New lottery system will help manage safe hunting access
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is implementing a new lottery system for managing hunting access at Missouri Headwaters State Park.
Missouri Headwaters State Park offers quality wildlife habitat and diverse recreation opportunities. As interest in hunting in the park grows alongside general park visitation, FWP staff are looking to manage hunting access in a way that ensures the safety of all visitors while keeping the park open for hunting where appropriate.
Beginning this season, hunting access at Missouri Headwaters State Park will be managed through a lottery reservation system. Those who wish to hunt in the park must complete an online application the week before they plan to hunt, choosing up to three days as possible hunting dates. Up to six hunters will be selected randomly for each day. Those hunters will receive an email with hunting rules, a map with safety zones, and a tag for their vehicle.
The online application will be open each Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Aug. 26 through Jan. 6, with hunting dates available weekly from Sept. 1 through Jan. 15. Hunters will be selected one week at a time.
For example, those who wish to hunt in the park any time from Sept. 1 through 6 will fill out the application on Wednesday, Aug. 26. Up to six hunters will be selected randomly for each day of that hunting period. If those hunters wish to hunt on future dates, they must fill out a new application.
To access the application starting Aug. 26, click here.
Those planning to hunt in the park after Jan. 15 must stop by the visitor center during business hours for a permission slip.
Other hunting rules apply, including a weapons restriction and a safety closure near park facilities. Upland bird hunting will be limited to a certain portion of the park, while deer and waterfowl hunting will be open in additional areas. To see the map, a complete list of rules and a lottery schedule, click here.
"Missouri Headwaters State Park provides a variety of recreation opportunities for thousands of visitors each year," said park manager Alice Southworth. "We're hopeful this new approach to managing hunting access in the park will help ensure visitor safety while maintaining the opportunities many people enjoy."
Within the boundaries of Missouri Headwaters State Park, the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers merge to form the Missouri River, the longest river in the U.S. The site is significant to Native American peoples and was visited by members of the Corps of Discovery in 1805. Now a national historic landmark, the park hosts thousands of visitors each year. The park is about 5 miles northeast of Three Forks on Trident Road. For more information about the park, click here or call 406-285-3610.