FWP director addresses statewide issues

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks director Jeff Hagener recently gave updates to members of the Region 1 Citizens Advisory Committee.

Gov. Steve Bullock, citing fish and game issues so prevalent in his campaign, asked Hagener to return to the office after serving in a previous administration. Topics covered included:

• Currently 27 percent of Montana’s population hunts or fishes, down from 33 percent in 2001. Nationally the average is 15 percent.

• License fee increases are basically on a 10-year cycle. Hagener wants a gradual increase rather than one large increase. FWP now has more than 100 different licenses, including discounted and free licenses. Youth hunting licenses and non-resident license sales are declining.

• Bullock wants a review of FWP land acquisition policies. Govs. Judy Martz and Marc Racicot emphasized conservation easements, while Gov. Brian Schweitzer wanted fee title purchases. Taxes are not paid on state trust lands, but taxes are paid on land owned by FWP.

• FWP is concerned with wealthy out-of-state landowners buying land and then locking it up. That not only ends public access but also surrenders resource management. For example, more than 5,000 elk live on private land in the Little Snowy Mountains. Land has become too expensive for FWP, so conservation easements become increasingly important for public access.

• Expanded Block Management Program. Currently 1,200 landowners make 8.5 million acres available to the public. Hagener believes better incentives (more money per user day) will increase landowner involvement.

• Per law, the Yellowstone bison herd has been quarantined and tested for 10 years. Some people are looking for new places to put bison where there is minimal contact with other animals. All legislative bills to stop bison movement failed in the last Montana Legislature.

• Nonresidents want wolves fully protected, while residents want wolves killed. FWP wants a more liberalized hunting season. Statewide, elk numbers are up, with increases mostly on the east side of the mountains.

• FWP has been sued due to incidental trapping of lynx and wolverine during wolf trapping. According to Hagener, domestic dogs are most likely trapped during coyote trapping, not wolf trapping. FWP does not regulate coyote trapping.

• Sage grouse numbers have plummeted from historic range. Gas development and fires (followed by cheatgrass) are blamed. Montana may be last best place for sage grouse. Some groups are attempting to list sage grouse as endangered. If successful, oil and gas development and some grazing will be shut down.  

• Moose numbers are down possibly due to the impact of reduced logging.

• Expect more year-round inspections to stop aquatic invasive species, especially in light of learning how many boats travel south to Lake Tahoe and Lake Powell in winter.

• Montana’s stream access law was upheld by the U.S. Ninth District Court. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the challenge. The state claims ownership of river beds if a stream is navigable. The public can use areas between high-water marks if they gain legal access, such as at a bridge right-of-way.