About FWP > Councils and Committees Elk Management Citizen Advisory Group

To forge new relationships among stakeholders and collaboratively develop new and creative ideas and recommendations for issues surrounding elk management in Montana to balance hunter and landowner interests.

In light of some elk populations being chronically over objective, new disease concerns, continuing calls for more access, reports of crowded public lands, and more people than ever coming to the state, Montana needs new ways to manage elk, and the people most directly affected must be involved in developing solutions. The advisory group represents a variety of stakeholders who are interested in moving past old debates that have not significantly improved elk circumstances for hunters or landowners, and revisiting old issues with fresh eyes to identify new solutions.

Public Comment Opportunity

The Elk Management Citizen Advisory Group met 10 times to develop a suite of recommendations on improving elk management in Montana. These recommendations were analyzed by FWP staff who looked at what it would take to implement each recommendation, both in terms of cost and capacity.

Comments on the recommendations were collected through October 14, 2022

View recommendations and public comments received

Members

After reviewing 243 applications, FWP selected 12 individuals to serve on a citizens advisory group to address the future of elk management. The 12-member group will help craft a new future for elk management and elk hunting in Montana.

This group represents a broad range of viewpoints and experience and will use that diversity to focus on two broad tasks – developing a set of recommendations to address elk management issues and improving relationships between stakeholders.

The members were selected for the diversity of viewpoints they represent and their expressed eagerness to make progress on the complex challenges facing elk management in Montana. The members were selected irrespective of group affiliation.

The applicants who weren’t selected for the advisory group, will serve as a sounding board. This board will be invited to attend every meeting and will review and provide input on the advisory group’s work throughout the process.