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Montana Legislature - 1 month until the Show

Ben Lamb

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We're a month out from gaveling in to the Montana legislature, and there's already 99 bill drafts just on fish and wildlife issues. Crossbows are coming back, modifications to the muzzleloader season, and some unconstitutional issues as well as the possibilities of setting even more seasons in statute while eliminating more commission authority. There will probably be another 150 drafts requested in just the fish & wildlife space, and that doesn't account for the budget, spending bills or forestry & state lands, among other keystone issues that hunter-conservationists care about.

The budget has some good and some troubling items in it. There's a request for $7 million more for block management along with a standalone bill that would double the total payment cap on block management from $25K to $50K. That's a great concept and it ties in well with the market relative to leasing and actual impacts to the bottom line of landowners dealing with wildlife and hunting access. Huge thanks to PLPW and especially Ed Beall, @406LIFE, @Eric Albus & @Big Shooter for their work on this concept over the interim. FWP is looking for a big increase in maintenance spending on WMA's and other lands owned by the agency. This is needed and should be supported especially since it doesn't attempt to rob other programs to pay for it.

There will also be a bill to send about $6 million per year of the recreational marijuana money from the general fund to the Conservation Districts. Another great concept.

There will also be work in the hunter ethics space, and given the amount of grumbling about trespass I'm hearing, I expect there to be some bills relative to this issue, although I've not heard specifically of any corner-crossing legislation from UPOM. That doesn't mean it's not coming, it just means it hasn't popped yet. Most of the problematic or conflict laden proposals won't pop until the session begins, as it helps to move bills that will face stiff resistance when things are fast & furious.



The Citizen's Elk Coalition unveiled their priority legislation on Friday: https://www.montanaoutdoor.com/2022/12/montanans-float-new-trust-fund-for-land-water-wildlife/

The proposal is currently being reviewed by Montana legislators. It has already raised the interest of at least one State lawmaker.

“It’s an idea worthy of consideration, because it could help the land, and its stewards, in rural Montana, over the long haul,” said Senator Jeff Welborn, R-Dillon, who chairs the Senate Natural Resource Committee.

“At the end of the 2021 session, I asked for people to bring solutions forward that unite, rather than divide. Many ranchers are also hunters, but all are typically conservationists. The elk coalition has spent the better part of a year bringing the affected interests together, and I’ll be encouraging my colleagues to look under the hood of this, and other proposals,” he said.

If you haven't signed up for the action alerts of groups like the Montana Citizen's Elk Coalition, the Montana Wildlife Federation or Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, now's the time to do so, and to send them a few bucks to help keep a strong presence during this legislative session. My last count showed that there will be at least 5-7 wildlife conservation lobbyists working on behalf of hunters at the legislature, including the fantastic folks at Montana Audubon who show up and make a huge difference every session. That doesn't count the mountain of volunteers and board members for groups like the Montana Bowhunters Association, etc.

While there isn't a ton of clarity on any of the bill drafts right now except the agency bills, the content of those mystery bills will become known shortly.

Regardless of that good work, there will no shortage of bad bills and bad ideas but that's nothing new. Since 2009 or so, over 500 wildlife policy bills have been introduced in Montana. Many of them were problematic and were dispatched, but many got through. We've been in this same position before, but we're better armed to protect & conserve this session than last.

2023 is going to be a big year for elk management and wildlife conservation in Montana. It's time to suit up, get fierce and be nice. Or, to paraphrase former Secretary Mattis, Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill every bill that needs killing.

Here we go...

 
I'll add that each region will be hosting a legislator Q&A with the CAC.

R1-Nov. 28 (6pm) FWP Kalispell

R2-Dec. 6 (6pm) FWP Missoula

R3-Dec. 15 (6pm) FWP Bozeman

R4-Dec. 14 (6pm) FWP Great Falls

R5-Dec. 8 (6pm) FWP Billings

R6-Dec. 13 (1pm)/Havre Best Western

R7-Dec. 12 (6pm) FWP Miles City


Also, two other drafts of note: a requirement for in person field days for hunter education and a resurrection of 505.

