At Montana FWP, wildlife monitoring has evolved alongside advances in technology. Decades ago, survey locations were marked by hand on paper maps. Today, biologists use handheld GPS units and advanced digital mapping tools to document movements and build detailed survey tracks that can be reviewed and analyzed over time. In many areas of Montana, elk concentrate on traditional winter ranges. However, in landscapes where habitat conditions allow for broader distribution, especially during open, m

Pallid Sturgeon are one of our most endangered species in Montana. Thanks to a vast interagency partnership of fisheries professionals, extensive propagation efforts have kept hope alive for the species. In Montana, Pallid Sturgeon are found in the mainstems and major tributaries of the Missouri River (downstream of the Great Falls) and the Yellowstone River (downstream of the Bighorn River confluence). There are only mere handfuls of old, wild Pallid Sturgeon left (fish that were likely alive p