If you hunt elk in MT, look here!

[shoots-straight]

Here's some more good info concerning elk populations, and elk objectives for the entire state. If I hunted the Missouri River Breaks, I would be screaming my arse off. Those numbers are ridiculous for an area of that size, and the amount of public lands there. Just my opinon.

http://fwp.mt.gov/fwpDoc.html?id=52440

 

[Devil Diver Down]

They may as well call it an Elk Population Subjective Status, since they're using fancy metrics like 'social tolerance' instead of weird measurements like habitat and the like.

I was a lot happier when I didn't read about these issues on this board. Dumber, but happier.

 

[Ben Lamb]

The reasonable and strong voice carried the day.

Ed Beall, one of the owners of Capitol Sports and Western here in Helena did a great job, as did a number of local Rod and Gun clubs, as well as a number of groups. Great turnout of educated and well spoken folks today.

Big Fin, listening closely to the testimony:

 

[Ben Lamb]

...........

 

[devon deer]

Randy,
I honestly had no idea that any of this was going on and would be more than willing to put in the time, and attend meetings to help fight this BS.

Thanks
Mitch

As above, and Jonboy asked the same, doesn't anyone have an answer for them?
I get used to not getting a response to my posts but hey these guys are local and offering their help on this.
Cheers
Richard

 

[shoots-straight]

As above, and Jonboy asked the same, doesn't anyone have an answer for them?
I get used to not getting a response to my posts but hey these guys are local and offering their help on this.
Cheers
Richard

The Grand Daddy of them all in Montana is the Montana Wildlife Federation. Ben Lamb is Conservation Director, and more. They are the thread that links most of us together in Montana. There's many more groups too, and you can see the affiliate groups in your area by looking around on their site.

http://www.montanawildlife.com/aboutus/staff.htm

For Jonboy, there's the Billings Rod and Gun, and I think PLPW ( Private Lands, Public Wildlife) in the Billings areas. He could go on the Montana Wildlife Federation Web and look up others in the south East region. The MBA (Montana Bow Hunters Ass.) also gets involved in the issues that face us. You can join the newly formed MSA (Montana Sportsmen Alliance) it deals with legislative issues and those people that would help, or hinder our hunting heritage. I happen to be the Treasurer of the PAC.

http://www.montanasportsmenalliance.com/

Anyone can weigh in on the issues that effect us. When we have comment periods on proposals to the MTFW&P's. Those can be commented on their Web.

In the Root, there's the Ravalli County Fish & Wildlife Ass.

http://www.rcfwa.org/

 

[drahthaar]

Houndy,

Just a FYI. In HD 103 119 elk were killed in 2010 by two legged hunters. If there's only 150 elk left that is a problem. They might be lieing about the kill too.

http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/planahunt/districtDetail.html?p1=Elk&p2=17566304

Its not that they lie, they have no clue with the current system. This phone survey does nothing but give them numbers for "trends". Trend is the buzz word when you talk to bios. I understand trends, that is fine. But why not find out true numbers through mandatory reporting? In this day and age of internet, buying licenses online, there is no excuse whatsoever for not having everyone fill out a report card online within 10 days following the season. You can have postcards for the computer illiterate at license locations.
They got a hold of me for the first time in about 6 or 7 years. Asked me if I saw a wolf, killed a wolf, how many days I hunted in each district. Then asked me about turkeys, TURKEYS!?! Didn't even ask about the bear, buck, and bull I killed. On the phone for 1 minute. Nice.

Mandatory reporting would throw a wrench into their trends from years past for sure, but we should be better at this. Start new I say, and do things right. Be serious about what we have out there(preds and prey), and what is being taken. Turn in the report card, or you don't hunt next year.

 

[Big Fin]

Mandatory reporting would throw a wrench into their trends from years past for sure, but we should be better at this. Start new I say, and do things right. Be serious about what we have out there(preds and prey), and what is being taken. Turn in the report card, or you don't hunt next year.

Bingo!

Our club has been asking for that since 2000. Unacceptable in this day and age to not have mandatory reporting.

 

[Mato]

Seems to me that Idaho has some madatory reporting, not sure on which tags but I saw it in their regs somewhere...

 

[mtlion]

Bingo!

Our club has been asking for that since 2000. Unacceptable in this day and age to not have mandatory reporting.

I'm all for it. I've always wondered about that also.

 

[Drake4]

I'm all for it. I've always wondered about that also.

