Bison hunt to begin in September

POLSON - The Tribal Council has approved new tribal member hunting, fishing and recreation regulations for the 2007-08 permit season, which begins March 1 and ends February 29, 2008, Division of Fish, Wildlife, Recreation and Conservation Manager Tom McDonald announced this week.

Among the three changes to the regulations is the off-Reservation wild bison permit hunt, the season for which will be September 2007 through January 2008.

The season, based on tribal member comments, allows for a longer opportunity to hunt bison, according to a news release from Tribal Natural Resources Department Information and Education Specialist Germaine White.

In preparation for the fall hunt, tribal game wardens are collaborating with U.S. Forest Service and Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks staff to better define the public lands of the hunt area and maximize information for permit hunters who choose to participate in this subsistence hunt opportunity, the release states.

"We received a lot of really good input on the bison permit hunt regulation from the Elders Cultural Advisory Councils, the Salish-Pend d'Oreille Culture Committee, the Kootenai Culture Committee, NRD staff and the Tribal member public," said McDonald.

The other two changes in the new tribal member regulations are:
• to prohibit hunting of big game within 200 yards of the openings of wildlife crossing structures on highway 93; the idea is to ensure wildlife habitat connectivity by developing a population of animals that are able to safely cross highway 93; and
• to prohibit leaving artificial floating decoys with line connections unattended; this change was recommended last year after a trumpeter swan was found dead and entangled in the lines of a floating decoy.

For more information on these changes, contact Germaine, (406) 883-2888 ext. 7299.