Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks-Region 6

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks-Region 6 FWP's Region 6 page provides communication and outreach for northeast Montana.

FWP's Mission is to steward the fish, wildlife, parks, and recreational resources for the public, now and into the future.

--The Glasgow public 100-yard shooting range and archery range off Skylark road will be closed Oct. 6-8 for survey work-...
10/06/2026

--The Glasgow public 100-yard shooting range and archery range off Skylark road will be closed Oct. 6-8 for survey work--

The Glasgow 100-yard shooting range and archery range will be closed Oct. 6-8 for hazmat and cultural survey work for the potential future Glasgow Shooting Range project proposed by FWP. Both ranges should be open again by Friday, Oct. 9. Watch for signs.

**REMINDER: Meeting being held in Glasgow to discuss proposed shooting range**

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is hosting an informational public meeting to discuss the potential acquisition and development of a public shooting range in Glasgow. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the Glasgow Region 6 Headquarters conference room at 1 Airport Road.

FWP is working with the City of Glasgow and proposing to improve, manage, and operate the current r***e and archery shooting ranges. The 66-acre property is located approximately one-half mile north of Glasgow, off Skylark Road. Improvements would be designed to maximize safety and enhance public access for recreational shooting.

The draft EA checklist related to this project can be found here: https://fwp.mt.gov/binaries/content/assets/fwp/news/public-notices/2026/region-6/fwp-glasgow-shooting-range-acquisition-and-development-.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawUx_gFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mAWJyaWQRMXVxN0htc0VnWXBsSUhoVDJzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeN1tW2_9BhEnGWMzfN6nezF_kcgiYBcwy657Ig4z6_mdOKscx5eY0ixuQ5Us_aem_hGgaifKmofzhlPMYYsJ2WA . Comments are due by Oct. 23, and can be emailed to Tim Potter, Jr. at [email protected] .

"Hunter education in-person class offered in Chinook" Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Hunter Education course dates hav...
10/06/2026

"Hunter education in-person class offered in Chinook"

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Hunter Education course dates have been set for Chinook, with an in-person classroom course. Class will be held Oct. 8-10.

In-person, instructor-led hunter education classroom courses are available to anyone age 10 and older and provide new hunters with a hands-on learning experience. In-person courses are led by volunteer instructors who are passionate about preserving Montana’s hunting tradition, teaching fi***rm safety, ethics, and other outdoor skills.

The direct link for this class is https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/248728

Make sure to print, read and sign the necessary paperwork ahead of the class. Manuals can be picked up at Ace Hardware in Chinook, or at the FWP office in Havre. For any questions, please contact the course instructor listed on the registration page.

The Fort Peck Dredge Cuts Fishing Access Site, known locally as the Trout Pond, currently has some vehicle and walk-in a...
10/05/2026

The Fort Peck Dredge Cuts Fishing Access Site, known locally as the Trout Pond, currently has some vehicle and walk-in access restrictions due to work being completed on the d**e.

In April, FWP staff closed the vehicle access trail that crosses the d**e south of the boat ramp, as the road experienced significant sloughing on the south side of the d**e.

While the repair work is taking place, the trail is also closed to walk-in access until the work is completed, hopefully in 10-14 days. FWP will update on this page when the trail is open again. Other parts of the FAS are still open for recreation as usual.

For more information on this FAS, go here: https://myfwp.mt.gov/fishMT/fas/39754323

10/05/2026

This past week (Sept 28-30), an FWP crew was pulling gill nets on the Fort Peck Dredge Cuts and Missouri River below Fort Peck Dam, as part of their annual fall long-term monitoring program of this fishery. Data from this sampling informs general fishery population trends and species diversity, as well as age class for some species.

Watch the video below of fish tech Hayden Cody discussing some of the cool fish species found in these waterbodies!

Note: although every effort is made to release live fish when doing these surveys, gill netting often results in fish perishing. However, the data collected is very valuable, and all fish are weighed, measured, examined, and returned to the system. In addition, otoliths (ear bones that can be aged) are removed in some species to get relative ages of the fish in comparison to their size and condition.

--Chinook salmon egg collection, snagging, and archery taking place on Fort Peck Reservoir--Although the summer salmon f...
10/02/2026

--Chinook salmon egg collection, snagging, and archery taking place on Fort Peck Reservoir--

Although the summer salmon fishing season (which is usually done with boats, downriggers, and trolling in deep water) is over, the much more “accessible” snagging and archery season begins Oct. 1, along with FWP’s annual salmon egg collection efforts.

Angling opportunities for salmon, safety, and ethics

The salmon snagging and archery season begins Wednesday, Oct. 1. The archery season runs through Oct. 15 and the snagging season runs through Nov. 30. This popular fishery brings in a lot of folks to the bays and boat ramps at the lower (dam end) of Fort Peck Reservoir, as the salmon tend to congregate near boat ramps and shorelines where they were first stocked.

Due to the often-congested nature of salmon snagging in areas that have concentrated fish, anglers should use common courtesy and ethics regarding other shore anglers and bow-anglers.

In addition, anglers should not clean, fillet, or leave carcasses on docks, ramps, or shorelines. Not only is this unsightly and unethical, it can bring in scavengers and other unwanted pests to these areas. There are much better places to dispose of these fish elsewhere.
Lastly, please be aware of FWP fishery and hatchery crews and their electrofishing efforts, as they may be near areas where angling activities are taking place.

Egg collection efforts

Salmon were first introduced into Fort Peck Reservoir in 1983. Due to the abundance of their preferred forage fish, cisco, salmon have shown excellent growth, with males maturing in two to four years and females in three to four years…often leading to large fish of 20 pounds or more.

