I am keeping a close eye as things unfold in these other states. Our situation is likely the exception to how this would impact most hunters.
We have 15 tags we planned to film this fall. I am trying like hell to get film permits for all of them, but with agencies working from home, it is a very slow process. We have shelled out thousands and thousands of dollars in applications and will shell out 2-3x that amount in non-refundable film permit fees. That is our Plan A.
Plan B, the fall back plan for us, is that we film strictly in Montana. I have submitted film permits for almost every corner of Montana, just in case these other western states close their borders to non-residents. That costs a big chunk of non-refundable money, but I'd be a fool to ignore the likelihood. If that is the case, we hope the audience likes grouse hunting, waterfowl, trapping, snaring, whitetail does, and any other activity we can nose our way into.
Add all of those logistics, schedules for eight employees, their hunts, sponsor requests, and not wanting to expose any of them to unnecessary risks, and I think the odds of me being forced to Plan B are getting closer to 50%. Suffice to say, knowing this was a possibility, I've been as observant as possible to every protocol that might mitigate risks to this spiking again.
I know this sounds like a First World problem, and to some degree it is for me. But, for eight employees it is a real problem if it keeps us from doing our work.
