tats are gathered on each district. Recommendations 

 for hunting seasons are made by the District Game 

 Manager largely on the basis of these facts. 



Wildlife investigation activities during the bi- 

 ennium were financed largely by Federal Aid to 

 Wildlife Restoration (Pittman-Robertson) apportion- 

 ments. Under this Act the state is reimbursed for 75 

 per cent of the cost of approved projects. The district 

 projects and their major emphasis are described 

 briefly. 



District 1 — Northwest Montana 

 Headquarters Kalispell 



Some of the wildest and most remote country in 

 Montana is found in this district. The back country 

 elk hunting attracts people from all over the nation 

 and support a major outfitting industry. This area 

 leads as a producer of white-tailed deer, mountain 

 goats and black and grizzly bear. All other species 

 of Montana big game are present although antelope 

 are not hunted. 



Upland bird hunting is provided mainly by moun- 

 tain grouse and pheasants. The lower Flathead 

 Valley is one of the state's important pheasant hunt- 

 ing areas. District One forests support the state's 

 largest populations of ruffed and Franklin's grouse. 

 Waterfowl are another important resource of this 

 area in terms of annual production as well as hunt- 

 ing opportunity. Wild turkeys have been planted but 

 have not yet increased to huntable numbers. 



District 2 — West Central Montana 

 Headquarters Missoula 



This small district tops them all in elk hunting 

 with the mountain ranges south and west of Missoula 

 providing the best elk hunting in the state. District 

 Two is also an important producer of mountain goats. 

 All other species of big game are present in huntable 

 numbers. 



As in District One, small game hunting is pri- 

 marily for mountain grouse, pheasants and water- 

 fowl. The area is outstanding for its blue grouse 

 hunting. Wild turkeys have been planted there but it 

 is still too early to determine the success of the 

 program. 



District 3 — Southwest Montana 

 Headquarters Bozeman 



This varied district supports huntable numbers 

 of all Montana big game animals. Southwest Mon- 

 tana leads in the production of moose and is near 

 the top in deer and elk production. This district 



shares with District Five the distinction of having the 

 only bighorn sheep area open to an unlimited num- 

 ber of hunters. 



Prairie grouse are added to the list of upland 

 birds in this part of the state with the emphasis on 

 the sage grouse. Pheasants, mountain grouse and 

 waterfowl round out the small game hunting picture. 



District 4 — North Central Montana 

 Headquarters Great Falls 



Combining mountains, foothills and plains in one 

 of the largest districts, this region leads in deer and 

 bighorn sheep harvest. Other important big game 

 species are elk, antelope and mountain goats. 



North Central Montana is a small game hunter's 

 paradise. Some of the finest hunting for pheasants, 

 sage grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, Hungarian par- 

 tridge, blue grouse and waterfowl is found here. In 

 1961 wild turkeys were added to this list with an 

 open season in the Missouri River Breaks. 



District 5 — South Central Montana 

 Headquarters Billings 



Deer and antelope top the list of big game species 

 in this part of Montana although all nine species are 

 found in huntable numbers. The bighorn sheep on 

 the Absaroka plateau provides excellent opportunity 

 for rugged recreation. 



Pheasants in the Yellowstone Valley and other 

 irrigated areas together with prairie grouse make up 

 most of the upland bird shooting. This is one of the 

 few places in the state where the elusive chukar 

 partridge is found in numbers that will support hunt- 

 ing. Increasing turkey flocks in the Bull Mountains 

 bear the promise of hunting for this magnificent 

 game bird in the near future. 



District 6 — Northeast Montana 

 Headquarters Glasgow 



Deer and antelope are the primary big game 

 species in this predominantly prairie area although 

 locally important elk herds are found in the Missouri 

 Breaks and Bear Paw Mountains. 



The potholes, marshes and reservoirs of the high- 

 line are important as waterfowl breeding grounds 

 and hunting areas. Pheasants, prairie grouse, Hun- 

 garian partridges and, as of 1961, wild turkeys make 

 up the list of upland birds available to sportsmen. 

 The area is especially noted for its sage grouse 

 hunting. 



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