Meeting to consider hunt, fish fees

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will host a public meeting on Monday, May 19, to discuss recommendations from an advisory council about adjusting Montana’s hunting and fishing licenses and fees.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Headquarters in Kalispell.

The Licensing and Funding Advisory Council spent eight months examining Montana’s current license system and funding cycle for fish and wildlife management.

That work resulted in recommendations to Fish, Wildlife and Parks Director Jeff Hagener that would provide an additional $6.25 million a year to stave off deep budget cuts to fish and wildlife management programs.

The recommendations are aimed at a simplified licensing system; standardized license discounts for youth, seniors, and disabled hunters; a revamped base price structure and other adjustments to provide a fair and stable source of revenue for the state’s fish and wildlife conservation efforts.

Fish, Wildlife and Parks is nearing the end of a 10-year cycle since the last increase in resident hunting and fishing license fees.  

State fish and wildlife management programs are primarily funded from the sale of fishing and hunting licenses.

The council’s recommendations are available at fwp.mt.gov; click “Licensing and Funding Advisory Council.”