Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

This season, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is closing down watercraft inspection stations in areas where risk of aquatic invasive species coming from out-of-state boats is considered low.

Western Montana’s only native turtle species is the painted turtle, which have a bright orange underside and generally don’t grow more than a foot long. Snapping turtles can get much bigger, and they have longer tails and a large head with a distinctive hooked upper beak.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks says the three- to four-year-old bear killed four calves. A different grizzly was recently reported in the Augusta area, and state wildlife officials urge residents to continue to exercise caution.

Advocacy groups are asking the federal government to issue emergency protections for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies, the only gray wolf population not on the Endangered Species List.

The Mount Haggin Wildlife Management Area covers more than 50,000 acres of key habitat for deer, bighorn sheep, birds and native trout.

The easement would protect public access and recreation on private timberlands around the Thompson Chain of Lakes in Flathead, Lincoln and Sanders counties.

Federal, state and tribal officials typically come to an agreement on Yellowstone bison herd reduction goals by the first of the year.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Montana is asking the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to lift threatened species protections for grizzly bears in the northern portion of the state, including areas in and around Glacier National Park, officials said Monday.

malfunctioning gate that lets water out of Hebgen Dam just west of Yellowstone National Park caused flows into the Madison River to plummet early Tuesday, according to dam operator NorthWestern Energy.

The Trust for Public Land says the working-forest conservation easement will allow for sustainable timber production, public access and recreation while ensuring protection of water quality and critical habitat.