Hoot owl and hunting season

Just like that, summer has come and gone. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff have been hard at work doing aerial flight surveys and preparing for hunting season. Block Management Area (BMA) maps were released Aug. 10th for early elk shoulder season to start in select hunting districts Aug. 15! Fisheries biologists and technicians are still in the middle of their busy field season, electrofishing in creeks and high mountain lakes for trout and other species.

Here's what you should know as we transition from summer to fall:

Hoot owl fishing restrictions: Hot temperatures and lowering water levels in portions of the Clark Fork River have prompted hoot-owl fishing restrictions. These restrictions prohibit fishing each day between 2 p.m. – 12 a.m. and went into effect Aug. 2.

Water temperatures at a USGS site on the Clark Fork below Missoula exceeded 73 degrees Fahrenheit for three consecutive days. These restrictions will remain in place until temperatures do not exceed 70 degrees for three consecutive days, or until Sept. 15.

While flows have consistently been dropping on the Blackfoot River as well, water temperatures have yet to trigger hoot-owl restrictions, but check our website for the latest complete list of restrictions: fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions/waterbody-closures

Have you ever wondered where the term "hoot-owl" comes from?

In the early 1900's, loggers working in western forests experienced extremely dry and hot conditions, and fire danger was equally as high. To help prevent fires, loggers would stop working in the afternoon to avoid the driest and hottest parts of the day- mornings were somewhat safer because of dew and cooler temperatures. Working in these early hours, the loggers would encounter owls that were also active in the morning. The "hooting" sound of their calls lead to referencing the morning work window as the "hoot owl."

New MyFWP app: New this year, hunting and fishing licenses are now available through the Montana MyFWP app! The app provides a digital wallet to store and display licenses and digital carcass tags, also called E-tags, with which you can validate your harvest in the field (even without cell phone service!).

Hunting regulations: Hunters may use their general deer and general elk licenses on the Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area (WMA) during archery season, Sept. 3 – Oct. 16. All other hunting on the WMA is by permit or special license only.

Hunting Districts (HD) 281 and 285 were re-evaluated before the FWP Commission met earlier this year and their boundaries changed. HD 285 absorbed former HD 283-hunters should note that the Seeley Lake Game Preserve is still closed to all hunting.

For more information on this seasons' hunting regulations, the most current version is always available on the FWP website at http://www.fwp.mt.gov/hunt/regulations.

Bear safety: Bears are still active through the late fall and early winter months as they prepare for torpor. They enter a state called hyperphagia in which they attempt to put on as much weight as possible to sustain them during their winter slumber. Therefore, it's just as vital to remain vigilant with your food storage habits and securing attractants around your home.

That's it for me this time, thanks for reading!