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FWP and UM are helping students gain hands on experience during hunting season

Posted at 5:00 AM, Oct 28, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-28 07:00:09-04

General hunting season opened up this weekend and Fish Wildlife and Parks is recruiting volunteers throughout the University of Montana to help out at check-points.

Scott Eggeman is a Fish Wildlife and Parks Biologist in the Blackfoot Area and said that the start of hunting season looks promising, despite the cooler temperatures.

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks is back at hunting checkpoints across the state, with some help from UM students.

Maxwell Anderson is a Wildlife Biology student at the University of Montana, and this year, he’s volunteering to help.

Anderson said, “I have always wanted to do this. It's how I can further myself in my career, taking everything that I can do. Try to meet new people."

He’s getting one credit toward his degree to help age the animals, and track hunter success.

Anderson is from New York, and besides the school credit, he said volunteering is a great way to learn hands on.

FWP says, off Highway 200, they’re mostly tracking for trends and luckily they are not within the chronic wasting disease areas.

Eggeman said, "We are not within one of the CWD areas, so that is less of a priority here. But if hunters are interested we will address it."

Eggeman reminds hunters to drive safe and be careful in the woods.

Eggeman says FWP will be releasing more information on the weekend’s success in the coming days.