Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is getting an early start on elk hunting regulations and season setting this month. A series of public meetings are being held to garner public input. The meeting in Kalispell is Jan. 31, 7-9 p.m. at the Flathead Valley Community College in the Arts and Technology Building, Room 131.

FWP have season setting meetings every two years for big game such as elk, deer and antelope, said Region One Wildlife Program Manager Neil Anderson.

They look at current regulations, hunter surveys and biological data to form the regulations for the next two years. These meetings are also a chance for the FWP to ask people what they want changed.

The current status of the elk herd varies depending on location, Anderson said. FWP is concerned about the elk in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The population is declining because there aren’t enough calves. The hunter harvest also is impacting the population, Anderson noted.

In Thompson Falls, the population is holding steady. Other parts of the state, such as Eureka, recently had a shorter season to address game shortages, Anderson said.

The meetings will include:

• Information on elk populations and past harvest

• Information on possible season structures

• Listen to comments and develop ideas

• Discussion of current elk hunting regulations in Region One

No decisions will be made at the meetings. Any proposal will have to go through the season setting process with the FWP commission this fall. Final decisions won’t be made until January 2018, Anderson said.

For more information, contact Anderson at 751-4585