More changes to Montana hunting on the horizon.

[Jon Boy]

I just still can't on board with all of this ridiculous hunting pressure and low quality everyone is preaching here. My God is there giant bucks and bulls in every unit in the state that die of old age every year. I wish I was better hunter because where i hunt there are 180 in mule deer and 350 in bulls allllll dayyyy long. I have there sheds. It's not easy to hunt but if you want to hunt block management and state sections they will always be crowded, split season or not. It's ridiculous to expect easy elk and deer of high quality. It will never happen. Any where.

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[peterk123]

I just still can't on board with all of this ridiculous hunting pressure and low quality everyone is preaching here. My God is there giant bucks and bulls in every unit in the state that die of old age every year. I wish I was better hunter because where i hunt there are 180 in mule deer and 350 in bulls allllll dayyyy long. I have there sheds. It's not easy to hunt but if you want to hunt block management and state sections they will always be crowded, split season or not. It's ridiculous to expect easy elk and deer of high quality. It will never happen. Any where.

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I moved to MT recently. I laugh at the discussions about pressure. You guys have no idea.

Picture a 60 acre public parcel with no less than five stands in there. Then picture a ten man drive during rifle season wiping out everything that walks. Now that is pressure. Welcome to Massachusetts.

 

[MallardSX2]

Turn it into 12 day increments for everyone and it would be like a majority of other states. Even more win win. Less folks in the woods at any given time, more licenses available, 1/2 the guys can’t kill in a 2 week period, etc…. Add some antler restrictions to protect the yearlings (2x2) deer and maybe we got something to start with.

I have no skin in this game, got a guided hunt next year and then you guys can continue to beat the system to death. Funny how this forum promotes hunting, tags, and points in every state on one hand, and bashing NR for various state induced problems on the other. LoL!

It’s sad to see the death spiral of hunting in my lifetime.

Also, I should mention I’m a nonresident.

 

[MallardSX2]

I moved to MT recently. I laugh at the discussions about pressure. You guys have no idea.

Picture a 60 acre public parcel with no less than five stands in there. Then picture a ten man drive during rifle season wiping out everything that walks. Now that is pressure. Welcome to Massachusetts.

I hunted in Pennsylvania for 30 years. These guys “out west” certainly make me chuckle when they talk about hunting pressure.

 

[MT257]

I hunted in Pennsylvania for 30 years. These guys “out west” certainly make me chuckle when they talk about hunting pressure.

I understand the pressure that is seen back east, but the influx seen in Montana today is astronomically higher than that of 10 years ago. Technology has played a large hand in that.

 

[MallardSX2]

I understand the pressure that is seen back east, but the influx seen in Montana today is astronomically higher than that of 10 years ago. Technology has played a large hand in that.

You could have triple the pressure you seen 10 years ago and you still wouldn't understand the pressure in the East. Lol

 

[MT257]

You could have triple the pressure you seen 10 years ago and you still don’t understand the pressure in the East. Lol

The point being the increased pressure, more tags issued, technology and accessible number of acres of huntable land are all for driving the elk, deer, and antelope on to private land where they then become off limits. Reducing some of that pressure will keep some of huntable critters on public lands.

 

[MallardSX2]

Hearing residents complain is so satisfying.

Some of you have absolutely no idea good you have it.

 

[Lawnboi]

Hearing residents complain is so satisfying.

Some of you have absolutely no idea good you have it.

Back East when people want better hunting they lease, buy or work harder. Residents just need to quit whining and work harder so they can buy land. Can we say that now since we are condoning just pricing people out of hunting?

Cranky residents please read as sarcasm.

 

[Trackerbacker]

Not a resident, but my $0.03:

I'll be headed to region 3/4/5, sounds like that gets the least pressure.

Thanks!

 

[PablitoPescador]

Not a resident, but my $0.03:

I'll be headed to region 3/4/5, sounds like that gets the least pressure.

Thanks!

Keep in mind that less pressure=less animals

 

[Trackerbacker]

Keep in mind that less pressure=less animals

Yeah, more of a joke, saw a resident mention they cruise to 3/4/5, so was throwing a NR joke out there

 

[Rockydog]

I'm not totally opposed to the idea yet, but this is a BIG change, they say because of "crowding and lack of success." I don't think we're in that bad of shape yet, this sounds like whining you see in the comments section on the FWP facebook page.


After watching the newly appointed FWP commissioner and commission in action this last year, I don't have much faith in the advisory committee having the public hunter's best interest in mind. The commission certainly had the big outfitters best interest in mind until they were called on it, and I don't expect them to stop trying to push outfitter friendly regs through. I am leery of any changes they propose.

Who are these people - anyone know?

The advisory group is a quality set of people and I believe in them. One of them is a friend hunting partner. Lifelong Montanan and outdoorsman. The current commissioners are a different story.

 

[Rich M]

I just still can't on board with all of this ridiculous hunting pressure and low quality everyone is preaching here. My God is there giant bucks and bulls in every unit in the state that die of old age every year. I wish I was better hunter because where i hunt there are 180 in mule deer and 350 in bulls allllll dayyyy long. I have there sheds. It's not easy to hunt but if you want to hunt block management and state sections they will always be crowded, split season or not. It's ridiculous to expect easy elk and deer of high quality. It will never happen. Any where.

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Do you collect shed of animals that spend the entire year on that property? - or - are you collecting the sheds of the elk and mule deer that migrate like most of em do? Curious.

 

[Rich M]

Also, I should mention I’m a nonresident.

Yup, me too.

 

[Jon Boy]

Do you collect shed of animals that spend the entire year on that property? - or - are you collecting the sheds of the elk and mule deer that migrate like most of em do? Curious.

True blue public land deer and elk that are born, live and will die all on public. And obviously I collect them they migrated too. Which is also public...

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[mtwarden]

Obviously no easy answers.

It's definitely worth perusing the Advisory Board recommendations, they cover a wide range of topics related to elk hunting beyond choosing your weapon.

https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/public-comment-opportunities/emcag-recommendations

The department and the commission will ultimately decide if any of the recommendations are going to be adopted or partially adopted. That means they'll be another opportunity for the public to comment.

The scarier thing coming down the pike imho, is our Legislature meets again in a month. All bets are off on what they come up with. If past sessions are any indication, you can bet the vast majority of bills submitted will not be for the benefit of folks that hunt public lands.

 

[S.Clancy]

Obviously no easy answers.

It's definitely worth perusing the Advisory Board recommendations, they cover a wide range of topics related to elk hunting beyond choosing your weapon.

https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/public-comment-opportunities/emcag-recommendations

The department and the commission will ultimately decide if any of the recommendations are going to be adopted or partially adopted. That means they'll be another opportunity for the public to comment.

The scarier thing coming down the pike imho, is our Legislature meets again in a month. All bets are off on what they come up with. If past sessions are any indication, you can bet the vast majority of bills submitted will not be for the benefit of folks that hunt public lands.

There is like 130 Wildlife bills so far.... http://laws.leg.mt.gov/legprd/LAW02...BJT_SBJ_CD=FISH&P_ENTY_ID_SEQ=&Z_ACTION2=Find

Luckily there is really well-organized opposition this year as opposed to 2021.