FWP Proposes Expanding Sandhill Crane Hunting Into Lewis and Clark County

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has placed a proposal before its commission that would open portions of Lewis and Clark County east of Interstate 15 to sandhill crane hunting, with a final vote scheduled for April 16.

The agency recommends expanding Hunting District 390 to include the Helena Valley east of I-15 and raising the number of permitted hunters in that district from 25 to 35. Each successful applicant would still receive two licenses, the same allocation already in place for existing HD 390 permit holders.

The biological case rests on aerial survey counts at the Helena Valley pre-migration staging area, where five-year totals from 2020 through 2024 ranged from roughly 40 to more than 400 cranes depending on survey method and timing. FWP notes that the Rocky Mountain Population sandhill crane management plan requires a minimum of three years of survey data before a new hunting district can be proposed, a threshold the agency says the Helena Valley monitoring program has already cleared.

One boundary detail carries significant weight locally: the South Half of the Lake Helena closure area would remain off-limits to crane hunting under the proposal. FWP explicitly carved that shoreline out of the expansion, preserving protections for one of the region's most heavily used recreational corridors.

If the commission approves the change at its April 16 meeting, FWP would implement permit changes and publicize how to apply for the limited tags. Harvest would be tracked through hunter questionnaires tied to the existing Helena Valley monitoring programs, and the agency would retain authority to adjust future quota levels or district boundaries if population counts or harvest data indicate adverse effects.

Residents can submit comments through FWP or contact the Helena regional office for detailed maps and timing information ahead of the vote.