GLASGOW, Mont. (NMB) – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is reminding Montanans that ice shelters must be removed by March 1, unless occupied.
This new regulation is for FWP’s eastern fishing district, which includes the majority of north central, north eastern and south eastern Montana.
Havre warden Andy Matakis cites angler safety as the reason for this new rule, as people previously only had to remove ice houses before they became irretrievable.
“We were having people who were going out on fairly thin ice to try and get their ice houses off, which is a safety concern for us. We were also having several ice houses, not only in the Havre area, but around Malta, around Glasgow, around Miles City, where ice houses would actually go through the ice and sink into the lake.”
Shelters may remain on the ice after March 1, but must be removed daily if not occupied overnight.
