Boater Safety 



Each year sees more boaters, fishermen and 

 water skiers on Montana waters and more 

 divers under the water. With this increased 

 competition among water users comes increas- 

 ing opportunities for water accidents, and the 

 problems of enforcement of water safety lows 

 continue to increase. More ample funds and 

 a more clear cut responsibility for administra- 

 tion is needed to cope with thesa expanding 

 problems. At present, there is no clear cut re- 

 sponsibility nor are there funds for such things 

 as posting of speeds at dock areas, designa- 

 tion marking and maintenance of swimming 

 areas, placement of buoys, etc. The Informa- 

 tion-Education Division is now carrying on a 

 public education program relative to boating 

 safety, but other types of water safety are not 

 clearly the responsibility of any particular 

 department. 



Adult Education 



Since 1954 the Fish and Game Department 

 has annually aided in financing an extension 

 type, adult education program in cooperation 

 with Montana State University at Bozeman 

 and the University of Montana at Missoula. 

 Known statewide as the wildlife extension pro- 

 gram it has as its objectives (a) development 

 of a better understanding of management of 

 the natural resource base, (b) to secure public 

 acceptance of the scientific approach to wildlife 

 management, (c) to help orient public thinking 

 on the entire subject of wildlife management 

 and (d) to develop the best possible working 

 relationship among agricultural, livestock, and 

 wildlife interests. 



As originally conducted the program cen- 

 tered about a series of educational, forum-type 

 programs on resource management presented 

 in from 8 to 10 Montana communities each 

 year. The procedure remains an integral part 

 of the current adult education program. In ad- 

 dition, the activities of the two wildlife exten- 

 sion specialists have expanded to include areas 

 of liaison, coordination and advisory functions 

 appropriate to the educational forces. These 

 latter activities include, but are not limited to, 

 representation of the wildlife interests on state 

 and federal land management agency multiple 

 use advisory boards and committees, agricul- 



tural agency land bank and policy commit- 

 tees, committee assignments within state stock 

 growers and sportsmen's organizations, assign- 

 ment to state government committees relating 

 to wildlife or associated resources, and activ- 

 ities on university councils relating to natural 

 resources areas. 



Activities of the wildlife extensionists also 

 include work with civic groups, schools, youth 

 groups and active liaison with the department's 

 education, research and management divisions. 



Wildlife Extension Education 



The Montana Fish and Game Commission 

 has expanded its public information and edu- 

 cation program by allocating funds to the Uni- 

 versity of Montana and Montana State Uni- 

 versity for the purpose of developing stronger 

 educational services in the various communi- 

 ties of the State centered around wildlife man- 

 agement and the conservation of those natural 

 resources upon which the production of wild- 

 life depends. 



The commission recognizes that sportsmen 

 groups have memberships made up of people 

 from all walks of life and that many other 

 groups are vitally interested in conservation 

 and in improving wildlife management. Con- 

 sequently, these services are not limited to the 

 sportsmen groups, but to such other organiza- 

 tions as may be interested in any community. 



It is the duty of the wildlife extension spe- 

 cialist at each of the above-mentioned institu- 

 tions to provide the educational services. The 

 objectives of the program are: 



(1) To promote adult educational services in 

 the field of land and wildlife management. 



(2) To secure public acceptance of a scien- 

 tific approach to wildlife management. 



(3) To help orient public thinking on the 

 whole subject of wildlife management. 



(4) To develop the best possible working re- 

 lations between the state Fish and Game 

 Department, agriculture, livestock, wild- 

 life, federal and state agencies concerned 

 with wildlife management. 



(5) To secure better public understanding of 

 the dual responsibilities between state 

 and federal governments concerning land 

 management and fish and game re- 

 sources. 



