U.S. Senator Steve Daines led a group of 23 of his colleagues to introduce a bill to prohibit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management from banning the use of traditional lead ammunition or tackle on public lands unless such action is supported by the best available science and state wildlife and fish agencies. “Sportsmen are the original conservationists

The Fish and Wildlife Commission is accepting public comment on agenda items for its June 20 meeting. The meeting will be held through Zoom only. To make a comment during the meeting, persons must register by noon on June 19 on Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ website. Written comments can also be submitted through May 27 on the FWP website or sent to 1420 E. 6th Ave., Helena, MT 59601, Attn: Erik

The Private Land/Public Wildlife Advisory Committee will meet May 14-15 at the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ Region 5 office in Billings. The public can attend in person or register to make public comment via Zoom. The meeting runs from 1 to 5 p.m. on May 14 and from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on May 15. The 13-member advisory committee, appointed by the governor, is charged with reviewing

Much of Montana has both black and grizzly bears, with grizzlies showing up further and further east each year. Recently, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks confirmed a grizzly bear sighting in the Bear Paw Mountains east of Big Sandy. “Though not common, grizzly bear sightings around central Montana have increased over the years,” said FWP Region 6 Supervisor Drew Henry. “This emphasizes

Monday, May 6, Governor Greg Gianforte encouraged Montana students in grades 3 to 12 to participate in America’s Field Trip, a nationwide scholastic contest designed to engage youth in commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. “Montanans are proud to be American, and it is important for us to instill this patriotic spirit in the next generation,”

Applications are due June 1 for Montana licenses to hunt sandhill cranes and swans this coming fall. Special sandhill crane hunting districts that require applications for licenses are mostly in the Pacific Flyway of western Montana. Swan hunters may apply for either the Pacific Flyway or Central Flyway, but not both. Hunters may online at ols.fwp.mt.gov or over the counter at any FWP regional

During the Fort Peck Tribal Executive Board’s full meeting April 22 in Poplar, a cemetery plan for Poplar was approved as was a gaming premises license for Buck Skin Bucks Casino located at Poplar’s Fort Peck Video. The board agreed to sponsor the Fort Peck Sioux singers with $1,000 to attend the G.O.N. powwow as invited drum representing the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes. The board

The Justice Department joined its partners across the federal government, as well as people throughout American Indian and Alaska Native communities, in recognizing May 5 as National Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day. In recognition of MMIP Awareness Day, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle the MMIP and human trafficking crises in American