Montana elk hunting is about to take a dive

[Deadfall]

Puts the DIY NR hunter in quite the pickle across the west, residents want to decrease NR opportunity so they can have more opportunities and outfitters want to carve out dedicated outfitter and/or landowner tags from the NR allocation. With no advocates and no legal standing, it doesn’t paint a rosy picture for the DIY NR hunter.

That being said I can’t get behind MT’s attempt to completely commercialize and exploit a public resource such as their elk herd. That’s just not right.

Seems all of us across the board are getting greedy and full of fear. Everyone worried about loosing their hunting spot or ground or the guy camped down the road shooting a bigger bulll.

Everyone has lost sight of the golden rule. Thats what all this nonsense boils down too. Everyone is out for themselves and our brothers.

 

[Deadfall]

I don't see that happening. But I would be happy to be proven wrong.

Whether it does or does not is completely based on how many of us are involved with emails, phone calls and information sharing. How many of us are going to stop relying on big lobby nonsense to care for us. This is still AMERICA, we have to work for it. By we, I mean each and every one of us on a individual basis getting involved. Everyone wants quick, cheap, easy. NOTHING worthwhile is quick, cheap or easy!

 

[Deadfall]

part of me is torn because quite frankly western states are limiting NR more and more every year. NR might come to quickly find out that the majority of their opportunities in the future I'm gonna come from free market-based tags. non-residents may be shooting themselves in the foot by not supporting bills like this.

Free-market based tags huh. Landowners set the price and highest bidder wins. Pretty soon DON JR. wouldn't even be able to afford a tag.

What if we all stop being so dang greedy. Every stinking little group fighting with the other. DIY guys whether resident or NR, have got to start getting involved.

 

[S.Clancy]

Can someone school me on how you would testify in person for this bill?

 

[finner]

Participate - Montana Legislature

How to Have Your Say Virtually! Public Participation Notice: Public Testimony for Conference Committees is in person only. You will be able to select from the bills that are currently scheduled for hearing for the next 4 days. By 5PM the day before the hearing, you will be able to submit your...

leg.mt.gov

@S.Clancy More the merrier. Light 'em up!

 

[Schaaf]

Can someone school me on how you would testify in person for this bill?

You just show up. There’s a sign in sheet when you go in person.

 

[S.Clancy]

Participate - Montana Legislature

How to Have Your Say Virtually! Public Participation Notice: Public Testimony for Conference Committees is in person only. You will be able to select from the bills that are currently scheduled for hearing for the next 4 days. By 5PM the day before the hearing, you will be able to submit your...

leg.mt.gov

@S.Clancy More the merrier. Light 'em up!

You just show up. There’s a sign in sheet when you go in person.

Ok, thanks.

 

[Chesapeake173]

At some point it would be interesting to see what the states responsibilities are to qualify for P/R dollars from the feds.

I we want to keep the North American model strong there needs to be consequences for states that go against it. Federal funding may be a consequence.


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[otolith]

It's always about money. When wealthy people see profit in a resource they will do whatever they have to to acquire it. Especially if that resource is managed by the state or the feds. They know their wealth will always give them a receptive ear from politicians.

 

[Legend]

Bill proposes landowner-sponsored elk licenses, extra bonus points

House Bill 505 was borne from a concept developed internally at Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

helenair.com

It saddens me to say but it looks like Hank is the author of this bill. Yep, Hank is the new Director of MTFWP and was appointed by Gianforte. I hope I am wrong and FWP shows up today and opposes this nonsense.

 

[beauhunter]

How'd the call with Tabor go?

The call ended up happening yesterday but it went really well. The purpose of the call was to discuss mule deer management in Region 1 and we had some great conversation pertaining to that. We didn't have much time to discuss anything else and he didn't have much to say HB 505 since it's still in committee. He was very insightful while discussing management practices though and offered some sound proposals & ways to get things accomplished. I'm interested to see how working with him proceeds going forward.

