Losing 87 miles of refuge

[SAJ-99]

I don't think you gain much of anything by hunting it before December 1. Usually the waters are still very open. Even some lakes or pothole areas so birds are dispersed as it is. Like I said in pretty sure there's a decent amount of jet boat activity already for hunting deer and fishing anyways.

True. I was just thinking that those backwaters and side channels hold a lot of wood ducks, teal, gadwall, etc early. All that is off limits before the first goose or mallard crosses the Canadian border. They freeze pretty early, at least those upstream from BH do. I'm not sure why it is an all-or-nothing discussion with FWP or the hunters.

 

[520 Road Sow]

True. I was just thinking that those backwaters and side channels hold a lot of wood ducks, teal, gadwall, etc early. All that is off limits before the first goose or mallard crosses the Canadian border. They freeze pretty early, at least those upstream from BH do. I'm not sure why it is an all-or-nothing discussion with FWP or the hunters.

Do you do much waterfowl hunting on the river via jet boat or any vessel? I am just curious

 

[corndog1]

It's refuge, I understand that (all of it? The whole 87 miles? This is something I still would like to know).

But it is not "A" refuge. It is not designated by the Federal Government as a wildlife refuge nor as a state WMA. I think this distinction is important to the discussion, because conflating the generic word "refuge" with the designated term of art "a refuge" will not endear advocates to FWP when making arguments one way or another, and can confuse the issues. Sorry if that's too pedantic, but I already got a call from someone today asking about what "refuge" was being talked about, because it isn't a designated refuge on the map.

Thanks @EYJONAS! for the detailed response.

Point taken but this hunt free zone or whatever you call it has net benefit for the birds and hunters alike

 

[SAJ-99]

Do you do much waterfowl hunting on the river via jet boat or any vessel? I am just curious

No. Not when I lived there and certainly not now, LOL. I think I get where you are going with this but I will let you continue with your point to make sure.

Most hunting was by foot. There is quite a bit of BM and public land that you can access the river along that 87 miles and elsewhere. I found quickly that most Waterfowl hunters in Montana don’t hunt until the geese and mallards arrive. I like variety.

 

[520 Road Sow]

I'm a huge variety guy myself. I love watching ducks work. Its been a dream to hunt different varieties of ducks around North America. One day I'll start to check those boxes. Geese are meh for me.

I guess my point on the boating comment was early season birds in my opinion and so spreadout and in such small pockets that it is pretty pointless to try and find em and hunt em. Walk in yes would be the only way to hunt those types of small and confined areas. How much of that really is there though down there that would be accessible to pack in a setup and gear?

I'm sure there's people that think this deal is gonna be the greatest thing since sliced bread. They will quickly learn though that the newness will wear off IMO. I could be wrong though too.

 

[Nick87]

Years ago I was convinced by a guy you could hunt a roost area as long as you waited for the birds to leave in the morning and shot them as they trickled back in during the day. We did it. Second weekend of a 60 day season. Not another duck actually roosted there the entire remainder of the season. A huge lesson was learned that day.

 

[Elky Welky]

I found quickly that most Waterfowl hunters in Montana don’t hunt until the geese and mallards arrive. I like variety.

Let's not forget that some of us have elk, deer, and antelope tags burning holes in our pockets during the early waterfowl season too, and the brown trout are spawning in October, the pheasants are flushing... fall is a fantastic time!

 

[wtrfwlhunter]

How can we voice opinions on this subject to FWP?

 

[Doublecluck]

I'm sure there's people that think this deal is gonna be the greatest thing since sliced bread. They will quickly learn though that the newness will wear off IMO. I could be wrong though too.

Yup! Same thing happened near Bozeman, some dudes who wanna be insta famous got in with the new owners of what was essentially the refuge ranch. Use to kill 1000 birds a season as a group in the fields surrounding that “closed zone”. Never saw a huntable feed this past season around there. Those guys had a few bangers I’m sure hunting that warm water but the valley never saw the numbers build.

This is a stupid idea, I’ve hunted waterfowl over decoys in a good bit of this country and if there was anything left in this state , in this country for waterfowl that lived up to the “last best” it would have to be late season waterfowl over dirt along that stretch.