That would be too simple..too much common sense.

 

[TheTone]

Seems to me that Idaho has some madatory reporting, not sure on which tags but I saw it in their regs somewhere...

Mandatory reporting is required on all elk, deer and pronghorn. We do not get 100% returns on them and I've spoken to numerous people who feel the need to lie on them for some reason. In addition all bears, lions, wolves, moose, goats and sheep require a check in at a regional office or with an officer.

Good luck to you guys with your EMP. One of the areas I hunt in Idaho has a large number of elk that winter in Montana, of course their wintering area is well over objective. We want more elk on our side, montana wants less. Looking at the objective data it seems likely a large amount of the "Idaho" elk aren't getting counted, so I'm sure they're just considered extras or problems.

 

[Lawnboy]

I know that Alaska does and they take it serious. I made the mistake of not reporting an unsuccessful sheep hunt and I got some nasty emails threatening me that they would not allow me to ever enter a drawing in that state again and that I would get a call or visit from the Troopers. It was my first year and I haven't made that mistake again.

I know that they will kick you out of any future drawings if you don't report. It got my attention and since I haven't missed a report.

 

[shoots-straight]

Ravalli County Fish & Wildlife has been asking for mandatory reporting for more years than I can remember. There's many things that aren't equal in our state's treatment of species. If you kill any animal other than deer and elk, I think you have to report it. Also there are a few tags you can buy, and hunt a hour later, then others you have to wait 5 days. They need to standardize things.

 

[CabinFever]

They got a hold of me for the first time in about 6 or 7 years. Asked me if I saw a wolf, killed a wolf, how many days I hunted in each district. Then asked me about turkeys, TURKEYS!?! Didn't even ask about the bear, buck, and bull I killed. On the phone for 1 minute. Nice.

I had nearly the same thing. All they asked was about wolves and where I hunted, I was quite surprised that they didn't ask about one single other tag I had.

 

[BuzzH]

I told you so....

Problem is the FWP doesnt even have correct data to start with.

They have very rough estimates on harvest statistics, population models that are likely out-dated, etc. etc. etc.

We need solid baseline data so bad its not even funny...

I think the system is so far gone...it will take an almost ground up approach now.

 

[houndy65]

I'm heading to the commission meeting this morning,3/8/12. I'll let everyone know how it goes and what was said.

Terry

 

[Jon Boy]

The Grand Daddy of them all in Montana is the Montana Wildlife Federation. Ben Lamb is Conservation Director, and more. They are the thread that links most of us together in Montana. There's many more groups too, and you can see the affiliate groups in your area by looking around on their site.

http://www.montanawildlife.com/aboutus/staff.htm

For Jonboy, there's the Billings Rod and Gun, and I think PLPW ( Private Lands, Public Wildlife) in the Billings areas. He could go on the Montana Wildlife Federation Web and look up others in the south East region. The MBA (Montana Bow Hunters Ass.) also gets involved in the issues that face us. You can join the newly formed MSA (Montana Sportsmen Alliance) it deals with legislative issues and those people that would help, or hinder our hunting heritage. I happen to be the Treasurer of the PAC.

http://www.montanasportsmenalliance.com/

Anyone can weigh in on the issues that effect us. When we have comment periods on proposals to the MTFW&P's. Those can be commented on their Web.

In the Root, there's the Ravalli County Fish & Wildlife Ass.

http://www.rcfwa.org/

Thanks you sir.

 

[drahthaar]

As far as the mandatory reporting, of course people will lie, for whatever reason. But I don't think it will be anything near the norm. Right now, people drive around check stations, wait till they are closed, etc. They don't want to drive thru a check station with a cow that "junior" earholed from 200 yards away, or have anyone ask their kid about his/her kill. But if they could just fill out a card online, they will just do it, and you get realistic results.

Makes we wonder if those 569 cows killed in R1 this year, isn't more like 700. I totaled up last years cow harvest from the hunt planner. 530 reported in 2010. Wolf or no wolf, our elk population is going to plummet with this kind of pounding. Esp with the winters we have been having, 08 09 '10.

Boils down to how serious you want to be about game management. Seems as though ID and AK take it pretty seriously.

 

[mtlion]

Boils down to how serious you want to be about game management. Seems as though ID and AK take it pretty seriously.

One state I hunted you couldn't buy a tag the next year if you failed to report on the current years hunt. I can't remember which one, maybe it was AK for deer?