Montana General Season Structure Proposal 3.0

[brockel]

I don't see most of Region 7 being a destination area for people to go hunt whitetails. I think mule deer pressure in October would be less too with the deer not rutting next to the side of the road and hunters not being able to combine their hunt with elk hunting for most of the early season. There will be some landowners that have a 50/50 mix of whitetails and mule deer, but those are the outliers.

In my area a decade ago I would have agreed with you. But not today. I’ve talked to so many non residents the last few years that still come out to hunt whitetail because the mule deer hunting just isn’t what is was but they still love coming to eastern Montana because they can also bird hunt. The 50/50 mix of whitetail to mule deer is way more common around here than it was a decade ago. I see whitetails in places I’ve never seen before in my life.

 

[bigsky2]

In my area a decade ago I would have agreed with you. But not today. I’ve talked to so many non residents the last few years that still come out to hunt whitetail because the mule deer hunting just isn’t what is was but they still love coming to eastern Montana because they can also bird hunt. The 50/50 mix of whitetail to mule deer is way more common around here than it was a decade ago. I see whitetails in places I’ve never seen before in my life.

Hopefully some of the efforts to restrict NR bird hunting will get some traction. SB514 passing this year was a good start.

 

[cgasner1]

In my area a decade ago I would have agreed with you. But not today. I’ve talked to so many non residents the last few years that still come out to hunt whitetail because the mule deer hunting just isn’t what is was but they still love coming to eastern Montana because they can also bird hunt. The 50/50 mix of whitetail to mule deer is way more common around here than it was a decade ago. I see whitetails in places I’ve never seen before in my life.

It’s a lot to take in especially when you consider how many of the nr will be on a combo tag. That will have a huge effect on things I’d think the split deer season would have a big effect positive effect. I think a lot of people will be trying to balance a antelope hunt or elk hunt to fit it all into the calendar

 

[Pagosa]

Yout plan went from good to worse. Montana doesn't need longer seasons, this will make elk hunting just as difficult, piss off landowners from guys rifle hunting cows/deer for multiple weeks in Oct and November, and probably not help the mule deer population without significant tag cuts/shortening the seasons. Pick your weapon and pick your region. Glad I didn't waste any time on your proposal. Preston

 

[8andcounting]

Make NR tags either a general elk tag or a general deer tag . Not both . One . That would be a start . And no more come home to hunt or native licenses

 

[HappyCamper]

I like this proposal much more than the past two. I don’t have many requests and wouldn’t see these changes as a net negative on current opportunity. In a perfect world I would like to see the youth hunt moved earlier and there not being a flux of mule deer hunters pushing animals off public land before the general elk season.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Make NR tags either a general elk tag or a general deer tag . Not both . One . That would be a start . And no more come home to hunt or native licenses

Have to be a legislator for that.

Itd have been nice for that to be included on the list of legislative priorities from the volunteers - but im not sure it does much.

 

[Bambistew]

I like this proposal a lot. I'm sure it was a lot of work to get everyone to align with this, good work!

Having mandatory reporting would also increase awareness/knowledge of actual hunting pressure. The NR/R spilt on hunters is a lot different than the numbers that have been paraded around the last few years.

 

[sclancy27]

Make NR tags either a general elk tag or a general deer tag . Not both . One . That would be a start . And no more come home to hunt or native licenses

Well, tell your local representatives. All those are in law.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Make NR tags either a general elk tag or a general deer tag . Not both . One . That would be a start . And no more come home to hunt or native licenses

As mentioned by some of the others that would require legislative action. From a crowding standpoint, I’m not sure we’d like the effects.

Current NR caps are set at 17,600 individual hunters. Those hunters hold up to 28,600 licenses collectively. Separating the licenses and selling the same amount of licenses will lead to even more crowding.

My numbers don’t even reflect the number of licenses sold in excess of the NR cap.

 

[8andcounting]

As mentioned by some of the others that would require legislative action. From a crowding standpoint, I’m not sure we’d like the effects.

Current NR caps are set at 17,600 individual hunters. Those hunters hold up to 28,600 licenses collectively. Separating the licenses and selling the same amount of licenses will lead to even more crowding.

My numbers don’t even reflect the number of licenses sold in excess of the NR cap.

Let’s set it to 17,600 total hunters . However it works , half deer half elk . That’s it . No b mule deer tags sold to NR . Limited cow elk tags to NR .

 

[Gerald Martin]

Let’s set it to 17,600 total hunters . However it works , half deer half elk . That’s it . No b mule deer tags sold to NR . Limited cow elk tags to NR .

How will you make up the hit to FWP’s budget?

 

[8andcounting]

How will you make up the hit to FWP’s budget?

I didn’t know we were talking about $ I thought we were worried about the animals …

 

[mtmuley]

I didn’t know we were talking about $ I thought we were worried about the animals …

The animals are the money. mtmuley

 

[Schaaf]

I like this proposal a lot. I'm sure it was a lot of work to get everyone to align with this, good work!

Having mandatory reporting would also increase awareness/knowledge of actual hunting pressure. The NR/R spilt on hunters is a lot different than the numbers that have been paraded around the last few years.

That’s something we’re still working on and confident will be implemented from FWP or in the next legislative session. Just couldn’t get it across the finish line this session.

 

[INMT]

As a west sider I will get behind this. I archery hunt elk both sides of the divide and mulies over here.

If this passes I think I would pick late season deer and switch back to whitetail instead of vulnerable mulies.

All though not region 6 or 7, one person less east of the divide.

 

[brockel]

As a west sider I will get behind this. I archery hunt elk both sides of the divide and mulies over here.

If this passes I think I would pick late season deer and switch back to whitetail instead of vulnerable mulies.

All though not region 6 or 7, one person less east of the divide.

What’s stopping you from hunting that way now?

 

[INMT]

What’s stopping you from hunting that way now?

Nothing. It’s where I spend probably 90% of my season anyway.

I live close to the eastern border of R1 and western border of R4. I do hunt them interchangeably as my best friend and hunting partner lives in western R4.

I do like dipping out into the prairie now and again because I like the country and it’s a nice change of pace from the heavily timbered mountains.
Reply

 

[Jon Boy]

Man. I just don’t see why it’s so hard to develop a plan that the majority can agree on.

1) mandatory reporting so we have an actual body of data to comply on.
2) zero mule deer doe shooting
3 geographically specific tag allocation and season dates ie. region 6 and 7 have vastly different season dates than 1 and 2 Or even unit by unit like every other western state. And make hunters choose what unit and region

 

[R.K.]

Man. I just don’t see why it’s so hard to develop a plan that the majority can agree on.

1) mandatory reporting so we have an actual body of data to comply on.
2) zero mule deer doe shooting
3 geographically specific tag allocation and season dates ie. region 6 and 7 have vastly different season dates than 1 and 2 Or even unit by unit like every other western state. And make hunters choose what unit and region

#3 is sounding an awful lot like statewide Limited Entry.

But I’m 100% for mandatory reporting. Enough is enough- let’s get some good data and figure out exactly what’s going on.