 

[520 Road Sow]

How can we voice opinions on this subject to FWP?

Bruh, opinions from guys like us don't matter to the Montana FWP, and that's a fact.

 

[Borny1]

I don't feel too bad about it. It's not like Freezout or Medicine Lake. For example birds roost the entire Bighorn. They might shy away from the Bighorn during the day, but they sit on every inch of it at night. Opening the Yellowstone would be the same way. It's primarily a late season goose roost, and there is no shortage of them.

 

[SAJ-99]

Decent article.

A Stretch of the Yellowstone River Long-Closed to Waterfowl Hunting Might Reopen Soon. Some Hunters Aren't Thrilled — Outdoor Life

Since 1958, the stretch of the Yellowstone River between the Bighorn River confluence and the Rosebud-Custer county line has been off-limits to waterfowl hunting. Why are waterfowl hunters hesitant about a proposal to reopen it?

apple.news

 

[bigsky2]

How can we voice opinions on this subject to FWP?

Fish And Wildlife Commision | Montana FWP

The Commission sets fish and wildlife regulations, approves property acquisitions, and approves certain rules and activities of the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Department as provided by statute.

fwp.mt.gov

 

[phutch30]

I dont know why they had to go and mess with this. It was the reason so many birds stayed in the area. FWPs management of waterfowl in this state is such a joke.

 

[bigsky2]

FWP proposes lifting 66-year-old waterfowl hunting closure on stretch of Yellowstone River

The proposition will be considered by the Fish and Wildlife Commission at its April 17 meeting in Helena. Public comments on the proposal will be taken until March 28.

billingsgazette.com

 

[Elky Welky]

FWP proposes lifting 66-year-old waterfowl hunting closure on stretch of Yellowstone River

The proposition will be considered by the Fish and Wildlife Commission at its April 17 meeting in Helena. Public comments on the proposal will be taken until March 28.

billingsgazette.com

Great article. Most interesting part to me was this, from the biologist in Miles City:

"The one change he has seen in that timespan is increased use of the river for fishing and boating. Because of that, he said it's a misconception that the closed section of river is a waterfowl refuge. Even without opening the area to hunting, Atwood said there is plenty of activity to disturb waterfowl."

 

[R.K.]

Great article. Most interesting part to me was this, from the biologist in Miles City:

"The one change he has seen in that timespan is increased use of the river for fishing and boating. Because of that, he said it's a misconception that the closed section of river is a waterfowl refuge. Even without opening the area to hunting, Atwood said there is plenty of activity to disturb waterfowl."

Fisherman bump birds and they come right back. Hunters shoot at them and they leave to go somewhere they don’t get killed.

By that logic, he’d think that golfing is equivalent pressure compared to hunting to geese. And we all know how close you can get to a goose on a golf course.

This is, forgive the phrase, killing the goose that laid the golden egg.

 

[brockel]

FWPs management in this state is such a joke.

Fixed it for you

 

[Elky Welky]

By that logic, he’d think that golfing is equivalent pressure compared to hunting to geese. And we all know how close you can get to a goose on a golf course.

I can also get awful close to mule deer in downtown Helena, but I think animal habituation in urban areas is simply a different thing than how wild animals behave. This comment strikes me as an apples to oranges comparison (I'm not saying you're wrong about what could happen, just that I don't think we can apply this golfcourse goose logic here either).

No matter what, this is a sticky wicket. And it's really interesting to see a local biologist fall on the opposite side of an issue from so many people (although not all) in the region. He clearly understands how tricky this is as well, given that he wrote his master's thesis on it 11 years ago.

I don't envy the work the commission has ahead of it on this one.

 

[Badlandcat]

I don't feel too bad about it. It's not like Freezout or Medicine Lake. For example birds roost the entire Bighorn. They might shy away from the Bighorn during the day, but they sit on every inch of it at night. Opening the Yellowstone would be the same way. It's primarily a late season goose roost, and there is no shortage of them.

Goose hunting at Freezeout is crap compared to the Yellowstone. I'm close to Freezeout but drive to the Yellowstone to have great goose hunting.