MT left-over licenses going on sale

[mixedbag]

Thats awesome news to me.Hope it holds true for next year.The place I hunted for elk in Mt. definitely had no shortage of elk or big ones at that.I can't wait to challenge that mountain again,but hopefully, under better weather conditions
I don't see price as a factor with the combo tag.If I added deer to my Co. or Wy, licenses, then they are about even.And, Montana has long seasons and a rut hunt for deer.Of all the general tags or otc tags I've hunted,Mt. has the best quality as far as elk.Maybe I got lucky deciding to hunt where I did,but I put alot of effort into finding the place,and eliminating others.I do have the point I need to draw the LE district I want for next year too;for archery.So my 2013 plans are pretty well set now

 

[the nikster]

I like to hunt deer in Montana. If I am around in the fall I may try to get a deer permit the way BF mentioned but I'm not holding my breath. For me, I can fail to harvest and still have a good time right here in Idaho for much less than the cost of a Montana combo tag, so I do. If the costs were the same, I would prefer Montana.

 

[rmyoung1]

That's the general NR elk, deer, fishing and upland game bird licenses together. That's what you get for the combo in MT.

In my opinion, Montana needs to get away from the combo license mentality and offer a tag structure more in line with other states. The reality is that most non-resident license-holders aren't coming to hunt deer AND elk AND upland birds AND fish. It just doesn't happen in the vacation time the average sportsman has for a trip. If most guys are like me they have about a week to do some hunting or fishing on a trip out west. So the fact that they can get all those tags for a combined price and an extra-long season does them no good. If they want to hunt elk, they pay almost $800 for a MT elk combo. Colorado has elk tags for $200 less, more elk, and significantly higher harvest sucess rates. To the average non-resident it's a no-brainer. (All this coming from a guy who grew up in Montana and LOVES to come home to hunt and fish.) I just don't think Montana's combo license strategy is competitive compared to what other states offer the sportsman. And let's face it... all states are competing against each other for the sportsman's dollar.

 

[tjones]

$1200 Kimber - check
$500 Leupold scope - check
$5/round ammo x 100 rounds per year - check
$25,000 truck - check
$900 in camo - check
$7000 ATV - check
$2500 Swaro spotter - check
$1500 Leica binos - check

Less than $1k to help fund wildlife management and hunt 11 weeks for big game, 4 months of upland and 12 months of fishing - communism!

This must be Dinks check list, no boot price, but ATV included.

 

[Oak]

In my opinion, Montana needs to get away from the combo license mentality and offer a tag structure more in line with other states. The reality is that most non-resident license-holders aren't coming to hunt deer AND elk AND upland birds AND fish. It just doesn't happen in the vacation time the average sportsman has for a trip. If most guys are like me they have about a week to do some hunting or fishing on a trip out west. So the fact that they can get all those tags for a combined price and an extra-long season does them no good.

Ding, ding, ding....winner! The price is not an issue to me, but being forced to purchase a bunch of extra licenses that I'm not going to use is a turn-off. And I'll bet 90+% of non-residents don't hunt more than a week anyway, so what good is 10 weeks to them? There are far better elk hunting values for the cost-conscious non-resident than MT.

 

[have gun will travel]

What will it take for montana to realize how great of a resource sportsman are to a state

 

[Deleted member 18333]

I for one will be purchasing a left over deer/elk tag if I am unsuccessful in drawing a Wyoming sheep tag. If successful most of my vacation time will be spent on sheep. For me the cost of a MT NR tag is well worth it. I cant think of a better place to spend my time or way to spend my money after Wyo elk is over.

It has been several years since I hunted MT. I am really excited about having the opportunity at multiple species. A chance at Deer/Elk/Bear/Wolf all on the same hunt. Not many states that a person has this kind of opportunity short of Alaska.

 

[belly-deep]

What will it take for montana to realize how great of a resource sportsman are to a state

Why do you think they cut license prices? It wasn't for shits and giggles. They did it for the sportsmen.

 

[Baerman]

The resource needs to be taken care of better.

I agree with what you are saying but a typical non-res hunter coming from a non neighboring state all they really need is one week anyhow. I would guess very few hunters make multiple trips to hunt. Maybe if they lowered the fees and opened up a few 7-10 day seasons and regulated the number of tags in each season, similar to NM, tag sales would swing the other way? Just a thought.

 

[MontanaWild]

Come on quality and quantity? Montana is by far one of the best states to live in in the West. I've only been hunting elk for two years now and last year we were in them every day except 2 and we find our own public land. If I was a non-resident I'd love to come here and what happened to just getting out into the mountains and enjoying your time away from the crazy society we live in. I understand the cost to apply but I sure don't hunt based off numbers and speculation.

