CSKT NRD Fish, Wildlife, Recreation & Conservation

11/01/2026

Bear Aware Program
CSKT Wildlife Program and North Lake County Library present a community bear awareness program. This is a one-hour presentation by Wildlife Biologist Payton Adams, designed to promote safety while living in bear country. This is a free event. November 4, 5:30 pm in the Community Room

11/01/2026

Nonviable Larval Mussel Detection in Whitefish Lake. See article below.

10/27/2026

🎣 2026 FALL MACK DAYS — WEEK 7 RESULTS! 🎣

We’ve wrapped up Week 7 of the 2026 Fall Mack Days fishing event, and the competition is heating up! There’s still time to get out on Flathead Lake and participate before the event ends November 8!

🐟 18,899 Lake Trout Entries and Counting!

Mack Days is an important tool for reducing non-native lake trout in Flathead Lake and helping protect native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout populations that are important to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and Montana anglers.

💰 THE $10,000 FISH IS STILL OUT THERE!

Tagged fish worth $100 to $5,000 are also swimming around Flathead Lake. Anglers have already turned in $4,200 in tagged fish during this fall event!

👏 Weekend Tagged Fish Winners:

• Patrick Casey — $200
• Mike Benson — $100
• John Gauci — $100

🐟 SMALLEST FISH COMPETITION

The race for the smallest fish is underway!

• 🥇 Terry Krogstad — 142 mm
• 🥈 Larry Karper — 144 mm
• 🥉 Devon Bukowski — 160 mm

No fish have been entered in the largest fish competition yet. That could change any day!

🏆 TOP 20 ANGLERS

Here are this week’s leading anglers based on total lake trout entries:

1. Terry Krogstad — 1,335
2. Patrick Casey — 951
3. Clint Speer — 921
4. Devon Bukowski — 824
5. Jack Kirkland — 741
6. Larry Karper — 694
7. Richard Kreis — 670
8. Julie Perkins — 620
9. David Kelch — 610
10. Mike Benson — 580
11. Larry Ashwell — 536
12. Felix Gauci — 494
13. Joe Minnehan — 416
14. John Gauci — 386
15. Bob Stewart — 312
16. Shaunda Albert — 306
17. Mike Colyer — 295
18. Laurie Kreis — 240
19. Korey Heimdahl — 184
20. Paul Grove — 108

🎣 LADY ANGLERS LEADERBOARD

The competition continues among our lady anglers!

🥇 Julie Perkins — 620 entries
🥈 Shaunda Albert — 306 entries
🥉 Laurie Kreis — 240 entries
4️⃣ Angie Marrow — 53 entries

🧒 YOUTH LEADERBOARD

🥇 Lincoln Gauci — 21 entries
🥈 Isaac Zach — 5 entries
🥉 Carter Lindsay — 4 entries
4️⃣ Royce Couture — 3 entries

🎯 AGES 13–17: Ethan Zach is leading this age group with 9 entries!

📅 THERE’S STILL TIME TO JOIN!

Entries will be accepted through the final day of the event on November 8. Fish for one day or several days — every entry gives you a chance to win in the lottery drawing!

Whether you’re chasing the $10,000 fish, competing for the smallest or largest fish, or simply helping protect our native fish populations, every entry counts!

👉 Visit www.mackdays.com for entry information, fish identification, fishing tips, and more.

📧 Questions or comments? Contact Joe Santos at [email protected].

Good luck to all our anglers, and TIGHT LINES, EVERYONE! 🎣🐟

Sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks, Fall Mack Days 2025 Lake Trout Fishing Event will take place on Flathead Lake.

10/25/2026

When Seth Makepeace began working for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in July 1989, he had completed graduate studies in geology at the University of Montana but knew little

10/21/2026

Be sure to come out for our bat appreciation event at the end of October! Listen to a presentation about the importance of bats, check out some cool bat themed arts and crafts, and participate in our kids raffle for some neat toys and treats. Candy and hot chocolate provided! The event will be 10/24/26 at the pavilion behind the Bison Range visitor center, 12:00pm - 2:30pm.

10/20/2026

🍂 October: Hunting Month

The Division of Fish, Wildlife, Recreation and Conservation is sharing seasonal teachings and historical remembrance from the SQCC (Salish Ql̓ispé Culture Committee).

October has long been an important hunting month for Séliš and Ql̓ispé people, although hunting takes place throughout the year. Traditionally, hunters harvested game in October when animals were fat, providing food to sustain families through the winter. Traps, bows and spears were among the tools used.

October is also a time to remember significant events in Tribal history:

• October 17, 1855: Salish and Kootenai chiefs signed the Judith River Treaty with the United States and Blackfeet.
• October 17, 1891: Chief Charlo and his band moved to Jocko.
• October 19, 1887: Twenty-five Lower Pend d’Oreille people under Chief Michelle moved to the reservation.

We also remember Antoine Stousee, Frank Stousee, Yellow Mountain and Little Camille, who were killed by a deputy state game warden in the Swan Valley on October 18, 1908. We honor their memory and encourage our community to learn about the Swan Massacre through the historical materials shared by the SQCC.

📖 Read the Swan Massacre brief history

🦌 A reminder to hunters: Please have all harvested deer checked at testing sites.

Lemlmtš—thank you to the SQCC for sharing these teachings and keeping this history present for our community.

10/14/2026

The fee schedule for Revised Ordinance 64A has been updated as of October 1, 2026. This reflects Phase 1 of a two-phase fee implementation.

10/13/2026

[email protected]

10/08/2026

ATTENTION PHEASANT & WATERFOWL HUNTERS!

Pheasant season on the Flathead Reservation opens SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2026!

Legal Shooting Hours: ½ hour before sunrise through sunset each day during the established hunting season.

⚠️ BE BEAR AWARE THIS HUNTING SEASON!
Grizzly bears and black bears are out there, and this fall there may be an increased chance of encountering them, especially in valley bottoms and near water.
WHY?
🦌 EHD in deer: The continued occurrence of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) has resulted in deer dying near creeks, ponds, and irrigation ditches.

Poor berry production: Huckleberries, chokecherries, and other natural fruits have been scarce this year. Bears are searching for alternative food sources before winter, including deer carcasses.

WHAT HUNTERS SHOULD KNOW:
🐻 Be extra alert near dense brush, shelterbelts, cattails, and waterways.
🦌 If you smell a dead animal, avoid the area! A bear may be feeding nearby.

CARRY BEAR SPRAY! Keep it accessible, not buried in your hunting pack.

📞 Report bear sightings, especially grizzlies, to the CSKT Wildlife Hotline: (406) 275-2774. If you have an emergency call 911!

10/08/2026

🚤 2026 WATERCRAFT INSPECTION SEASON IS WRAPPING UP! 🍂

As boating season winds down, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) Natural Resources Department and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is preparing to close our local Watercraft Inspection Stations for the 2026 season.

📅 FINAL DAYS OF OPERATION:

🛑 Thompson Falls Station: October 11, 2026

🛑 Ravalli Station: October 25, 2026

We want to extend a HUGE thank you to our hardworking inspection crews, our partners at Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and all the boaters who stopped for inspections this season!

Your cooperation helps protect Flathead Lake and our surrounding rivers, lakes, and waterways from aquatic invasive species.

Remember: CLEAN, DRAIN, DRY!

Even after our stations close, preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species remains everyone's responsibility. Please continue to clean, drain, and dry your boats and equipment between waterbodies.

Thank you for helping us protect our waters! 🌊🐟