Jill is the vice-chair of the sportsman's caucus. I would certainly get her lined out & provide any information she may need from your perspective. I would also ask her to bring this up with the caucus and ask for them to oppose the bill.
Non-resident outfitter license (MT) Bill is up for hearing 2/2/2021 (SB 143)
- Thread starter Big Fin
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Jill is the vice-chair of the sportsman's caucus. I would certainly get her lined out & provide any information she may need from your perspective. I would also ask her to bring this up with the caucus and ask for them to oppose the bill.
Nameless Range
Well-known member
I live in SD 38, so Edie McClafferty is my Senate rep, but I will write Jill as well.
Edie is good people. Give her the info. She'll put it to good use.
I’ve been saying this is going to happen for years. “I told you so” is worthless but I told you so.
The last 8 years of a so called pro public land hunter admin in state government was apathetic - at best.
No surprise that The new supermajority is ready to get this deal done.
Even if beaten, it will be back. I think this is bad in the big picture even for the people that it benefits in the immediate future. The commercialization and privatization of wildlife is a threat to the future of hunting.
The last 8 years of a so called pro public land hunter admin in state government was apathetic - at best.
No surprise that The new supermajority is ready to get this deal done.
Even if beaten, it will be back. I think this is bad in the big picture even for the people that it benefits in the immediate future. The commercialization and privatization of wildlife is a threat to the future of hunting.
Gevock
Well-known member
Guest opinion: Bill to change hunting licenses favors wealthy, out-of-state hunters
Do you hunt with out-of-state family and friends? Do you hunt private lands without an outfitter or guide? Have you been applying for a Missouri River Breaks or Elkhorns bull
El Jason
Well-known member
I fail to see the point you’re trying to make?
There has been a vocal contingent in Montana in that has been pushing further privatization of wildlife for many years. Longer than you’ve been alive.
I’m not sure how that relates to the last 8 years of governor’s administrations.
turbo2thousand
Member
Here is a link to what was voted on and passed by Montanans in 2010 and what they are now attempting to change. It has a lot of really good easy to understand info.
Montana Hunter Access Funding, I-161
elkduds
Well-known member
SB 0413 will rob nonresident hunters in MT of DIY opportunity
Please note my most strenuous objection to not only this bill, but the State sponsorship of outfitters it includes. I am a nonresident who has always looked forward to recreating in MT. If you want me and my ilk to go elsewhere, this bill will do it. Bad as this bill is for NRs, it is worse for Montanans. What a bunch of crooks this bill's sponsors are. For shame.
M##########$#
Colorado Springs, CO
For example, I’ve brought up over and over to several-we’ll pick on BHA, but there are others- that Montana is moving in a dangerous direction with the endless elk slaughter. Ryan Busse has told me more than once that there is more elk than ever and that we need to trust science and the biologists. “There are plenty of elk in Region 1” is a direct quote.
To their credit, they allow unpaid volunteers to mention that they’re affiliated with BHA when they comment against everything that we’ve seen over the last decade to get us to the brink of privatizing the elk herd.
I’ve seen another friend that lives in NM and has a brother in Colorado, both that are actively involved in conservation work, bring up to BHA leadership multiple times that they need help fighting the privatization of wildlife in their state and that this fight is linked to the fight for access to public places to hunt. Crickets-always.
The Montana Wildlife Federation is what leadership looks like. I’m going to send them $100 right now actually, because they consistently show up.
El Jason
Well-known member
The parallels you are making escape me. We can agree this is a shitty bill.
No surprise and nothing new.
Just for context, we had detente with MOGA after 161, although I feel they rightly believed that the initiative went against the deals that were cut in the 90's. That has been shifting and since at least 2009, there have been several attempts to give outfitters more licenses. Such as the attempts to add wilderness only licenses, take the full 10% of the NR limited quota for permits, etc. They've also been adding extra licenses, increasing the agreed upon cap of 17K NR combos, etc through various schemes. The last two administrations helped push back on those efforts through the agency, often times in ways that nobody sees such as working with legislators early to stop bills from being introduced, or to change the direction of bad bills in an effort to mitigate their impact.
It's also important to realize that FWP has been the red-headed stepchild of state gov't in the eyes of the legislature because they stood up for the public resource, which led to countless attacks on Habitat Montana, Game Wardens, Biologists and even bills singling out specific employees because one legislator didn't understand how a survey was used.
1 state employee. Had. The. Majority. Floor. Leader. Attack. Him. Through. Legislation.
Let that sink in, and then put yourself in FWP's loafers. You'd be a little gunshy too.
So, when you point that finger at Bullock, whom I agree, could have done a lot more, make sure the other 4 fingers are pointing at the legislature.
@Big Fin, do you have a sense for how the committee is leaning on this? Have you gained any traction using your influence as a public land advocate? I sent emails to all but Sen Ellsworth, but I'm not sure how much weight my nonresident emails will carry.
I don't like the direction it is headed, given the make up of the committee and the history of some who are pushing it.
My influence with this committee is no higher than any other citizen. Maybe even less, due to the number of skirmishes and baggage my advocacy has created over the years. Time and history has provided me with other relationships that, on some issues, can make a difference in trying to defeat this kind of stuff.
What I do have are platforms such as Hunt Talk forum, Hunt Talk Radio, YouTube, and other platforms that are viewed/listened to by a lot of people, including a lot of Montanans who might not otherwise be inclined to act. I intend to use those platforms toward the causes that fit our WHY, such as making people aware of bad legislation that hurts the self-guided public land hunter, as does this legislation.
MLaird
Well-known member
Emails sent.
406dn
Well-known member
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I am working my way down the list.
None of this surprises me sadly. It very likely will require another initiative placed on the ballot to make things right.
None of this surprises me sadly. It very likely will require another initiative placed on the ballot to make things right.
T
tjones
Guest
huntin24/7
Well-known member
I have a hard time ever seeing an example of where outfitters should be guaranteed tags.
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