 

[StHubert]

If they don't sell those tags that would be $3,307,413.00 drop in revenue for Montana. Is it worth it having the higher tag fees and have less people come to the state. I wish the tag fees were lower, so I could hunt MT again this year.

 

[jlmatthew]

Come on quality and quantity? Montana is by far one of the best states to live in in the West.

I wont argue with that. I keep hoping to get a job up there someday cause Colorado is becoming a lost cause with crowding and short seasons. Even bird hunting is going down the crapper fast with everybody moving here with that leasing mentality.

A buddy just moved to Helena and keeps rubbing it in how much better it is up there

 

[jryoung]

If they don't sell those tags that would be $3,307,413.00 drop in revenue for Montana. Is it worth it having the higher tag fees and have less people come to the state. I wish the tag fees were lower, so I could hunt MT again this year.

I wonder how many resident licenses/tag were sold this year and what the financial numbers would look like with a modest price increase. I seem to recall many MT residents here stating it's time for MT to increase the resident fees.

Though you may get a better total financial results for NRs to come in-state, buy provision, stay at hotels, eat meals etc. etc. Though, those fees don't go to FWP.

 

[BuzzH]

Theres positive and negatives about every state, but I dont see why anyone would whine, bitch, and complain about Montana.

The good that 11 weeks does is that it allows a bunch of flexibility to NR hunters. They can choose to archery hunt elk/deer. They can choose to hunt with a rifle any time between mid-October and late November. If a person cant get off their ass and find a time in 3 months to hunt MT, they shouldnt have applied for the tag to start with.

I think the prices are fair and I like to have a bird license and a fishing license included. I typically use both while hunting Montana. I already purchased both fishing and bird license this year through the NR Native license even though I wont likely use either all that much. With a MT NR combo license if you fill out your deer and elk tags, you still have plenty more opportunity.

I say if MT doesnt suit your needs, choose something that fits your agenda.

I've hunted lots of states and MT is in the top 2 IMO for all kinds of reasons.

 

[Bambistew]

You have to understand the average hunter's mentality... We save $10 on bullets to go on multi-thousand dollar hunts. Every dollar counts.

Montana is a terrible place to hunt, and even worse place to live.

The absolute worst thing about hunting in MT the length of the season. So much opportunity, too little time!

 

[Rat Fink]

You don't make much sense Buzz.

I want a trophy elk, with my bow, and I want to hunt him in an area with few hunters, during a one week season that I had to select my weapon for, and I want the license to be cheap to reflect the cheap crappy select your weapon, week, and season hunts all the other western states offer. I could care less about all of the opportunity I get to enjoy Montana. Less opportunity must be a good thing because all the other states are doing it. I just want what I want.

 

[LopeHunter]

When I retire then I can make use of weeks of elk hunting. Even 10 days is more than I would hunt right now with my other obligations at work and home. Until things change for me, I get zero value from weeks of hunting. I zero value from the ability to hunt upland birds or fish. I am going elk hunting and probably for 9 days in the filed at most. Then I leave to go 1000+ miles away for the rest of the year.

If I lived just over the state line or if had a reason to be in MT on business or visiting family then the combo approach would be of value to me. That is not the case. though.

 

[BuzzH]

Yeah, but you're forgetting you can CHOOSE any ten days from an 11 week period of time. Thats pretty nice if you have tags in your home state that may conflict, or if you draw another tag or two in different states.

Theres no value in that?

Continue with the complaining...

 

[jryoung]

I like the long window, my job is tied to financial reporting so when we're in close, you can forget about getting home in time for dinner let alone even think about hunting.

Colorado with it's scheduled weeks can make each week a zoo and those weeks might not work.

I'm still planning on coming to MT a couple days before the opener and hunt the opening week, but I like the idea that I can change that if needed. I only wish I had better intel at this point to make a determination of when to go.

 

[brownbear932008]

I had a feeling numbers would be even less this year. Just the general rhetoric you hear out on the internet indicated people were going to shy away.

I put in for me, my brother and Dad. My Dad might have less than 5 years left of hunting so while I want to hang meat it's more important for me to get out while we can. We're flying blind, no experience in MT (other than Dad 50 years ago), just going to hit up Google maps a plenty and hope for some luck. But, the $3k to spend a great week in the woods is worth it to me.

Enjoy your hunt if you got the combo you will probally take some deer but if your hoping for an elk in MT. don't get your hopes up too much I've done the elk thing there for several years and I aint doin it anymore it's a waste of my hard earned money. Enjoy the time with your Dad though.