MT - Changes in Hunting Regs/Units/Seasons coming this month

[rogerthat]

I say good again, hopefully the landowners get lots of trespassing, corner crossing, etc. and that will continue to keep the wardens busy as well. That's all the wardens do anyway field landowner complaints. When was the last time you were checked by a MT Warden on public land? I can tell you when I was, 2006 at an impromptu check station near the highway. Before that it was in the late 90's, Jay that patrolled out of Seeley Lake checked us pretty regularly in the late 80's through early 90's until he retired.

Plus, any bull that comes off private will be hammered, right along with the cows, calves, and other shoulder season victims.

In the eyes of the Legislature and MTFWP, and Landowners, that is a win-win-win...throw in the average MT Sportsman, and in their eyes, a win-win-win-and another win.

What's not to like?

Buzz, I assume you are taking a burn it to the ground approach at this point. The average sportsman wants a chance to hunt elk with a little less pressure and a lot better quality. The draw odds for these tags says so. I get your frustration but honestly making it worse will just be more rubble and debris to clean up when the fire is put out.

 

[mtmuley]

I say good again, hopefully the landowners get lots of trespassing, corner crossing, etc. and that will continue to keep the wardens busy as well. That's all the wardens do anyway field landowner complaints. When was the last time you were checked by a MT Warden on public land? I can tell you when I was, 2006 at an impromptu check station near the highway. Before that it was in the late 90's, Jay that patrolled out of Seeley Lake checked us pretty regularly in the late 80's through early 90's until he retired.

Plus, any bull that comes off private will be hammered, right along with the cows, calves, and other shoulder season victims.

In the eyes of the Legislature and MTFWP, and Landowners, that is a win-win-win...throw in the average MT Sportsman, and in their eyes, a win-win-win-and another win.

What's not to like?

Yeah. That will teach everyone a lesson. mtmuley

 

[Schaaf]

Buzz, I assume you are taking a burn it to the ground approach at this point. The average sportsman wants a chance to hunt elk with a little less pressure and a lot better quality. The draw odds for these tags says so. I get your frustration but honestly making it worse will just be more rubble and debris to clean up when the fire is put out.

It’s more of a let the whole damn thing burn to the ground because that’s the only way Montana sportsmen will finally demand FWP and the Legislature manage wildlife like they give a shit.

 

[mtmuley]

It’s more of a let the whole damn thing burn to the ground because that’s the only way Montana sportsmen will finally demand FWP and the Legislature manage wildlife like they give a shit.

Montana sportsmen have demanded that. The ones that give a shit have. So if management is flushed, it will wake up the other sportsmen? Why should the rest pay that penalty? mtmuley

 

[antlerradar]

There’s way too many out of staters buying these trophy ranches. They won’t quit until they can hunt their property every year.

If Montana had not been giving tags out like candy falling out of a piñata, there is a good chance that those wealthy out of staters would have had some reservations about buying a hunting ranch in Montana. Maybe they should have thought about what was going to happen when there was too many kids for the amount of candy in the piñata. Unintended consequences of opportunity management.

 

[Schaaf]

Montana sportsmen have demanded that. The ones that give a shit have. So if management is flushed, it will wake up the other sportsmen? Why should the rest pay that penalty? mtmuley

I don’t disagree.

 

[rogerthat]

It’s more of a let the whole damn thing burn to the ground because that’s the only way Montana sportsmen will finally demand FWP and the Legislature manage wildlife like they give a shit.

I don’t agree that this will be the outcome. What leads you to believe that Montana sportsmen will all of sudden see the light? A more likely scenario in my mind is that Montana public land hunting continues to decline while private land hunting improves…as we continue our way to the kings deer

 

[BuzzH]

Buzz, I assume you are taking a burn it to the ground approach at this point. The average sportsman wants a chance to hunt elk with a little less pressure and a lot better quality. The draw odds for these tags says so. I get your frustration but honestly making it worse will just be more rubble and debris to clean up when the fire is put out.

I'm taking the approach of what Montana residents want. Gianforte made it crystal clear that he wanted massive changes to the mtfwp and game management. There is nothing surprising that I'm seeing here. The Montana legislature has also made it clear the last 30+ years what their intentions are.

Why are you questioning what I see happening? Why am I the bad guy for pointing out the obvious?

What floors me is the way hunters respond to this, as if gianforte sprung a surprise move on them, he's doing exactly what he promised. Hunters make the same decisions over and over again expecting different outcomes, its the very definition of insanity.

