Montana reducing nonresident deer tags

[peterk123]

It's worth listening to the meeting. My takeaway was that everything was a knee jerk reaction. Maybe I'm missing something but that commisioner Lelsley Robinson is far from impressive. She very well may be the problem. In her defense, this is the first time I really listened to her.

 

[S.Clancy]

Wait a minute.. I thought the # of NR combo tags was in statute so changes had to come through legislature? Maybe that is only the Elk combo tags?

They were available and returned. There is nothing in statute that says they have to re-sell them.

 

[S.Clancy]

Mandatory harvest reporting would likely require FWP cuts elsewhere. This is from the 2025 MT FWP Budget Book.

View attachment 983238

Huh? Are all of the people who do phone surveys volunteering for free? How is all the results the collect put into "data"? I'd think having actual mandatory reporting would make that work load smaller.

What does it cost to modify an app and website and change the regs? I have a hard time seeing how it'd be a significant cost hurdle.

We've talked to FWP leadership several times. Right now they are working on a tool for harvest reporting. The initial indication is they will pursue an incentive for reporting. I think there is a lot more to come on this. If FWP creates a harvest reporting tool that functions as well as the licensing App (which IME is the best functioning one in the West at least, can't speak outside of that) I think we are trending in the right direction.

 

[wind gypsy]

For many years, FWP has probably tried hard to do the best with what they had. I believe the "ALS" system was built and maintained by state workers. It may not be easy to simply add a "harvest reporting module" to that system. I'd bet it would cost more that it would save by eliminating callers.

Harvest reporting is one of those "is the juice worth the squeeze" things. Apples to oranges - NY is NOT self-funded by license sales. Long ago, they were able to "contract out" the entire licensing system which now works great. NY issues 2x more hunting and 9x more fishing licenses than MT. They spend about $3,000,000 a year just on the sporting license system that includes harvest reporting by phone, web or app. Mandatory harvest reporting since 2000. No automatic penalties for not reporting and the ECOs don't really issue a lot of tickets for non-reporting. It took several years for the reporting rate to level off and provide "more accurate" estimates.

NY "mandatory" harvest reporting 2000-2024:
View attachment 983278

What is the reporting rate? Is that saying half of hunters dont do the mandatory reporting?

Been mandatory to register harvested deer in my home state (MN) since before I was a twinkle in my dad's eye (i'm 40). There are people who dont follow the law and they are ticketed accordingly. 50% would be wild though?

 

[S.Clancy]

What is the reporting rate? Is that saying half of hunters dont do the mandatory reporting?

Been mandatory to register harvested deer in my home state (MN) since before I was a twinkle in my dad's eye (i'm 40). There are people who dont follow the law and they are ticketed accordingly. 50% would be wild though?

Only a couple of state have true "mandatory reporting". NV and Arizona, maybe another? They are usually around or above 90% compliance. Most other state have non-mandatory reporting (ID, MT, etc). Response rates are significantly lower, 50% or so.

 

[wind gypsy]

Only a couple of state have true "mandatory reporting". NV and Arizona, maybe another? They are usually around or above 90% compliance. Most other state have non-mandatory reporting (ID, MT, etc). Response rates are significantly lower, 50% or so.

Option #3 is mandatory harvest registration. In MN (and other states) you have to register a harvested animal within 48 hrs. If you dont shoot anything you dont have to report anything. I like requiring the NV and AZ setup personally.

 

[S.Clancy]

Option #3 is mandatory harvest registration. In MN (and other states) you have to register a harvested animal within 48 hrs. If you dont shoot anything you dont have to report anything. I like requiring the NV and AZ setup personally.

Me too. It literally takes 90 seconds having done it for both states multiple times

 

[Lawnboi]

WI has mandatory reporting.

30 seconds on the game registration portal you enter your harvest auth number and receive a confirmation number. It’s stupid easy.

It’s like a 5 question survey. Deer seen, hours spent, location and gender/age.

No incentive, no bullcrap. It’s required

 

[Erict]

What is the reporting rate? Is that saying half of hunters dont do the mandatory reporting?

Correct. About 50% reporting rate after 24 years of "mandatory" reporting only harvested deer, bear, turkey. Harvest estimates are probably most useful in establishing antlerless quotas for each WMU (HD). Antlered deer, bear and turkey tags are no total cap OTC (R and NR) and good statewide, but the harvest estimates can show regional or statewide trends when combined with other estimating tools like weather, deer processor visits, check stations, etc.

NY has paper or etags. Reporting options include 24/7 phone reporting, reporting through website or by using the app. Immediate validation of etag or 48 hour reporting for paper tags. Lots of people forget to report in a timely manner and are afraid to make a late report fearing getting a ticket, so they don't report at all. NYSDEC should send a message at end of hunting seasons reminding hunters to report and give them "amnesty" but they don't, so about 50% is gonna be as good as it gets. The NY system could easily handle true 100% reporting but it would require rejiggering the fudge factor on the numbers for several years after 24 years of fairly steady results.

NY issues very few tickets for failure to report - they prefer the carrot to the stick. They did make an improvement a few years ago that allows one to log in and see all of their prior harvest reports, which is nice. Additionally, reporting a bear or turkey harvest can lead to them sending a message and follow up envelope requesting bear teeth or turkey legs that the biologists use.

If MT were to implement a well designed harvest reporting tool it could be useful, but will remain just a piece of the big puzzle.