Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (Region 3)

09/14/2026

Share your thoughts on Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park! Staff from FWP's Parks and Outdoor Recreation Division are updating the park’s management plan and want to hear from visitors and community members about what they value about the park, what could be improved, and what issues the updated plan should consider. The public scoping survey takes about five minutes and is open through Sept. 30. Take the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LCCaverns

09/08/2026

Daily fishing restrictions, commonly known as hoot-owl restrictions, have been lifted for portions of the Madison and Beaverhead rivers due to cooling water temperatures.

A hoot-owl restriction has been lifted for the Beaverhead River from Selway Bridge Fishing Access Site to the confluence with the Big Hole River. A hoot-owl restriction has also been lifted for the Madison River from the Warm Springs Boat Launch to the confluence with the Jefferson River.

These restrictions were implemented because of warm water temperatures. Hoot-owl restrictions prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight each day to prevent excessive fish mortality from angling when water temperatures are warm. Full closures prohibit angling for the entire day.

Drought-related fishing closures remain in effect for portions of the Beaverhead and Big Hole rivers. To view current fishing restrictions and closures statewide, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions/waterbody-closures

09/07/2026

Jellyfish in Montana!

Craspedacusta sowerbii, known as the common freshwater jellyfish, was first sighted in Montana in a pond adjacent to the Missouri River near Great Falls in 2009. Since then, no other major sightings have been reported in the state until this summer, when a young recreationist found jellyfish in a pond adjacent to Canyon Ferry Reservoir.

The species is native to eastern Asia and is now found on almost every continent, as well as most states in the U.S. The familiar free-floating “medusa” phase of this jellyfish’s life cycle only appears sporadically during warm summer months, while most of their life is spent attached to underwater surfaces as microscopic polyps that go dormant in winter. Like some fish in Montana such as paddlefish and cisco, the freshwater jellyfish feeds on zooplankton, an important foundational component of aquatic food webs.

Unlike some of its well-known marine counterparts, the freshwater jellyfish is harmless to humans.

It’s unknown how the species made its way to Montana or whether the discovery near Canyon Ferry is related to the state’s initial sighting 17 years earlier. Also unclear are the possible ecological impacts of the jellyfish’s presence in Montana waters as a non-native species, though it does not appear to have had significant impacts in other states.

FWP will continue to monitor the presence and effects of this and other introduced species. This is a great example why cleaning, draining and drying all watercraft and equipment are critical steps in preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species.

For the full story on the recent discovery near Canyon Ferry, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/homepage/news/2026/sep/0902-jellyfish

09/04/2026

As the summer recreation season winds down, we're looking back on a season of successful collaboration with Montana Freshwater Partners on the Yellowstone River Ambassador Program.

This past summer, Yellowstone River ambassadors engaged with the community at busy fishing access sites to help educate visitors about boat ramp etiquette, leave no trace principles, fish handling, conservation license requirements, bear awareness, respecting private property, and other important topics. Overall, this program has aimed to provide recreators with the knowledge and tools they need to steward and protect the Yellowstone River for generations to come.

Montana Freshwater Partners is hosting a Yellowstone River cleanup event on Sept. 12 at Sacajawea Park in Livingston at 9 a.m. To learn more about this event, visit the link below and take a look at the flyer in the photos!

Thanks to Montana Freshwater Partners and responsible recreationists for helping keep these resources in great shape and enhancing our community's outdoor experiences!

To learn more about the River Ambassador Program, visit https://freshwaterpartners.org/river-ambassadors/

09/04/2026

Daily fishing restrictions, commonly known as hoot-owl restrictions, have been lifted for the Madison River upstream of Hebgen Reservoir with cooling water temperatures.

A hoot-owl restriction remains in effect on the lower Madison River from the Bureau of Land Management’s Warm Springs boat launch to the confluence with the Jefferson River. Drought-related fishing closures and restrictions also remain in effect for the Beaverhead and Big Hole rivers.

These restrictions were implemented because of warm water temperatures. Hoot-owl restrictions prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight each day to prevent excessive fish mortality from angling when water temperatures are warm. Full closures prohibit angling for the entire day.

Water conservation efforts continue to be important to Montana’s fisheries. Staff with FWP are working with irrigators and other partners to improve flows and other instream conditions where possible.

Anglers can reduce stress on fish at all times of the year by getting the fish to the net or in hand quickly, keeping them in the water, and reviving them before releasing them back into the river.

To view current drought-related fishing restrictions and closures statewide, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions/waterbody-closures

09/04/2026

FWP staff are monitoring reported mountain lion activity near homes in the hills south of Helena. Bear activity has also been high in many places, including urban areas. Encounters with wildlife are common this time of year. Here are some tips for avoiding conflicts with bears and mountain lions and when to contact FWP:

- Keep garbage, bird feed, pet food and other attractants secured in a building or in a bear-resistant container.
- Keep pets indoors during the nighttime and twilight hours and away from wildlife. Keep children under close supervision when they're outside.
- Contact FWP as soon as possible if a lion enters your yard or if a bear attempts to access attractants near your home, vehicle or business.
- Bear and lion sightings in remote areas, such as mountain trails away from parking areas, do not need to be reported if no conflict occurred.

