WILDLIFE DIVISION 



The management of the wildlife resources of Montana requires 

 extensive information about wildlife and their habitats as well 

 as the expertise to understand and utilize that information. The 

 goal of the Wildlife Division is to protect, enhance and regulate 

 the wise use of Montana's wildlife resource for public benefit 

 now and in the future. It is, therefore, the responsibility of 

 the Wildlife Division to collect and analyze necessary 

 information and to recommend and carry out a sound wildlife and 

 wildlife habitat management program. 



Information that is gathered provides the biological basis for 

 game, waterfowl and furbearer season recommendations presented to 

 the Montana Fish and Game Commission each year. The information 

 also is utilized in developing cooperative programs with public 

 and private landowners as well as private industry to manage, 

 protect and enhance wildlife habitat. This includes implementing 

 guidelines to allow for development while protecting Montana's 

 wildlife heritage. The Division also operates and maintains the 

 Department's wildlife management areas, which now total 292,926 

 acres. Of these, 189,289 acres are deeded, 97,907 acres are 

 leased and 5,7 30 acres are managed with conservation easements. 



During the past several years, Montana's various wildlife species 

 have been assigned a priority rank. As might be expected, deer, 

 elk and antelope were ranked as the species needing the most 

 attention. Harvest goals, populations levels and identification 

 of problems associated with the major herds of these animals in 

 each administrative region have been described. Other species 

 that have increased in priority and associated effort are the 

 grizzly bear, the black bear, nongame waterfowl and f urbearers . 



The "allowable rate of harvest" for these herds is being 

 determined through population modeling. This harvest rate is to 

 be coordinated with the population's highs and lows. Simply 

 stated, liberal hunting seasons need to occur when these herds 

 are increasing and restrictive seasons should occur when they are 

 decreasing. The challenge is to anticipate increases, peaks, 

 decreases and valleys before they occur. The Wildlife Division 

 has made considerable progress in determining the factors causing 

 and indicating these events in populations of certain species. 



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