cMotifaqa Vist^, ‘Wildlife (Si ‘ParKs MISSION— Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, through its employees and citizen commission, provides for the steward- ship of the fish, wildlife, parks and recreational resources of Montana, while contributing to the quality of life for present and future generations, DEPARTMENT GOALS— • In December, Montana's Hunter Behavior Advisory Council submitted its recommendations to F\XT The recom- mendations arc rooted in an understanding that hunters, resource managers, outfitters and guides, and landowners arc together responsible lor attending to Montana's social and natural hunting environments. Some recommendations, like those associated with expanding Montana's hunter education program to include adult programs and offerings, will need legislative attention. • I he Hunter Education Program s mobile simulated shooting center was used • FWP's video unit produced a madc-for- tclevision 30-minute special entitled “Wild Montana." Governor Marc Racicot hosted the production, which aired on all four Montana Television Network stations in June, July, and August. • Two public service announcements on the importance of hunter crhics were produced in cooperation with the Montana Wool Growers Association and the Montana Bowhunters Association. The public service announcements were aired on all television stations in Montana during the fall hunting season. FWP’s video unit, in cooperation with Montana's • Create j work environment where priorities arc clear; the decision-making process is efficient and effective; and, where employees feel a sense of accountability, value and satisfaction in their achievements and their contributions to the agency mission. • Provide quality opportunities for public apprecia- tion and enjoyment of fish, wildlife and parks resources, • Maintain and enhance the health of Montana s narural environment and the vitality of our fish, wildlife, cultural and historic resources through the 21st Century. • Emphasize education, communication and responsible behavior to afford citizens the opportu- nity to better understand and participate in the decision-making processes that sustain our natural, recreational and cultural resources for future generations. MONTANA FISH, WllJlLIFt it PARKS COMMISSION— STAN MEYER, Chairman, Great Falls DAVID W SIMPSON. Vice Chairman, Hardin DARLYNF. DASCHLR. Fori Peck CHARLES R. DECKER, Libby TIM MULLIGAN, Whitehall Vuir our wcbiiic at twpii.iu.mi in ...emphasizing education and responsible behavior extensively to reach more than 50.000 Montanans with a safe and enjoyable shooting experience. Participants learned gun safety and proper shot placement on big game and othei animals, as well as hunter ethics, as they took part in this activity. game wardens, also produced a 10-minute video on hunter ethics as part of a larger statewide effort to highlight the impor- tance of promoting acceptable hunter behavior. • During 1908, angler education instructional opportunities were provided to 558 educators who will reach nearly 14,000 Montana students. • 1 he success of FWP's involvement with the nationally acclaimed Hooked on Fishing. Not On Drugs program in Montana schools is evidenced by the fact that the program has now expanded to include nearly 60 schools and over 1,000 students. • In cooperation with the Governor's Bull I rout Recovery Team, FWP produced a video for use in schools to help call attention to some of the problems facing the species in Montana. where the money comes from budgeted, fiscal year / OOO REVENUES 1 JJJ •FWP IS FUNDED PRIMARILY BY USER FEES •LESS THAN 1% OF FWP'S TOTAL BUDGET GOMES FROM THE STATE GENERAL FLINT) HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSES This includes all license sales revenue, interest earnings, and other miscellaneous revenue Non-resident sales account for nearly two- thirds oj FWP's total license revenue. FEDERAL REVENUES FWP receives federal monies to: aid in fish and wildlife restoration efforts; for parks development and maintenance: for boating safety, education, and regulation; and other programs In FY99 dose to 90% of FWP's federal assistance, or approximately $10 million, was apportioned to Montana for fish and wildlife restoration through the Pirtman- Robertson (P-R) and Wallop-Brcau.x (W-B) programs. P-R monies are derived from an excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition, hand guns, and certain archery equipment. W-B monies arc derived from an excise tax on fishing equipment and electric trolling motors, a portion of the federal fuels tax, and import duties on fishing tackle and pleasure boats. The balance of the federal monies comes from various federal sources and is used for other purposes, including parks OTHER STATE REVENUES Other state revenue- sources include: fees for state park use; a portion of the state's lodging facilities use tax; a small percentage of the state fuel tax: interest earnings from coal severance tax receipts, and other miscellaneous revenue sources, 10.8% S5.529.97l GENERAL FUND State tax dollars. 