One topic we did discuss was the additional tags that were created for HD 270 last year. I told him that I was concerned about the additional mule deer tags being given out since the current mule deer management plan in MT states that no additional tags would be issued w/o any positive CWD results within a unit. Out of the 45 tags that are issued in HD 270 not a single animal was ever tested and then FWP decided to give out 15 more tags just for testing. He said that things like this are what he would like to see change in the department. I'm hoping that he was sincere and not just blowing smoke. We will see going forward if he is willing to truly help make a difference.

 

[Legend]

Please take a minute and call Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation at 406-523-4500 and ask to speak with a policy decision maker. If they oppose this bill there is a chance it gets tabled. RMEF is key to the fate of this bill so let them hear you!!

 

[brocksw]

What's SCI's stance on MT bills 505? 143? 306? I may have missed it but I haven't heard anything from them...

 

[GKWMontana]

Just spoke with a gentleman named Mark at RMEF. I explained the reasons I felt this was a bad bill, he took my points and said they were monitoring the bill. He was very polite and listened to what I said. He did state he had only received a couple of calls.

 

[Deadfall]

Bill proposes landowner-sponsored elk licenses, extra bonus points

House Bill 505 was borne from a concept developed internally at Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

helenair.com

It saddens me to say but it looks like Hank is the author of this bill. Yep, Hank is the new Director of MTFWP and was appointed by Gianforte. I hope I am wrong and FWP shows up today and opposes this nonsense.

This is all Wylie Galt. He tried similar thing in 2019. Tyats verifiable. Can be looked up.

 

[finner]

This is all Wylie Galt. He tried similar thing in 2019. Tyats verifiable. Can be looked up.

It's both of them. The department knew Galt was going to introduce another godawful elk bill, so they asked if they could tack some of their ideas on to it. FWP and Gianforte need to hear from hunters that this won't fly...

I've sat in on a lot of elk management meetings over the last couple of years, where hunters and ranchers can actually get together and explain their priorities. These meetings are facilitated by FWP. Under the Gianforte administration, FWP is now bypassing any and all public input on elk management. It's disgraceful.

 

[hobbes]

I had one response back from a Democrat that assured me they would vote No. It was actually a pretty good response.

You guys tend to lump the entire agency together when you keep pointing the finger at FWP. There are a lot of good folks at FWP that care immensely for Montana's wildlife. However, the governor appoints the Director. Depending on the governor, they'll take sound advice from their directors who take sound advice from folks in the department or they'll push their directors to push the department to fulfill a political agenda. Often the latter of the two happens to at least some extent and there isn't a damn thing that "FWP" can do besides take most of the blame. It's wildlife management based on politics and money instead of science.

 

[finner]

I had one response back from a Democrat that assured me they would vote No. It was actually a pretty good response.

You guys tend to lump the entire agency together when you keep pointing the finger at FWP. There are a lot of good folks at FWP that care immensely for Montana's wildlife. However, the governor appoints the Director. Depending on the governor, they'll take sound advice from their directors who take sound advice from folks in the department or they'll push their directors to push the department to fulfill a political agenda. Often the latter of the two happens to at least some extent and there isn't a damn thing that "FWP" can do besides take most of the blame. It's wildlife management based on politics and money instead of science.

Absolutely. There's a ton of good people at FWP who are just as fed up with this unscientific, anti-elk dogma as the rest of us. However, there are also a few folks at the middle manager level who are so tired of hearing from ranchers that they end up pushing stuff like this, or letting shoulder seasons continue in units that are below objective. Hunters are not the squeakiest wheel in Montana by a long shot.

 

[Legend]

There is a ton of great employees at fwp. Unfortunately the director, appointed by the governor, is the author of this bill. Listening to the hearing is hard as they claim no one is willing to hunt elk on private land....so we made this bill.

Elk hunting in montana will never be the same...thanks Hank, Greg, and Wyllie.

It's not too late call RMEF and anyone on this committee.

 

[Deadfall]

Anyone make it to the hearing? Was planning on it but got held up.
Was there much opposition?