(Helena, MT) – Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) has approved the final management plan for Cooney State Park located in Roberts, Montana. The final plan focuses on visitor services, operations and maintenance, recreation opportunities, resource conservation, and education efforts for the next decade.

May 24, 2012
Applications accepted only online; archery permits over the counter July 25
PRATT — The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) is accepting applications for the resident firearm and muzzleloader antelope permit drawing. Applications may be submitted online through the KDWPT website, ksoutdoors.com. Click "License/Permits" in the upper right-hand corner of the page to begin the process. Paper applications are not available. For more information, phone 620-672-0728.

Open to Kansas residents only, more than 1,000 applications are expected for the 150 firearm and 46 muzzleloader permits available this year. Hunters who are unsuccessful in the drawing receive a preference point. It may require six or more preference points for a general resident to draw a firearm permit, or three or four preference points to draw a muzzleloader permit, depending on the number of applicants. Half the permits allocated in each unit are set aside for landowner/tenant applicants. Those who do not want to apply for a permit and want to purchase a preference point only may select "preference point only" online for $6.50. Only one preference point may be obtained per year.

Archery antelope permits are unlimited, and both resident and nonresident hunters can purchase permits over the counter. One open archery unit comprises the same area as the three firearm units combined. On average, fewer than 200 archery permits are sold each year. Archery antelope permits will be available over the counter from July 25 through Oct. 30.

2012 antelope season dates:

• firearm season — Oct. 5-8;
• muzzleloader season — Oct. 1-8; and
• archery season — Sept. 22-30 and Oct. 15-31.

Shooting hours for all seasons are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

Firearm and muzzleloader antelope general resident permits are $47.50, and resident landowner/tenant permits are $27.50. General resident archery antelope permits are $42.50; landowner/tenant archery permits are $22.50; and nonresident archery permits are $202.50. (Internet and processing fees also apply.) Unless exempt, all permit holders must also possess a Kansas hunting license.

The first modern-day antelope (properly called "pronghorn") hunting season in Kansas was held in 1974. Nearly 500 hunters applied for 80 permits, and 70 animals were harvested. Today, hunting is restricted to three management units that include parts or all of Sherman, Thomas, Wallace, Logan, Gove, Trego, Greeley, Wichita, Scott, Lane, Ness, Hamilton, Kearny, Finney, Gray, Hodgeman, Ford, Stanton, Grant, Haskell, Morton, Stevens, Seward, Meade and Clark counties.

For more information on hunting antelope in Kansas, go to Hunting/Big Game/Antelope on the KDWPT website.
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Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks proposes to improve a small portion of the 110-acre Stipek Fishing Access Site (FAS) on the Yellowstone River, which would include rerouting, grading and gravelling of the entrance road, construction of a single-lane boat ramp, gravel parking area for vehicles with trailers, sealed vault latrine, and erection of fencing and signs.