0.8 % S4 1 2,520 where the TOTAL REVENUES: S3 1,368. 104 money goes budgeted, fiscal year /OOO EXPENDITURES 1 yyy FWP SPENDS ITS MONEY TWO WAYS; • OPERATIONS for day-to-day management of fish, wildlife, and parks resources. • CAPITAL for major repair and maintenance of FWP propenics, for renovation and construction of facilities, and to protect and enhance critical habitats. operating S4.943.969 parks: capital SI, 803.750 total S6.747.719 % of coral 1 3. 1 The Parks Division is responsible for development, maintenance, and operation of all stale parks and affiliated sites with an objective of providing diverse recreational opportunities while preserving important historical and cultural resources within Montana. operating S6.790.923 wildlife: aPital S3.810.000 total SI 0.600,923 % of total 20.6 I he Wildlife Division is responsible for managing all species of big game, upland game birds, waterfowl, furbearen, non-game birds, and endangered wildlife in the state. operating S6.436.470 fisheries: caP1,al S4.708.309 J total SI 1.144.779 % of total 21.7 The Fisheries Division is responsible for the management and perpetuation of Montana's fish and other aquatic resources. operating Si, 930, 258 conservation ,Wl0Ijl _ 3.8 education: The Conservation Education Division acts as a | clearinghouse for disseminating information on FWP activities and news items to the media [ and conducts a variety of educational and recreation -safety programs. FWP total: operating S40.702.545 capital $10,665,559 total $51,368,104 operating 55,890,351 enforcement: % 0f total 11.5 The Enforcement Division is responsible for enforcing all the fish and game laws of Montana. FWP rules, and FWP Commission regulations Division personnel also enforce state boating and snowmobile rules and state park regulations, as well as private property laws and regulations as they pertain to hunting and fishing. field services: operating — $5,597,605 % of total 10.9 The Field Services Division is responsible for FWP's lands program and construction projects, as well as its Block Management (public hunting access) and landowncr- sponsperson's relations programs. operating — $9,1 12,970 management capital $ 343.500 dr finance: total $9,456,470 % of total 18.4 The Helena-based director's office staff makes major policy and administrative decisions. Regional supervisors handle on-thc ground implementation of policies and programs The Administration and Finance Division is responsible for budgeting, accounting, purchasing, personnel, data processing, and administration of FWP’s licensing functions. 639.9 F2ar 1998 MONTANA STATE LIBRARY 0864 0015 6424 7 oMoqtaqa tFisti, ‘Wildhfe U& VarHs 199 8 ANNUAL REPOST jL J_n annual report chronicles many important actions taken over the course of a year — acres of land conserved, access purchased, habitat restored, and poachers prosecuted. More difficult is capturing the breadth of commitment and perseverance that is at the heart and soul of Montana’s fish, wildlife, and parks. In 1998, a man who by all accounts was a teacher of teachers, whose knowledge of ^ * Montana’s history exceeded those who created it, Maud who //> A -'A .-9 a r wno - — V ' / championed Bannack r (a i ■■•it r, X championed Bannack State Park, the birthplace of . “ 5 his father, passed away. Commissioner Dale Tash dedicated a lifetime to enjoying ^ and conserving Montana’s fish, wildlife, and parks. ^ The year 1 998 also marked the settlement of a major j '• portion of a Natural Resources Damage Lawsuit with ARCO on the upper Clark Fofk. River near Butte. The $21 5 million settlement is part of a major program to restore a watersheds damaged from nearly a century- of mining. Many had written the river off. The lawsuit w4s filed by the State, with Fish, Wildlife & Parks as the lead, nearly two decades ago. The resources we manage and protect have been around for a hundred, 10,000, and-itusomc cases, a million years. As we celebrate the accomplishments of this year, let us be mindful of the vision and actions of those who preceded us and the awesome responsibility they have placed in our hands. Montana — it’s our way of life. caucnon ’7JOOI Patrick