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Montana Outdoor Podcast

Montana Outdoor Podcast

Written by: Downrigger Dale
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A weekly podcast covering the topics and people that make Montana’s Outdoors like no other place in the world.

© 2026 Montana Outdoor Podcast
Episodes
  • The Search Continues to Southwest Montana. Wait, How Many Elk Did They Just Count in Region 3?

    The Search Continues to Southwest Montana. Wait, How Many Elk Did They Just Count in Region 3?
    Oct 23 2026
    Send us Fan MailWe've searched for a better hunt across all seven Montana hunting regions. Now we've reached our final stop—and we may have saved one of the most interesting for last!This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale heads into Montana FWP Region 3, covering a huge chunk of southwest Montana, with FWP Wildlife Manager Warren Hansen and Communication and Education Program Manager Morgan Jacobsen.And elk hunters, you might want to sit down when you watch or listen to this one.When Warren added up the minimum elk counts from FWP surveys across Region 3, the number was around 60,000 elk! But before you start loading the truck, there's an important question: How many of those elk can hunters actually get to?Warren has some interesting thoughts about what happened to elk last year—and why it could affect where hunters find them this season.Mule deer hunters also get some encouraging news, although there's one area where the story is very different. Antelope numbers are showing movement in the right direction, too.Then there are the bears.Region 3 experienced what Warren calls an exceptionally high bear-conflict year. Just how unusual was it? Wait until you hear the numbers—and what FWP believes may be contributing to it.Rigger, Warren and Morgan also cover whitetails, CWD, wolves, upland birds, turkeys, Block Management, private-land access, bear safety and some hunting opportunities you may not have considered.After seven regions and thousands of miles across Montana, The Search for a Better Hunt ends in one heck of a place.Watch or listen to this week's Montana Outdoor Podcast and come INSIDE REGION 3!Links:Montana FWP Hunting RegulationsMontana FWP Hunt PlannerMontana FWP Hunting SeasonsMontana FWP Region 3Hunter Access ProgramsBlock ManagementOther Private-Land Hunting OpportunitiesPublic-Land Hunting Opportunities and AccessMontana Upland Game Bird Hunting ForecastMontana FWP Bear Information / Be Bear AwareMontana FWP YouTube ChannelMontana Hunter EducationQUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Click any of the names below to send them an email!Downrigger DaleWarren HansenMorgan JacobsenTHANKS TO OUR SPONSORS Superior Hardwoods of MontanaRocky Mountain Truck & Trailer MPORTANT: Hunting regulations, quotas, access rules, closures and other information can change. Always check the current official Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks regulations and information before heading into the field.Support the showRemember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • The Search Continues. Plus Strange and Dangerous Bear Behavior. Are People Causing This?

    The Search Continues. Plus Strange and Dangerous Bear Behavior. Are People Causing This?
    Oct 17 2026
    Send us Fan MailThere are plenty of elk in Montana’s Region 5. So why can they be so darn hard to hunt?That is just one of the surprises Downrigger Dale uncovers in the latest stop in the Montana Outdoor Podcast’s Search for a Better Hunt: 2026 Montana Regional Hunting Forecast.This week Rigger heads to south-central Montana and sits down with longtime Montana FWP Wildlife Biologist Shawn Stewart. And when we say longtime, we mean it. Shawn has been studying wildlife in the Red Lodge and Beartooth area for decades, giving him a remarkable perspective on just how much things have changed.If you hunt mule deer or whitetails, you'll want to hear what Shawn says about where deer numbers are doing well—and where they're struggling. He also explains why simply finding animals may not be the biggest challenge facing hunters in Region 5.Then there are the bears.You've probably heard some of the stories coming out of the Red Lodge area this year. Shawn has spent more than 40 years involved in bear management and research, and he says some of the behavior they're seeing now is very different and VERY CONCERNING from what they've ever experienced in the past. Why? His answer is something everyone who lives, hunts, camps or recreates in bear country needs to hear.And wait until you watch this Podcast and find out what has happened to elk numbers since Shawn conducted his first survey back in the 1970s. The change is astounding—but there's a catch for hunters.Dale and Shawn also cover antelope, pheasants, Hungarian partridge, chukars, turkeys, waterfowl, wolves and even a very unique bighorn sheep opportunity.Region 5 may hold more surprises than any stop we've made so far. You just got to watch this Podcast!Watch or listen to this week's Montana Outdoor Podcast and continue The Search for a Better Hunt!Links:PLAN YOUR REGION 5 HUNTMontana FWP Hunting RegulationsMontana FWP Hunt PlannerHunting SeasonsMontana FWP Region 5Hunter Access ProgramsBlock ManagementPublic-Land Hunting Opportunities and AccessBe Bear AwareBefore hunting black bears, check the current regulations and quota status directly with Montana FWP. As Shawn explains in the podcast, quota status can determine whether hunting remains open in specific areasQUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Click the names below to send them an email!Downrigger DaleMontana FWP Wildlife Biologist - Shawn StewartTHANKS TO OUR SPONSORSSuperior Hardwoods of MontanaRocky Mountain Truck & TrailerIMPORTANT: Regulations, quotas, access rules, closures and other hunting information can change. Always check the current official Montana FWP regulations and information before heading into the field.Support the showRemember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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    1 hr
  • Inside Region 2: More Elk—and Access You Might Be Missing

    Inside Region 2: More Elk—and Access You Might Be Missing
    Oct 10 2026
    Send us Fan MailMore elk on the landscape doesn’t automatically mean more elk in the freezer. So what makes the difference? This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale welcomes FWP Region 2 Access Manager Trenton Heisel for the next stop in **The Search for a Better Hunt**. They explore central-western Montana’s elk country, deer outlook, black bear, mountain grouse opportunities, and the details hunters should check before heading out.Why does the Upper Clark Fork keep coming up in the elk conversation? What should mule deer hunters watch for in their district’s season dates? And how could this year’s berry shortage change what you encounter in bear country? Watch or listen and get the answers! Then Trenton puts Dale behind the controls of the Montana Hunt Planner—and the conversation becomes a practical lesson in finding a place to hunt. From Block Management maps to access corridors and lesser-known private-land opportunities, they uncover tools that deserve a closer look before your next trip. You’ll also hear why a simple thank-you can help keep a gate open for the next hunter. **Watch or listen this week’s Montana Outdoor Podcast before you plan your Region 2 hunt. The opportunity you’re looking for might begin with a map layer you’ve never switched on.**Links:2026 Region 2 Big-Game Forecast2026 Upland Game Bird ForecastFWP Hunting Regulations and CorrectionsMontana Hunt PlannerHunter Access ProgramsRegion 1 & 2 Block Management Maps, Rules and ContactsOther Private-Land Opportunities, Maps and Rules Public-Land Opportunities and Access CorridorsUpland Game Bird Enhancement Program Access 2026 Region 2 State of the Elk ReportRegion 2 Wildlife Annual Reports and UpdatesHunter-Landowner Stewardship ProgramRigger’s Conversation with Greg Lemon: “It Really is Up to Us! Protect the Hunt QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?Downrigger Dale downrigger@montanaoutdoor.comTrenton Heisel Trenton.Heisel@mt.govTHANKS TO OUR SPONSORSSuperior Hardwoods of MontanaRocky Mountain Truck & TrailerCheck current regulations, quota status, property rules and closures before heading out. The episode’s discussion is a planning resource; the current official rules govern your hunt.Support the showRemember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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    1 hr and 12 mins
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