimited number of chances may be purchased at $5 per chance. Revenue from this special lottery will enhance hunting access and boost enforcement efforts. SuperTag chances are available for purchase at FWP offices, license providers, and on FWP’s website at app.mt.gov/elicensesales. The deadline for moose, sheep, and goat SuperTag is July 6 and August 3 for deer and elk, with drawings held soon after each deadline. A conservation license is a prerequisite for the purchase of SuperTag chances. For more information visit fwp.mt.gov/supertag.
Become an Outdoors-Woman
Spend a weekend tucked away at a rustic camp at the base of the majestic Absaroka Mountains with fellow women learning and honing skills to help you fully enjoy the outdoor environment. The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program is designed to offer hands-on instruction to women in a relaxed and non-intimidating atmosphere. The summer BOW program will be held July 14-16 at Luccock Park Camp south of Livingston. The workshop offers four sessions for each participant and includes overnight accommodations and meals. Class topics include natural-resources recreation like fishing, shooting, archery, plant and bird identification, and many other topics. The classes stress hands-on experience and friendly teaching environments. The workshops are aimed at females 18 years and older and include many female instructors. For more information visit fwp.mt.gov/education/bow.
Are Wolves Affecting Elk in the Madison Valley?
The reintroduction of gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995-96 returned the large predator to the Greater Yellowstone Area after a 70-year absence. The reintroduction itself remains a controversial topic, and their impact on the 50,000-60,000 elk in southwest Montana is important to many who prize these elk. In 2001, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the MSU Ecology Department teamed up to better understand how wolves, hunters, and livestock operations influence the 5,000 elk that winter on private and public lands east of the Madison River south of Ennis. At the most basic level, the researchers are looking at how wolves and hunters affect elk numbers, elk distribution across the landscape, and behavioral changes. In addition, because of disease concerns and competitive foraging on private lands, the study also examines elk use of the landscape in relation to livestock distribution. The data comes primarily from GPS collars, which collect each elk’s location approximately every half hour (or about 40 locations per day per elk) and the location of each wolf every three hours. The field work will be completed in early 2007 and the final results will be published in a graduate student thesis in the summer of 2007. The information gleaned from this multilayered project will help FWP make more informed long-term decisions about elk and wolf management strategies and give livestock operators useful information about timing and use of certain areas to minimize overlap of elk and cattle, especially during higher risk periods. For more information, visit fwp.mt.gov/wildthings/wolf/game and click on the Hamlin Report.
Melissa Frost is the FWP Region 3 Information and Education Manager.
Win the hunt of a lifetime! For the first time ever, five lucky hunters will win a SuperTag license to hunt moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, elk, or deer in any hunting district in Montana—including Montana’s legendary trophy districts. An unlimited number of chances may be purchased at $5 per chance. Revenue from this special lottery will enhance hunting access and boost enforcement efforts. SuperTag chances are available for purchase at FWP offices, license providers, and on FWP’s website at app.mt.gov/elicensesales. The deadline for moose, sheep, and goat SuperTag is July 6 and August 3 for deer and elk, with drawings held soon after each deadline. A conservation license is a prerequisite for the purchase of SuperTag chances. For more information visit fwp.mt.gov/supertag.
Become an Outdoors-Woman
Spend a weekend tucked away at a rustic camp at the base of the majestic Absaroka Mountains with fellow women learning and honing skills to help you fully enjoy the outdoor environment. The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program is designed to offer hands-on instruction to women in a relaxed and non-intimidating atmosphere. The summer BOW program will be held July 14-16 at Luccock Park Camp south of Livingston. The workshop offers four sessions for each participant and includes overnight accommodations and meals. Class topics include natural-resources recreation like fishing, shooting, archery, plant and bird identification, and many other topics. The classes stress hands-on experience and friendly teaching environments. The workshops are aimed at females 18 years and older and include many female instructors. For more information visit fwp.mt.gov/education/bow.
Are Wolves Affecting Elk in the Madison Valley?
The reintroduction of gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995-96 returned the large predator to the Greater Yellowstone Area after a 70-year absence. The reintroduction itself remains a controversial topic, and their impact on the 50,000-60,000 elk in southwest Montana is important to many who prize these elk. In 2001, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the MSU Ecology Department teamed up to better understand how wolves, hunters, and livestock operations influence the 5,000 elk that winter on private and public lands east of the Madison River south of Ennis. At the most basic level, the researchers are looking at how wolves and hunters affect elk numbers, elk distribution across the landscape, and behavioral changes. In addition, because of disease concerns and competitive foraging on private lands, the study also examines elk use of the landscape in relation to livestock distribution. The data comes primarily from GPS collars, which collect each elk’s location approximately every half hour (or about 40 locations per day per elk) and the location of each wolf every three hours. The field work will be completed in early 2007 and the final results will be published in a graduate student thesis in the summer of 2007. The information gleaned from this multilayered project will help FWP make more informed long-term decisions about elk and wolf management strategies and give livestock operators useful information about timing and use of certain areas to minimize overlap of elk and cattle, especially during higher risk periods. For more information, visit fwp.mt.gov/wildthings/wolf/game and click on the Hamlin Report.
Melissa Frost is the FWP Region 3 Information and Education Manager.
