News from the Citizen's Advisory Committee

The regional volunteer Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC) meets six times a year to hear updates from Fish, Wildlife and Parks department managers and to offer advice and comments.

Brainchild of Region One Information and Education Officer John Fraley, the CAC concept has expanded to all FWP regions in the state of Montana.

Many years ago I proudly served on CAC and I continue to attend meetings for updates and to learn what’s on the minds of area sportsmen.

Topics from recent CAC meetings include:

• Illegal introduction of walleyes into Swan Lake.  Region One Fisheries Manager Mark Delaray has proposed a “must kill” regulation, with all caught walleyes turned in to FWP for testing. 

The must kill reg was recently adopted by the Montana Fish & Game Commission.

• Whitetail doe season open in 2016.  Neil Anderson, wildlife manager, is considering opening a whitetail doe season for the first week of the general big game hunting season in 2016 in Region One. And whitetail does would be legal the last week of the general big game season—but only on private property.

• Also, expect additional whitetail “B” tags, does-only mule deer hunting in R1, and elk shoulder seasons in Areas 101 and 109 (Eureka area). All proposed regs will up for public comment and must be adopted by the Fish and Game Commission.

• Expect wild turkey limits to expand to two either-sex turkeys in fall and one male in spring.

Roundtable topics included:

• Praise for success of Libby kid’s fishing pond.  Discussion of possibility of a kid’s fishing pond in Columbia Falls.

• Concern over Weyerhauser’s buy-out of Plum Creek and what this will mean for public access.

• Even though 4,300 kids in Montana took the Apprentice Hunting Program as an alternative to Hunter Education this year, there is still concern that Hunter Education should be required.  Main question is, “Are 10-year olds mature enough to hunt?”