CSKT game damage hunts aim to resolve human-wildlife conflicts

The Tribal Wildlife Management Program often responds to human/wildlife conflicts on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Most conflicts between private landowners and big game occur in the autumn and winter months. To try to mitigate the impacts of these conflicts, the Tribal Council has approved development of a call list of individual Tribal member hunters interested in harvesting deer or elk involved in conflicts on private lands.  

The Tribal Wildlife Management Program and the Tribal Conservation Officers are registering Tribal member hunters who are interested in participating in depredation hunts, as well as soliciting interest from private landowners who wish to allow hunter access to their lands.

A list of interested hunters will be developed on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Interested hunters will then be put in direct contact with landowners to make arrangements to access private lands when conflicts arise.

This project strives for a cooperative effort at managing deer and elk populations and crop depredation on private lands. “When the Tribal Wildlife Management Program receives a contact from private landowners who experience depredation of hay or other crops by deer or elk, hunters who have indicated an interest may be called to remove some animals through harvest,” said Stephanie Gillin, Tribal Wildlife Biologist. Registration forms for both landowners and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal member hunters can be found online at cskt.org. Landowners and hunters who wish to participate in this project are asked to submit a registration form to Stephanie Gillin at the Tribal Wildlife Management program via email at stephg@cskt.org or by mail at P.O. Box 278, Pablo, MT 59855.

All applicable Tribal hunting regulations will apply. Interested hunters will need to provide their name, address, Tribal Identification Number and telephone number to participate.  

If you would like more information about the damage hunt, contact Stephanie Gillin or Germaine White at 883-2888.