Changes to MT Upland Season - Resident Priority Takes Effect This Year

[Ben Lamb]

The lands that are enrolled in the Upland Game Bird Habitat Program are open for residents. These lands were inadvertently left out during the initial committee hearing. Folks caught that and added it in as an amendment. That added about 500K more acres for resident priority.

You can find those spots here: https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/habitat/upland-game-bird-enhancement-program/access-guide

 

[SAJ-99]

So yeah,

About those birds.

Social scientists would have seen this coming.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Social scientists would have seen this coming.

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 

[antlerradar]

Theyre harvesting less bucks than 2006.

This is because the quality of mule deer bucks sucks so bad that many R are opting to fill the freezer with an elk. Part of the reason NR shoot more bucks in region 7 than residents.

Edit: MTTW beat me to it.

 

[Forkyfinder]

This is because the quality of mule deer bucks sucks so bad that many R are opting to fill the freezer with an elk. Part of the reason NR shoot more bucks in region 7 than residents.

Know plenty who say they dont need to shoot another MD unless its a monster. They just buy the tag.

Cant say the same about the NR who are here, and i dont blame them. Theyre a lot more invested in it.

 

[brockel]

Know plenty who say they dont need to shoot another MD unless its a monster. They just buy the tag.

Cant say the same about the NR who are here, and i dont blame them. Theyre a lot more invested in it.

Haven’t shot a mule deer buck in 14 or 15 years now

 

[antlerradar]

Know plenty who say they dont need to shoot another MD unless its a monster. They just buy the tag.

Cant say the same about the NR who are here, and i dont blame them. Theyre a lot more invested in it.

This is true, but different people have a different definition of monster.

 

[Gerald Martin]

This is true, but different people have a different definition of monster.

Been thinking about this old warrior troll ever since I spotted him last October.

Guys saying that there aren’t any big bucks left in MT aren’t looking hard enough. Lace em up and get out of the truck!

 

[Gerald Martin]

Birds were so plentiful that NR’s were shooting them with arrows and I had to hide under boulders to keep from being attacked!

 

[Ben Lamb]

Gerald's last two posts exemplify why the mountain grouse were left for the Sept. 1 opener. Seems like a shame to not let an archer, regardless of where they pay taxes, not spend more $ on arrows after losing a pile of them on blues and pats.

 

[Straight Arrow]

However, some archers are proficient. First shot ever, one arrow, granddaughter took grouse she was hunting. Shot it in the head!

She then took it home, prepared it, cooked it, and fed her family.

 

[Forkyfinder]

View attachment 415492

Been thinking about this old warrior troll ever since I spotted him last October.

Guys saying that there aren’t any big bucks left in MT aren’t looking hard enough. Lace em up and get out of the truck!

Birds were so plentiful that NR’s were shooting them with arrows and I had to hide under boulders to keep from being attacked!View attachment 415495View attachment 415496

Damn you gerald!

Dont shoot the last forky alive in r7! Thats my plan after november 15th

 

[Tradewind]

Maybe not so far fetched. North Dakota (which I think may have been the model for this delayed NR bird opener) just added a 10 day delayed start for NR archery deer. As a NR in ND, I’m perfectly fine with it. And I kinda hope MT follows their big game lead.

ND also limits the number of days for small game (birds) You have to declare your (I think) it's 2 weeks out of the whole season.
Or you can buy another tag for $150

 

[406dn]

Know plenty who say they dont need to shoot another MD unless its a monster. They just buy the tag.

Cant say the same about the NR who are here, and i dont blame them. Theyre a lot more invested in it.

It is good to know that I'm not alone. I always have a deer tag, just in case. I have not killed one in a long long time. I did see a bachelor group of mule deer bucks a couple of days ago. There were about a half dozen of them, all 4 points or so, none real big.

Given where they call home, somebody will think they are nice enough.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Damn you gerald!

Dont shoot the last forky alive in r7! Thats my plan after november 15th

That buck isn’t going to be accessible to the common peasant. That caliber of deer can only be killed by landowner connections via secret lobbying deals for outfitters. Sure glad I’ve made those connections….

 

[DFS]

Just got back from scouting grouse, the first 10 days of this season is gonna be lit!

 

[JLDemo]

Just got back from scouting grouse, the first 10 days of this season is gonna be lit!

Don't be surprised when you see those same chain gains of dogs from the same people still "training" September 1.

 

[brockel]

That buck isn’t going to be accessible to the common peasant. That caliber of deer can only be killed by landowner connections via secret lobbying deals for outfitters. Sure glad I’ve made those connections….
View attachment 415510

Big shooter taking you on the Seven Blackfoot?

 

[406dn]

Don't be surprised when you see those same chain gains of dogs from the same people still "training" September 1.

And so what. The birds of the year can take care of themselves well enough, that the state says residents can hunt them then.

I've got a young setter that I've been training this month. I will also continue training her into September.


Training bird dogs on wild birds is so far down the list of threats to game birds, it is essentially nil. At most, it wises them up some.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Big shooter taking you on the Seven Blackfoot?

After Ben Lamb ferries me across the reservoir on his yacht. Disappointing that Ben was unable to secure bottle service for the champagne tasting enroute. I expect better next year.