FWP's Region 3 office can be reached at 406-577-7900 or at [email protected].

For more information about living with wildlife, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/living-with-wildlife

09/04/2026

Attention Bozeman City residents:

The City of Bozeman's Solid Waste Division has bear-resistant bins for the neighborhoods bears frequent most in the City. Please call 406-582-3236 to learn more about bear bins and request them for your neighborhood. For more information on bear safety in Bozeman, visit https://www.bozemanmt.gov/departments/transportation-engineering/solid-waste/bear-proof-containers

Be bear aware! As the days grow shorter, bears become more active in Gallatin Valley. Help us keep these animals wild by keeping your garbage safe! Secure your trash by storing it in your garage or behind a locked gate until 7 a.m. on your trash collection day.

The Solid Waste Division has bear-resistant bins for the neighborhoods bears frequent most in the City. Please call 406-582-3236 to learn more about bear bins and request them for your neighborhood. For more information on bear safety in Bozeman, visit https://www.bozemanmt.gov/departments/transportation-engineering/solid-waste/bear-proof-containers.

09/03/2026

Happening TODAY! Come see us at the Bozeman FWP office (1400 S. 19th Ave.) from 11 to 2 today. We'll have lectures on the hour, displays—including grizzly bear and black bear full-body mounts—skulls, tracks, food storage options, bear spray holsters, and a bear spray target. Participants will have the unique opportunity to practice using inert bear spray in a simulated charging bear exercise.

This event is family friendly, and everyone is welcome. If you have expired bear spray, you can drop it off at the FWP office.

Learn more: https://fwp.mt.gov/homepage/news/2026/aug/0828-bear-safety-workshop-happening-in-bozeman-sept.-3

09/01/2026

Black bear sightings have been common this summer in Bozeman, Livingston, Big Sky, Butte and other areas. Unsecured garbage, bird feeders, pet food and other attractants have led to many conflicts that include property damage, food-conditioned bears, and human safety risks.

Conflicts with bears in urban and residential areas are preventable! Remember:

- Keep garbage in a certified bear-resistant container or in a secure building. Don't leave it on the street overnight.
- Keep bird feeders put away from March 1 through Dec. 15.
- Feed pets indoors whenever possible.
- Electric fencing is an effective method of protecting small livestock, fruit trees or other possible attractants.
- Clean BBQ grills and outdoor eating areas after use.

These steps help encourage healthy bear behavior and safer conditions for communities. Certified bear-resistant garbage containers are available. Contact your waste collection service to learn more.

If you see a bear attempting to access garbage or other attractants near homes, vehicles or businesses, contact FWP as soon as possible. Reporting these cases early is essential for the health of the bear and the safety of communities. Some corrective management efforts, when applied early, can reduce future conflicts without having to euthanize the bear.

When bear conflicts go unreported and are allowed to continue, bears can become food conditioned and habituated to human-occupied areas, creating safety risks that may require the bear to be euthanized. Food-conditioned bears cannot be relocated or rehabilitated. Feeding game animals, including bears, is illegal in Montana.

Bear sightings in remote areas, such as mountain trails away from parking areas, do not need to be reported if no conflict occurred.

FWP's Region 3 office can be reached at 406-577-7900 or at [email protected].

September is bear aware month in Montana! For more information, resources and educational events on bear safety, visit fwp.mt.gov/bear-aware

08/31/2026

UPDATE: Daily fishing restrictions, commonly known as hoot-owl restrictions, have been lifted for several rivers in southwestern Montana with cooling water temperatures.

Restrictions have been removed for the Gallatin, Jefferson, Ruby and Shields rivers. The following updates have been made for the Madison River:

- The restriction immediately upstream of Ennis Reservoir and the closure downstream of the reservoir have been removed.
- A hoot-owl restriction remains in effect upstream of Hebgen Reservoir to the boundary of Yellowstone National Park.
- A hoot-owl restriction remains in effect from the Bureau of Land Management’s Warm Springs boat launch to the confluence with the Jefferson River.

Drought-related fishing closures and restrictions also remain in effect for the Beaverhead and Big Hole rivers.

These restrictions were implemented because of warm water temperatures. Hoot-owl restrictions prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight each day to prevent excessive fish mortality from angling when water temperatures are warm. Full closures prohibit angling for the entire day.

Water conservation efforts continue to be important to Montana’s fisheries. Staff with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks are working with irrigators and other partners to improve flows and other instream conditions where possible.

Anglers can reduce stress on fish at all times of the year by getting the fish to the net or in hand quickly, keeping them in the water, and reviving them before releasing them back into the river.

To view current drought-related fishing restrictions and closures, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions/waterbody-closures