J. Graham, Director A*, A Prrdtd or r*cyd*d t*p*» T>« 6ocur*c» at lUM 01(0010 tnkymattan on fr* a*l «< f*vs t# by (j h*4«m UT • Nearly .ill of FWP'i field personnel joined in providing ihe hunting opportunities made possible through the agency’s highly popular Block Manage- ment Program, In 1998, the program, which provides public hunting access to private land, featured "19 individual Block Management Areas encompassing nearly 7.3 million acres. Over 900 private landowners now cooperate in the program. the public with an overview of the extent of Montana's PAS program. • FWP completed a summary of 1996 and 199" visitation information to state ; parks and fishing access sites, with j comparisons to previous years Among the findings: resident visitation to Montana state parks increased from 49 percent of total visits in 1988 to 71 ! percent in 199" site. The center will be opened in the summer of 1999. • 1998 xvas another great year for FWP's statewide intern program. FWP placed a total of 28 student interns who worked a total of 1 1 ,400 hours, or the equivalent of 5.5 full-time employees. The program continues to be a very valuable option for FWT when work needs to be done and resources to accomplish it arc not available In striving to reach our goals we are... ...providing quality # # Opportunities • Construction of the visitor center at Ulm Pishkun State Park is nearing completion and interpretive displays are in production. FWP staff provided professional oversight to the develop- ment of Ulm Pishkun Visitor Center interpretive components, including conducting daily critiques of materials and finding outside professionals in history, archaeology and native oral traditions to assist in interpreting the • 1998 marked the eighth year of the statewide volunteer program within Montana state parks and each year the numbers continue to climb. In 1998. 1.396 volunteers in state parks (an increase from 1,134 in 19971 worked a total of 4 7,235 hours, a 14 percent increase from 1997. I he efforts of these volunteers saved FWP estimated labor costs of S2"8,68" • After several months work, Montana s Private I and/ Public Wildlife Advisory Council developed recommendations that address FWP's Block Management Program and growth of the outfitting industry I he council developed final recommendations in November for submission to the Governor in the form of a final report in December. Those requiring legislative action will be introduced during Montana's 1999 legislative session. • Information on all of Montana s fishing access sites was gathered and compiled into a statesvide brochure. The brochure has been very popular and has provided • Forty-eight fisheries habitat improve- ment projects were approved tor funding through Montana’s Future Fisheries Improvement Program in 1998. These projects funded nearly SI 7 million in hubiiat improvements at a program cost of $770,000. • The Water Watch Volunteer Program in northwestern Montana, initiated in 1996, was again extremely active in 1998. Volunteers acting as information conduits for FWP distributed pamphlets and information to boaters ...creating a satisfying work environment • In September, numbers of FWP managers and staff from across the state gathered in West Yellowstone for "Leadership 98.” a meeting to examine FWP’s present management systems and operations and help chart a course for the future. • FWP initiated a mentoring program that will help employees achieve their career objectives. • In 1998 FWP began laying the groundwork for a pcrlormancc management system that will be the basis for employee recruitment and selection as well as training and development New DEER MANAGEMENT Program Instituted The establishment ot hunting regulations is but one aspect of a deer management program. In 1998, FWP initiated a process to incorporate what are termed Adaptive Harvest Management concepts into the hunting regulation-setting process. The goal is to manage for the long-term welfare of Montana's deer resource and provide recreational opportunities that reflect the dynamic nature of deer populations. Adaptive Harvest Management is based on the following four components 1) clearly defined population objectives; 2) a monitoring program that measures population status in relation to the objectives; 3) hunting season packages that can be implemented when the monitoring program detects a change in the population status; and 4) a description or modcl(s) of deer population dynamics that an be used to predict how the population will respond to changes in harvest levels. To date, FWP has established the ob|cctivex and regulation