I recently sat down with Mac Minard and Marilyn Marler, both working to increase awareness and participation in the State Legislator Caucus. With, @Big Fin approval, I'll share the link.
 
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Gonna be a tightrope walk to figure out how far I can push the balance of days off of work, family time and driving to Helana this session.

Gonna do my best to be that metaphorical thorn in the buttcheeks of the legislators who are trying to pass bad bills.

Game face.
 
I haven't recovered from the last one! I'm not sure I can handle this next one.

modifications to the muzzleloader season
Called it

There will also be a bill to send about $6 million per year of the recreational marijuana money from the general fund to the Conservation Districts.
I'm not sure I'm for this. While lots of Conservation Districts are doing some good there are plenty that would waste that money...think Lake County Conservation District's failed forest management exchange. That money was set aside for public land access and while many members of CD tend to be the progress farmers/ranchers many are anti public lands. The CD in Phillips and Fergus Counties are anti-APR
 
We're a month out from gaveling in to the Montana legislature, and there's already 99 bill drafts just on fish and wildlife issues. Crossbows are coming back, modifications to the muzzleloader season, and some unconstitutional issues as well as the possibilities of setting even more seasons in statute while eliminating more commission authority. There will probably be another 150 drafts requested in just the fish & wildlife space, and that doesn't account for the budget, spending bills or forestry & state lands, among other keystone issues that hunter-conservationists care about.


1670265240187.png


The Montanica Extreme Hunting and Fishing FB page is a great venue for extreme stoogery, and also to check back on who said what when bad ideas were floated. I'm curious what these muzzleloader season changes will be.
 
I'm not sure I'm for this. While lots of Conservation Districts are doing some good there are plenty that would waste that money...think Lake County Conservation District's failed forest management exchange. That money was set aside for public land access and while many members of CD tend to be the progress farmers/ranchers many are anti public lands. The CD in Phillips and Fergus Counties are anti-APR

Conservation district board members are elected, so run! :)

The funding source is not from the allocated percentage for conservation, but from the general fund side of the equation, so no ox is getting gored on the FWP funding side. Regardless of how we feel about AP or public lands, Conservation Districts do good work relative to soil quality on private and public land, and they're not always funded well on the project side. This helps right that. I'll track down the bill language shortly. The dogs haven't had anything and they're staring me down hard, one them is holding a Billy club and the other one is punching her paw into the other paw with a pair of brass knuckles.
 
Conservation district board members are elected, so run! :)
Since I live in city limits and Dillon is not in the Conservation District they don't have an Urban supervisor. There are also some rules with work that may prevent me from being on the board even if I could. I've worked for their partnering agency NRCS for 20 years so that's why I'm suspect of CD motives. I get they're underfunded especially as their coal money is drying up but robbing from other fund sources seems foolish.
 
Since I live in city limits and Dillon is not in the Conservation District they don't have an Urban supervisor. There are also some rules with work that may prevent me from being on the board even if I could. I've worked for their partnering agency NRCS for 20 years so that's why I'm suspect of CD motives. I get they're underfunded especially as their coal money is drying up but robbing from other fund sources seems foolish.
My understanding is that these are currently unallocated funds that simply live in the general fund account.

No robbing involved. Just policy.
And the conservation funding for recreational MJ is slated for private lands as well as public, always has been (Conservation easements & nongame work, etc).
 
Hopefully all it changes is that it must be a open sight and is left alone
I hope they change the dates. A lot of areas in Region 3 have motorized travel restrictions that are closed to motors in archery and rifle season. It makes for much better hunting and much better escapement for bulls. Most of these trails and roads reopen December 1, which makes it pretty easy to smoke a cold and tired old bull elk with the aid of a snowmobile on these now-opened trails.

