Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Update: The State of Montana invested in ServiceNow in 2020. We have migrated our helpdesk functions into this new system but need to reevaluate our service management process to align with this new technology. This objective will be addressed in the FY22-23 biennium.

Update: Our Enterprise Architect developed a weighted scoring matrix that could be leveraged to evaluate all technology requests against the primary business goals and objectives that were identified by agency leadership.

Update: Representatives from every business unit within the agency were interviewed. The primary focus of these interviews was to identify and confirm the Agency’s business goals and objectives. The results of these interviews were documented and analyzed by TSD. During the interview process the Agency’s business leaders were asked to prioritize the business goals and objectives and offer their input regarding the direction of the organization. The prioritized business goals will laid the foundation that will guide the development of the FWPEA’s artifacts, framework and processes. Implementation of Enterprise Architecture is a FY22-23 objective.

Update: All IT-related internal policies and guidance documentation were centralized for review and reorganization to improve accessibility, update relevant documents, retire outdated documents, and identify topics that need new guidance materials. These policies will be published in ServiceNow when that module is available to agency use.

Update: Implementing ArcGIS Online and mobile field data collection through Survey123 and Collector has increased the opportunity for staff to collect information and have it stored in a central repository that is available to additional staff for viewing and analysis. Previously this data may have been stored locally in spreadsheets with limited access.

Update: FWP has utilizing data dashboards through ArcGIS Online to convey agency data in more intuitive ways (i.e. graphs and charts) to internal staff, the FWP Commission and the public. Examples include the elk shoulder season evaluation, aquatic invasive species boat inspection information and waterfowl migration information at Freezout Wildlife Management Area. Additional reports were added to the lands tax database to provide information on other assessments to properties FWP has an interest in. The department is also developing a new Commission rules tracking app that will make it easier to track and cite rules adopted by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Update: FWP relied on our social media presence to engage with our customer this year. Two of the campaings that were lauched this year were #AskFWP and #FishMadness. #AskFWP allows people to submit questions to the department that were answered by the subject matter expert. #FishMadness was a fish bracket similar to March Madness that allowed the public to vote on their favorite fish. The Governor even revealed his picks.

Update: For the 2020 License year, FWP moved from accepting paper applications to only digital applications. Digital applications are verified for prerequisites, correct hunting districts, and accurate account information before completing the sale. The system also automatically tallies the purchase to ensure the correct payment. FWP typically manually processes 60,000 paper applications each year and the big game drawing takes place at least 6 weeks after the deadline. This year the drawing took place 13 days after the deadline allowing hunters to plan their trips and future purchases earlier in the year.

Update: FWP launched several new products this year to help inform the public:

FishMT – A mobile-friendly web application giving the public unprecedented access to information about Montana’s fisheries. FishMT allows the public free and open access to content from the internal fisheries information system including stocking data, survey and inventory data, fishing access information, and much more.

AIS boat inspection dashboard - communicates the number of boats inspected for aquatic invasive species, fouled boats, and boat inspections by station. Data is also displayed on a map.

CWD Sample Submission – allows hunters to submit samples for testing themselves. This information is cross-referenced against samples we receive at the lab to test animals for chronic wasting disease.

Freezout migration - store counts of migratory birds for the purposes of conveying regular updates on status of spring and fall migration. Migratory bird use of Freezout Lake WMA is arguably one of the most amazing wildlife viewing opportunities in Montana. This replaced the old method of updating the public on current bird counts and viewing conditions is via a phone hotline.