Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks records, 1901-1991

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Montana. Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Title
Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks records
Dates
1901-1991 (inclusive)
Quantity
19.6 linear ft
Collection Number
RS 497 (collection)
Summary
This collection contains materials from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (1901-1991). This collection has been intellectually integrated into one Record Group, RS 497, to help facilitate access and reduce redundancy in the Montana Historical Society (MTHS) catalog. Please read the description carefully to determine which Subgroup (Division/Commission) pertains to your research needs.
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Languages
English.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Predecessor Agency Names: Department of Fish and Game

In March 1895, the Montana Legislature established the Board of Game and Fish Commissioners to oversee fish, game, licensing, and hunting practices in Montana. The Board was comprised of three commissioners, appointed by the Governor, and they were empowered to appoint a State Fish and Game Warden. The Warden also served as secretary and business agent of the Board. The first Warden was chosen in 1898. The Board was abolished in 1901 and replaced by a single State Game and Fish Warden with five to eight deputies. In 1907, the State Fish Commission was established to resume the Board responsibilities and to operate a state fish hatchery and to supervise the disposition of the fish raised there. The State Game and Fish Warden served as a member of this Commission. The same legislature also created the Fish and Game Commission to regulate hunting and fishing.

In 1921, the two commissions, State Fish Commission and Fish and Game Commission, merged and were empowered to establish fish and game districts and to close or open seasons on all game animals, birds, and fish. The administrative arm of the Commission gradually came to be referred to as the Fish and Game Department, although the Department was not legislatively formalized until 1972. It was renamed the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks in 1979.

As of 2024, the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks has the following Divisions: Director’s Office, Communication and Education Division, Enforcement Division, Land and Water, Fisheries Division, Technology Services, Parks and Outdoor Recreation Division, Wildlife Division, and Design and Construction. The Fish and Wildlife Commission consists of seven members appointed by the Governor and is responsible for setting fish and wildlife regulations, approving property acquisitions, and approving certain rules and activities of the Department. To see a current listing of FWP Divisions and staff, please visit the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks directory.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection contains records from various Divisions and Commissions within the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks records were integrated under one collection number to help facilitate access and reduce redundancy in the MTHS catalog. Please read the scope note below carefully to determine which subgroup pertains to your research needs.

To learn more detail about the records in each subgroup, please click on the links below in the arrangement section to be redirected to those finding aids.

Subgroup 1: Fisheries Division

This subgroup (1906-1991) consists of records from the Fisheries Division and includes general correspondence, minutes, financial records, hatchery activity logs, lake and stream survey cards, reports, subject files, and clippings.

Subgroup 2: Parks and Outdoor Recreation Division

This subgroup (1948-1991) consists of records from the Parks and Outdoor Recreation Division, formerly called the Parks Division. It consists of subject files regarding various state parks, including Beartooth State Recreation Area, Giant Springs State Park, Hell Creek State Park, Makoshika State Park, Rosebud Battlefield, and others. Please note that this collection is only preliminarily processed.

Subgroup 3: Wildlife Division

This subgroup (1954-1981) consists of records from the Wildlife Division and includes general correspondence, maps, press releases, printed materials, reports, and subject files (maps and printed materials were transferred to the Library). The subject files have been separated into three groups: Fish, Wildlife, and Parks internal, organizations and government, and topical. Some topics include big game management, dams, coal mine reclamation, fire control, fisheries, game law, Indian affairs, pesticides, etc.

Subgroup 4: Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission

This subgroup (1901-1966) consists of records from the Fish and Wildlife Commission and includes financial records, including audit reports, legal documents regarding the removal of State Fish and Game Warden J. S. McFarland, reports, subject files regarding Flint Creek, fish test projects, and the Montana Search and Rescue Association. Additionally, there are miscellaneous records, including journals for state fish spawning stations and hatcheries, blueprints and architectural drawings of Lewis and Clark Caverns, (formerly Morrison Cave), case records of regulation violations, confiscation registers, license registers, and docket registers.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Library & Archives, Helena, Montana.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into four subgroups, represented by the Divisions or Commissions within or related to the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Some of the Divisions contain records from the Bureaus, Programs, Offices, or Units that operate within that Division.

To learn more detail about the records in each subgroup, please click on the links below to be redirected to those finding aids.

Subgroup 1: Fisheries Division

Subgroup 2: Parks and Outdoor Recreation Division (formerly named Parks Division)

Subgroup 3: Wildlife Division

Subgroup 4: Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission (formerly named Fish and Game Commission)

Location of Collection

Please see specific subgroups' finding aids for collection locations.

Processing Note

In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 497, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives catalog, and to follow best archival practices.

Collections from Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks' various Divisions and Commissions that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 497. Rather than reprocessing over 17 linear feet of FWP materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those collections/finding aids and provide access to them via links in this master finding aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding aids at manageable sizes.

Each of the links above will redirect the user to a specific subgroup (Division/Commission) of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. There may be some overlap or inconsistencies in terms of which records are in which subgroup, as these collections have NOT been reprocessed or physically moved. These records are simply now under one intellectual Record Group. Please read the Scope and Content Note above carefully to confirm which records you wish to view. If you have any questions about which records you wish to access, please contact an archivist.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Conservation of natural resources--Montana
  • Environmental policy--Montana
  • Fish and game licenses--Montana
  • Fish hatcheries--Montana
  • Fish populations--Montana
  • Fish-culture--Montana
  • Fishing--Montana
  • Game wardens--Montana
  • Hunting--Montana
  • Pesticides--Montana
  • Picture-writing--Montana
  • Search and rescue operations--Montana
  • Wildlife conservation--Montana--Law and legislation

Corporate Names

  • Montana. Department of Fish and Game.
  • Montana. Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.

Geographical Names

  • Montana
  • Yellowstone National Park

Finding aid prepared by Lindsey Mick
2024

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