What they expect is to be saved by the guys in the white hats that have done it in the past..guys like Randy, my family, friends and groups like rmef, rcfwa, bha, mwf....they can't do it anymore. Montana hunters have literally sent the handful of advocates available into a gun fight expecting the white hats to win armed with 2 cotton balls and a squirt gun.

They aren't rescuing sportsmen, 99.9% of whom are apathetic to the cause any longer...this battle was over before it started, the result of elections.

Montana seems content with voting for known policy, good enough.

 

[Schaaf]

I don’t agree that this will be the outcome. What leads you to believe that Montana sportsmen will all of sudden see the light? A more likely scenario in my mind is that Montana public land hunting continues to decline while private land hunting improves…as we continue our way to the kings deer

I think there’s gonna be quite a few hunters sitting around 5 years from now wondering WTF happened.

 

[timmy]

I'm taking the approach of what Montana residents want. Gianforte made it crystal clear that he wanted massive changes to the mtfwp and game management. There is nothing surprising that I'm seeing here. The Montana legislature has also made it clear the last 30+ years what their intentions are.

Why are you questioning what I see happening? Why am I the bad guy for pointing out the obvious?

What floors me is the way hunters respond to this, as if gianforte sprung a surprise move on them, he's doing exactly what he promised. Hunters make the same decisions over and over again expecting different outcomes, its the very definition of insanity.

What they expect is to be saved by the guys in the white hats that have done it in the past..guys like Randy, my family, friends and groups like rmef, rcfwa, bha, mwf....they can't do it anymore. Montana hunters have literally sent the handful of advocates available into a gun fight expecting the white hats to win armed with 2 cotton balls and a squirt gun.

They aren't rescuing sportsmen, 99.9% of whom are apathetic to the cause any longer...this battle was over before it started, the result of elections.

Montana seems content with voting for known policy, good enough.

Not to get into politics but there is a lot more on the ballot than fish and and game issues. But it is absolutely pathetic this is the path the republicans are taking. And Buzz please save me your political view I already know it.

 

[rogerthat]

I think there’s gonna be quite a few hunters sitting around 5 years from now wondering WTF happened.

That sure could be the case. Maybe next year even.

 

[Southern Elk]

If Montana had not been giving tags out like candy falling out of a piñata, there is a good chance that those wealthy out of staters would have had some reservations about buying a hunting ranch in Montana. Maybe they should have thought about what was going to happen when there was too many kids for the amount of candy in the piñata. Unintended consequences of opportunity management.

I don’t disagree, but those rich land owners are calling the shots. Hell, the governor is one of them and many of the state representatives and senators are as well.

Things won’t improve for the average Montanan until we get rid of the rich landowner politicians and elect someone who gives a damn about us.

 

[brockel]

That sure could be the case. Maybe next year even.

Not a chance. You should hear the bitching about Montana cutting region 7 antelope tags this year.

 

[BuzzH]

Not to get into politics but there is a lot more on the ballot than fish and and game issues. But it is absolutely pathetic this is the path the republicans are taking. And Buzz please save me your political view I already know it.

I totally agree with you, but it's not pathetic, it's the policy gianforte ran on. He hid nothing can't expect any more than that.

I also agree that there are things we all find more or less important. The question then becomes, do we vote against ourselves on those less important issues.

In this case sportsmen voted against themselves on wildlife policy, that's fine it was the predicted outcome. Also nearly impossible to expect that policy to change to your liking...it won't.

 

[antlerradar]

I don’t disagree, but those rich land owners are calling the shots. Hell, the governor is one of them and many of the state representatives and senators are as well.

Things won’t improve for the average Montanan until we get rid of the rich landowner politicians and elect someone who gives a damn about us.

Some people just have a hard time wrapping their head around the fact that when you buy a ranch the wildlife doesn't come with it.

 

[antlerradar]

The problem with the politics is that the wildlife policies of the far left tend to cancel out the wildlife policies of the far right at the voting booth.

 

[Nick87]

Some people just have a hard time wrapping their head around the fact that when you buy a ranch the wildlife doesn't come with it.

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard a landowner tell me they shouldnt need a hunting license, they own the land.

 

[tjones]

What I have read about what’s coming no one is going to like.
Not even MOGA.

Time to pay the price for the last election.

 

[MTLabrador]

What I have read about what’s coming no one is going to like.
Not even MOGA.

Time to pay the price for the last election.

The same type of stuff that the legislature tried to force down our throats or more?

 

[SAJ-99]

What I have read about what’s coming no one is going to like.
Not even MOGA.

Time to pay the price for the last election.

Don’t worry. There will be a public
comment period. I’m sure they will listen this time (yes, all sarcasm)