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

[Irishman]

I think choosing a unit is a great idea. Helps keep the pressure spread

I think choosing a unit is a great idea. Helps keep the pressure spread around

So, forcing all the permit holders to hunt in one area, and one only, helps spread the pressure around? It makes no difference overall, unless it somehow causes people to hunt less. If I have a permit for one area, I hunt more in that area and less in others, overall no difference.

 

[brockel]

So, forcing all the permit holders to hunt in one area, and one only, helps spread the pressure around? It makes no difference overall, unless it somehow causes people to hunt less. If I have a permit for one area, I hunt more in that area and less in others, overall no difference.

Yes. It takes the some of the heat off the general areas. Not a lot but every little bit helps. Add up all the special permit areas. That’s that many less out west in the general units. Lots like to draw an archery permit. Then go hunt the general rifle

 

[rogerthat]

So, forcing all the permit holders to hunt in one area, and one only, helps spread the pressure around? It makes no difference overall, unless it somehow causes people to hunt less. If I have a permit for one area, I hunt more in that area and less in others, overall no difference.

Your not understanding the general season vs limited permit structure. If you want to move around, stick to the general units. There are boat loads of them. If you want to apply for limited entry than you should be committed to that unit and the quota needs to reflect that.

Currently you can draw the limited entry and hunt general units also. This causes high demand for the limited quota and unreal crowding during key times such as peak rut in the limited entry units. There is just too much demand for the amount of limited entry available at the end of the day

 

[brockel]

I know quite a few that like to put in for the archery south of me here. They do it just incase they want to go bow hunting. Yet they don’t and still go out west rifle hunting. That will change. Either making drawing the archery permit easier for the ones that actually want it or will take some of the heat off the general areas

 

[Irishman]

Yes. It takes the some of the heat off the general areas. Not a lot but every little bit helps. Add up all the special permit areas. That’s that many less out west in the general units. Lots like to draw an archery permit. Then go hunt the general rifle

So you put more pressure on one unit, less on another. In the end it's the same amount of pressure overall. I just hope we don't go down the path of having to choose one area to hunt like in other states.

 

[rogerthat]

So, forcing all the permit holders to hunt in one area, and one only, helps spread the pressure around? It makes no difference overall, unless it somehow causes people to hunt less. If I have a permit for one area, I hunt more in that area and less in others, overall no difference.

And yes this may make some people hunt less cause they won’t be able to hunt at home (Bozeman) when they draw the limited entry tags in the east

 

[Irishman]

And yes this may make some people hunt less cause they won’t be able to hunt at home (Bozeman) when they draw the limited entry tags in the east

Or it could force them to hunt everyday in the east, when they might not go at all if they aren't forced to.

 

[Irishman]

Your not understanding the general season vs limited permit structure. If you want to move around, stick to the general units. There are boat loads of them. If you want to apply for limited entry than you should be committed to that unit and the quota needs to reflect that.

Currently you can draw the limited entry and hunt general units also. This causes high demand for the limited quota and unreal crowding during key times such as peak rut in the limited entry units. There is just too much demand for the amount of limited entry available at the end of the day

 

[rogerthat]

Or it could force them to hunt everyday in the east, when they might not go at all if they aren't forced to.

Exactly

 

[golfer]

So, forcing all the permit holders to hunt in one area, and one only, helps spread the pressure around? It makes no difference overall, unless it somehow causes people to hunt less. If I have a permit for one area, I hunt more in that area and less in others, overall no difference.

Why should elk be treated different? If you draw a LE mule deer permit in the state thats the district you hunt period. They should pass this just to make it uniform acoss the playing field.

 

[brockel]

So you put more pressure on one unit, less on another. In the end it's the same amount of pressure overall. I just hope we don't go down the path of having to choose one area to hunt like in other states.

No. Still same amount of permits for the same unit. It just makes you stick with that unit and permit instead of helping pressure more areas.

 

[golfer]

In most cases the permit gives you the option to hunt a unit, it doesn't limit you to that one unit. That's my understanding. At least that's usually how it works in Montana. You are from Montana, right?

Sure am and like I said if your successful for a LE mule deer permit you are not allowed to hunt in another district in the state.

 

[mtnkid85]

Yes. It takes the some of the heat off the general areas. Not a lot but every little bit helps. Add up all the special permit areas. That’s that many less out west in the general units. Lots like to draw an archery permit. Then go hunt the general rifle

You'll still be able to use the general during rifle, if you don't fill your archery permit.

 

[brockel]

You'll still be able to use the general during rifle, if you don't fill your archery permit.

Guess I didn’t read that part

 

[Gerald Martin]

By restricting permit holders to only the unit they draw it will force people to commit to a unit they desire to hunt when applying. It will help draw odds since someone who doesn’t want to stop hunting a general unit whenever they want won’t apply for a permit, draw, and then not hunt.

It will also tend to limit the amount of days hunted by out of area permit holders.

A guy who draws a permit several hours from where he lives will take one or two trips to hunt his unit and then be done rather than hunting general areas closer to home when he isn’t hunting his permit area.

Net effect is less pressure across the board.

 

[Irishman]

No. Still same amount of permits for the same unit. It just makes you stick with that unit and permit instead of helping pressure more areas.

If I was to draw one of 100 permits for a unit, I'd rather the other 99 people were from the far end of the state and rarely showed up, versus 99 locals who were "committed" to that unit.

 

[Gerald Martin]

If I was to draw one of 100 permits for a unit, I'd rather the other 99 people were from the far end of the state and rarely showed up, versus 99 locals who were "committed" to that unit.

I hunt the other end of the state. I prefer the 99 locals hunt their permit area than come to the general areas I hunt.

 

[mtnkid85]

Guess I didn’t read that part

WHAT!? How could you possibly miss something in this avalanche of proposals we are wading through... lol

 

[Irishman]

By restricting permit holders to only the unit they draw it will force people to commit to a unit they desire to hunt when applying. It will help draw odds since someone who doesn’t want to stop hunting a general unit whenever they want won’t apply for a permit, draw, and then not hunt.

It will also tend to limit the amount of days hunted by out of area permit holders.

A guy who draws a permit several hours from where he lives will take one or two trips to hunt his unit and then be done rather than hunting general areas closer to home when he isn’t hunting his permit area.

Net effect is less pressure across the board.

I hunt the other end of the state. I prefer the 99 locals hunt their permit area than come to the general areas I hunt.

I just like seeing different areas. Pressure is not a concern. Avoiding people is not that difficult.

 

[Gerald Martin]

I just like seeing different areas. Pressure is not a concern. Avoiding people is not that difficult.

It’s not difficult. Apply for different permit areas each year. Hunt different general areas when you don’t draw.

You can still hunt a general area during rifle season once the archery permit expires.