However, Chinook salmon cannot successfully spawn naturally in the reservoir, so staff must collect fish, harvest eggs, and raise them in the hatchery over the winter. In the spring of 2026, a total 220,000 Chinook salmon were released back into Fort Peck from the fall of 2025 egg take.

FWP fisheries and hatchery staff started collecting adult Chinook salmon on Fort Peck the last week of September. The annual collection effort lasts through much of October, with the goal of collecting enough eggs to fill the Fort Peck Hatchery. Salmon are then raised in the hatchery and will be released back into the reservoir in the spring of 2027.

During the collection, crews will target areas near the dam where salmon congregate, using electrofishing gear to collect the fish.

“Similar to walleye, salmon spawning activity peaks when all the right conditions take place, which primarily are water temperatures and timing,” says Heath Headly, Fort Peck fisheries biologist. “Ideal spawning temperatures are when water temperatures reach 55 degrees, which typically occurs around mid-October. This is also when crews see the most fish and better egg quality.”

Once the fish are collected, they are transferred to the Fort Peck Multispecies Fish Hatchery. Eggs and milt are then extracted from females and males, respectively, and successfully fertilized offspring will be reared over the winter to be released in the spring.

REMINDER: FWP to host a meeting in Malta on Sept. 30Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will host an information session on m...
09/30/2026

REMINDER: FWP to host a meeting in Malta on Sept. 30

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will host an information session on mule deer in Malta at Malta High School (at 1 High School Lane, S. 9th St. W) in the cafeteria on Wednesday, Sept. 30, beginning at 6 p.m. Enter through the east (main) doors.

This gathering is a chance to hear from regional wildlife staff about mule deer numbers, current and future research, and factors affecting their population in northeast Montana. For the first portion of the meeting, wildlife staff will share information from recent population surveys, a perspective on long-terms trends, and thoughts on the upcoming hunting season.

The second portion of the meeting will focus on chronic wasting disease (CWD). Staff from FWP’s wildlife health program will present on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Montana. There have been confirmed cases of CWD in every northeast Montana hunting district except for 652, and some of the northern districts are seeing high prevalence numbers. Staff will discuss more about the disease, its status in Montana, and how hunters are a key part of monitoring efforts.

FWP is holding similar mule deer/CWD meetings in some other parts of the state as a chance to share more information on the state’s mule deer population.

Attend this opportunity on Sept. 30 for a chance to hear the latest information and ask questions on all things related to mule deer and CWD. The meeting will provide ample opportunity for questions and discussion.

Go to our new events page at https://montanafwpevents.com/ to learn more about this meeting opportunity and others.

--Meeting being held in Glasgow to discuss proposed shooting range--Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is hosting an informa...
09/30/2026

--Meeting being held in Glasgow to discuss proposed shooting range--

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is hosting an informational public meeting to discuss the potential acquisition and development of a public shooting range in Glasgow. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the Glasgow Region 6 Headquarters conference room at 1 Airport Road.

FWP is working with the City of Glasgow and proposing to improve, manage, and operate the current r***e and archery shooting ranges. The 66-acre property is located approximately one-half mile north of Glasgow, off Skylark Road. Improvements would be designed to maximize safety and enhance public access for recreational shooting.

The draft EA checklist related to this project can be found here:https://fwp.mt.gov/binaries/content/assets/fwp/news/public-notices/2026/region-6/fwp-glasgow-shooting-range-acquisition-and-development-.pdf .

Comments are due by Oct. 23, and can be emailed to Tim Potter, Jr. at [email protected].

Happy fall, y’all!Region 6 FWP staff were excited to host our Skulls and Furs table for the second time at Poplar’s Fall...
09/29/2026

Happy fall, y’all!

Region 6 FWP staff were excited to host our Skulls and Furs table for the second time at Poplar’s Fall Festival held on September 23rd!

Employees Tristan Joyce and Isayara Valverde had a wonderful time teaching fair goers more about the local animals found across the region through hands-on displays featuring hides, skulls, antlers and horns.

The Fall Festival was a fantastic community event, with local vendors, live music, food and games.

A big thank you to those who invited us to be part of the festival, to everyone who stopped by our table to learn, and to the Poplar sports teams for all their hard work helping set up and make the festival a great success.

We look forward to next year!

Hunter education field day for online students offered in Bainville on Oct. 11 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. This may be the LAST ...
09/29/2026

Hunter education field day for online students offered in Bainville on Oct. 11 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. This may be the LAST field day offered in the area, so don’t miss it!

Students who will turn 12 by Jan. 16 of the current license year, or older, may take the online course and the requisite field day. Adults 18 and older may take the field day to gain hands-on experience, though it is not required.

Students that are interested will need to do the online course before signing up for a field day. Students completing the online course must register with their field day qualifier certificate and bring their certificate to the field day.

To find a class and register, or to take the online course, go to fwp.mt.gov/hunt/education/hunter. More information about the class, location, and other details will be on the registration page.

Make sure to print, read and sign any necessary paperwork ahead of the class. A direct link to this field day registration page can be found here: https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/248209
If there are any questions, please contact Isayara Valverde-Vindas at 406-228-3704.

We have only a few days left in the month! Drop off your unwanted or unexpired bear spray THIS SEPTEMBER ONLY to let us...
09/29/2026

We have only a few days left in the month! Drop off your unwanted or unexpired bear spray THIS SEPTEMBER ONLY to let us take care of it!

During the month of September, you can drop your old bear spray canisters off at our Glasgow or Havre FWP office (or any other regional office across the state) for proper disposal.

When do you need to replace your bear spray?
✅If the bear spray has expired (they usually last 3-4 years...look for a date on the can)
✅If the bear spray can is damaged
✅If the bear spray has been partially used

Drop off your can and ask how to be entered to win a bear spray storage container!

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Glasgow, MT
59230

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Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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