Welcome to the official roadmap for the development of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' modernized business management system, including the MyFWP mobile app. This page provides an overview of the development process, advancements, and planned enhancements for 2025-26.

FWP is committed to providing better customer service through improved technology, particularly as it pertains to our licensing, drawings, and mobile app. ExploreMT (XMT) is this new modernized business system that addresses these critical customer service functions and more.

Background

In 2019, FWP asked for authority under HB10 to update its business management system, what we now call XMT. As part of the greater XMT deployment, FWP began the development of a mobile app. While XMT is the broader business management system, the MyFWP app is a public facing component of that new system.

The initial plan was to get a pre-made product from an outside vendor, but the two companies that applied couldn't meet all the department's needs. With the Governor's approval, FWP decided to work with a company to build a hybrid solution - part pre-made, part custom-made. This led to the creation of the Montana MyFWP app, launched in 2022 for Android and iPhone users. The app helps hunters and anglers keep their licenses, permits, and digital carcass tags (E-Tags) on their smartphones.

These challenges extended the timeline for fully implementing XMT and its planned features in the app.

Review and Improve

FWP understood the importance of keeping the MyFWP app updated to work well with the ever-changing mobile operating systems and to meet both the agency's and users' needs and expectations. In January 2024, FWP brought on a mobile app developer to assess the current status of the MyFWP app. The review showed some significant problems that must be fixed to make sure the app remains stable, performs well, and can grow with user demand.

• 2022 User Survey (PDF)

The Path Forward

FWP is continuing to expand on the XMT system upgrade and MyFWP app updates. The next stage of development will focus on performance improvements, upgrades, and additional features.

A quick overview of MyFWP app updates:

1. Performance Improvements

Focusing on reliability and user feedback:

• Greater stability and compliance with Android’s increase security requirements.
• Better offline access to licenses.
• Fixes for calendar and license year mismatches.
• Hunting tag validation prompts to ensure proper use.

2. Upgrades

Rebuilding the app with a modern framework will make it faster, easier to update, and more user-friendly. Key updates include:

• A new home page for easier navigation.
• Integrated hunting and fishing regulations.
• Mandatory reporting tools for hunters and anglers.
  • A pilot is planned for blue paddlefish clips in May 2025.
• Block management reservations
• Cleaner license and permit lists.
• Bonus and preference points tracking.
• A refreshed app icon to signal the updates.

3. In-App Purchases

• Adding the ability to buy licenses and permits directly within the app, streamlining the process.

4. Additional Features

As capacity allows extra improvements like notification updates, family profiles, dark mode, and wildlife data integration may also be added. These enhancements are designed to make the MyFWP app a reliable, easy-to-use tool for all your outdoor needs.

Development Timeline

The app’s redevelopment will occur in stages. Each phase aligns with the department’s mission to deliver a user-friendly and functional app and business system.