packages, implemented the monitoring program, and developed the first generation of population models for testing Hunting regulations will be recommended annually by FWP to the FWP Commission based upon the population's current status in relation to the objectives. The season rvpc and bag limit recommended for each population status is based on the harvest rate desired, the preferences and concerns of sportsmen and landowners, deer summit meetings, and comments received during previous season-setting processes. One of the benefits of Adaptive Harvest Management is learning from experience. As information is gathered through the monitoring program, there will likely be a need to adjust population parameters, monitoring locations, and guidelines. In addition, adjustments in hunting seasons will probably be necessary as we learn mote about the results of the various hunting season strategics. . . . maintaining and enhancing the health of Montana's natural resources • In 1998. FWP completed three planning documents— an Environ- mental Impact Statement for FWP) Wildlife Program. “ Fuherie i Beyond 2000" and '2020 Vision for Montana Stale Parks. " Hum documcms rellect the agency's current vision and goals, explain whai we've heard Irom our publics, and detail those challenges, as well as opportunities, that we will need to consider in the future. • Conservation easements continue to be FWP’s principal tool for protecting valuable wildlife habitats through the Habitat Montana Program. In 1998, conservation easements were used to protea wildlife habitat on 28,536 acres of land. Over the last five years, the wildlife values of over 1-15.500 acres have been protected by conservation casements • In response to continuing lower numbers ot both tnulc deer and white-tailed deer in certain parts of Montana, deer hunting regulations in 1998 continued to be more restrictive than in the years pnor to 199". While the restrictions primarily affected mule deer hunting (with an area validation requirement in place for hunting mule deer bucks ihroughout the statel. regulations for hunting white-tailed deer in certain areas of Montana also were more conservative. The goal of these changes was to significantly decrease overall harvest of deer so that populations can increase when environmental conditions promote better fawn survival • The Montana Bull Trout Restoration Team completed a draft Restoration Plan for Bull Trout, and is seeking public comment on it before finalizing it in early 1999. Despite Montana's ongoing restoration efforts, bull trout throughout the Columbia River Basin were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in july 1998. However, it is expected that Montana s Bull Trout Restoration Plan will serve as the basis for the Montana portion of a federal recovery' plan, and that these planning efforts will be beneficial to Montana. • Lack of huckleberries in the mountains and continued residential development in the valleys resulted in unprecedented lev els of bear/human conflicts in western Montana. Bear management specialists and game l t i * k l’ - " wardens handled hundreds of black bears and grizzly bears which frequented residences. Managers worked extensively with landowners to reduce bear conflicts and employed innovative techniques such as aversive conditioning with Karelian bear dogs, and rubber bullets and cracker shells to haze bean and reduce conflicts at residences. • The water manage- ment system at Ftcczout Lake Wildlife Management Area was completed it a cost of $435,000. The system replaced and repaired the WMA's water control vtnictures, some of which dated back to the 1950s. I he new control structures — culverts, underground pipes, and water diversions — will allow FWP to better manage water flows and water quality • A comprehensive assessment of the status of the Yellowstone cutthroat trout in Montana waters wus completed bv FWP in concert with fisheries personnel from the l $ Forest Service and the U S Fish and Wildlife Service. The goal of the assessment is to provide baseline information for formulation of a conservation plan for Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the state • FWP's TIP-MONT program conunucs to gain popularity among all those who value Montana's rich fish, wildlife, and parks resources In 1997, the latest year tor which complete figures arc available, nearly 800 reports of valadons led to the imposition of S37, 355 in fine' $10,350 in restitution, and $9 "50 m rewards to persons reporting crimes. The violators hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges were suspended for a total of 60 years.