I've brought this up to Region 3 people after a few groups bragged about how easy the muzzy elk hunting was last year. With the weather right now, I can't imagine how many bulls are going to get skidded out on snowmobiles. This hunt, with season dates that allow for the use of snowmobiles in areas normally closed to motorized travel, is problematic for me. Hopefully FWP will do something about it. These elk in the mountain areas are getting hammered too much already.
 
I hope they change the dates. A lot of areas in Region 3 have motorized travel restrictions that are closed to motors in archery and rifle season. It makes for much better hunting and much better escapement for bulls. Most of these trails and roads reopen December 1, which makes it pretty easy to smoke a cold and tired old bull elk with the aid of a snowmobile on these now-opened trails.

I've brought this up to Region 3 people after a few groups bragged about how easy the muzzy elk hunting was last year. With the weather right now, I can't imagine how many bulls are going to get skidded out on snowmobiles. This hunt, with season dates that allow for the use of snowmobiles in areas normally closed to motorized travel, is problematic for me. Hopefully FWP will do something about it. These elk in the mountain areas are getting hammered too much already.
Makes total sense to me one area I was looking at hunting is closed as of December 1st. I’m sure that some areas such as that will need some other things like you mentioned adjusted. One thing that I really like about this is that if we ever do go to a pick your weapon state it’s one more season to spread people across I hope they don’t just lump it into rifle
 
I hope they change the dates. A lot of areas in Region 3 have motorized travel restrictions that are closed to motors in archery and rifle season. It makes for much better hunting and much better escapement for bulls. Most of these trails and roads reopen December 1, which makes it pretty easy to smoke a cold and tired old bull elk with the aid of a snowmobile on these now-opened trails.

I've brought this up to Region 3 people after a few groups bragged about how easy the muzzy elk hunting was last year. With the weather right now, I can't imagine how many bulls are going to get skidded out on snowmobiles. This hunt, with season dates that allow for the use of snowmobiles in areas normally closed to motorized travel, is problematic for me. Hopefully FWP will do something about it. These elk in the mountain areas are getting hammered too much already.

I half joking mentioned in the mule deer rant thread to move general deer and elk October 1-31 and then do traditional season Nov 15-30. Now I’m thinking that’s not such a bad idea considering what might be coming.
 
I hope they change the dates. A lot of areas in Region 3 have motorized travel restrictions that are closed to motors in archery and rifle season. It makes for much better hunting and much better escapement for bulls. Most of these trails and roads reopen December 1, which makes it pretty easy to smoke a cold and tired old bull elk with the aid of a snowmobile on these now-opened trails.

I've brought this up to Region 3 people after a few groups bragged about how easy the muzzy elk hunting was last year. With the weather right now, I can't imagine how many bulls are going to get skidded out on snowmobiles. This hunt, with season dates that allow for the use of snowmobiles in areas normally closed to motorized travel, is problematic for me. Hopefully FWP will do something about it. These elk in the mountain areas are getting hammered too much already.

3,300,000 acres of our most heavily roaded national forest in Montana - The Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF, lacks travel management.

The new forest supervisor has committed to engaging in the process and has started it. It’s going to be costly, controversial, and take a few years. I have brought the subject up with her once already, and will continue to, and I hope other folks do too. It’s a blank slate with a lot of possibility, and a lot of roads that are closed for elk security that open December 1 could open up later under a new travel management plan that takes into consideration Montana’s legislatively mandated hunting season dates.

Something to think about as that process kicks off. Particularly if we are stuck with these dates, though I hope they change.

Went and cut a Christmas tree down tonight and drove the side-by-side within 100 yards of half a dozen elk feeding in a couple feet of snow.
 
Bring it on.
I've been checking the fish and wildlife issues bill page probably too frequently but I'm worried. Hopefully more people step up but I'm inspired by those that fought hard during the last session. Ready to be polite and nice.
Also bless @Nameless Range for braving those hunting FB pages, I couldn't stand them after a while.
 

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