Chapter II - Review of Wildlife EIS Process 



Initial EIS Approach 



Planning for the initial approach to the EIS was conducted in 1991. A 

 detailed draft plan was produced in September of that year. The project 

 plan called for compilation of vast amounts of information including 

 descriptions of current environmental conditions (physical, habitat, 

 biological, sociopolitical, economic, himian demographics, etc.), 

 descriptions of current program functions ( habitat maintenance, access, 

 wildlife population surveys, research, law enforcement, education), 

 chapters covering individual species of wildlife, etc. hi addition there 

 were other supporting documents produced including a comprehensive 

 wildlife bibliography, history of Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission 

 meetings, harvest data reconcihation reports, and a report titled 

 "Hunting Heritage." 



Public Scoping Meetings 



hi May and June of 1992, the department conducted public scoping 

 meetings in 14 communities across the state to collect pubhc opinion on 

 the department's current wildlife program. Comment was also sought 

 from various government agencies and other organizations. 

 Approximately 1,300 oral and written comments were received. This 

 information was used to help develop the "issues" that were later 

 addressed in the EIS report. The 21 issues were grouped into six major 

 categories: access, recreational opportunity, species management, 

 habitat management, commercial uses, and landowner relations. 



Montanans' Beliefs about 

 Hunting, Viewing, and 

 Trapping 



The department regularly collects pubhc opinion from public meetings 

 and hcense-holder surveys. These processes result in opinions heavily 

 weighted by hunters, trappers, large landowners, and wildlife 

 organizations. For the EIS, the department was interested in collecting 

 public opinion from a broader cross section of Montana's population. 

 In June of 1993, the department organized focus groups of Montana 

 citizens which held meetings in six Montana cities with the help of 

 consultants. One of the main results of this process was the 

 development of" behef statements" related to hunting, wildlife viewing, 

 and trapping. These behef statements were included in a telephone 

 survey of 985 Montana households completed in December 1993. The 

 department pubhshed a report with all of the details from the survey in 

 August 1995. 



Page 10 



