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FWP Updates and briefs

by The Western News
| March 5, 2019 3:00 AM

Application deadline for Unlocking Public Lands program is Friday, March 15

March 15 is the deadline for landowners to submit applications to Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks for enrollment in the Unlocking Public Lands Program.

This program is designed to provide recreational public access to state or federal (Bureau of Land Management or United States Forest Service) land where no legal public access currently exists.

In exchange for access across the private lands, landowners receive a tax credit in the amount of $750 per agreement and up to a maximum of $3,000 tax credit per year. Landowners decide how the public may cross their private property and may limit access to foot traffic only.

The Unlocking Public Lands program is a product of the 2015 Legislature, which expanded a program called Unlocking State Land passed by the previous legislature. While Montana contains nearly 31 million acres of BLM, Forest Service and state land, much of this land requires landowner permission to cross private land to reach the adjoining state or federal land.

Contracts will be awarded no later than Wednesday, May 15.

More information about the program, including enrollment criteria and the application form, can be found at http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/hunterAccess/unlockingPublicLands/.

2019 Black Bear Hunting Regulations available on FWP website

The 2019 Black Bear Hunting Regulations are available on the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov/hunting/regulations/.

Hard copies of the hunting regulations will be on the shelf at FWP offices and local license providers in March.

Connect to Kalispell Open House at Lone Pine State Park

Montana State Parks invites the public to attend a community event called Connect to Kalispell at Lone Pine State Park on Friday, March 22 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Connect to Kalispell is an open house event which brings together our community partners for an evening of networking and showcases connections with Lone Pine and the Kalispell community.

Lone Pine partners in attendance will include but are not limited to: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks; Flathead Lake State Park; Montana Conservation Corps; Center for Native Plants; Montana Wild Wings; and Flathead Lake Biological Station.

KnucklHed BBQ will be on scene with food available for purchase.

Information tables will be setup in the visitor center to display future park programs and events, opportunities to get involved, and Lone Pine partner information. This is a free event that allows everyone to get out and socialize with some of the great members in our community.

For more information or ways to get involved call the park visitor center at (406) 755-2706 ext. 4 or email kyle.gallaher@mt.gov. Online at http://stateparks.mt.gov/lone-pine/.

Lone Pine State Park is located 5 miles southwest of Kalispell and offers one of the most vivid views of the valley, 7.5 miles of trails and a beautiful interpretive center that provides information on living in a wildlife urban interface. Additional amenities include a picnic shelter and a community room, which are both available to rent, as well as a volleyball court, horseshoe pit and an archery range. Furthermore, Lone Pine offers a fantastic variety of educational and interpretive programs.

Hunting

All mountain lion hunting to close In HD 132

The hunting of all mountain lions in northwestern Montana hunting district 132 — which includes portions of Flathead and Lake Counties — closed at one-half hour after sunset on March 4.

The closure notice for the hunt came shortly after Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials received word that the pre-established harvest quota for the district had been met.

For more information, visit FWP’s website at fwp.mt.gov , click on “Hunting” then choose “Drawing & Quota Status”, or call the toll-free number at 1-800-385-7826.