Ask any Montana hunter, and they’ll have a different response on the state of our mule deer herds and mule deer hunting. There’s certainly no shortage of complaints, nor ideas on what to do about it. Along those lines, FWP is looking for members of a to-be-formed mule deer citizens advisory council. The goal of the group is to identify expectations for a new mule deer plan and reach consensus among members on what solutions could look like to address declining mule deer herds and growing ...

This coming season, elk and deer hunters on the western side of the Yellowstone River, just north of Yellowstone National Park, will have a two-week longer season than their counterparts across the river. At its December meeting the Fish and Wildlife Commission agreed to realign the boundaries of two hunting districts in the area. Hunting District 314 will once again extend south from near Tom Miner Basin to the northern boundary of the park. The new boundary only affects deer and elk ...

January 12, 2024 Amanda James, Field ManagerBureau of Land Management - Dillon Field Office1005 Selway DriveDillon, MT 59725 Re: Lost Creek Proposed Land Acquisition Ms. James: On behalf of the Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and our roughly 3,000 dues-paying members, please consider the below comments outlining our support of Alternative 2, the Proposed Action, for the BLM to acquire the approximately 655-acre Lost Creek property using Land and Water Conservation Fund ...

Are upland game bird regulations about to be flipped on their head? Not exactly. Current proposals include nothing drastic. But FWP’s decision to host two meetings - and reminding the public that the Commission can make amendments to current proposals - signals other concerns that haven’t yet been addressed. We’ve heard from hunters, both residents and non, that the bird hunting opportunities they covet are becoming harder to find in Montana. There’s a growing concern over commercial bird ...

With 2023 in the books and some meat in the freezer (hopefully), we would like to take the opportunity to reflect on California BHA's engagement and accomplishments that were made possible by the support of our dedicated members and volunteers. Policy The California Chapter of BHA authored and/or signed on to 17 policy letters in 2023 ranging from issues like wild horse and burro management, Marine Protected Area Network adaptive management recommendations, wildlife crossings and navigable ...