Reduction in number of NR deer licenses

[jimh406]

Can you explain this more? I don’t see how reducing licenses is a bad thing.

I didn't say it was a bad thing. I just wondered how much it would help. I asked Grok.com for some help analyzing. It seems most of the pressure was in 6 and 7. If they maintained the same success ratio, the harvest would decrease by about 1200 deer. That seems significant.

From Grok.

2024 Deer Harvest in Montana by Residency and Success Rates​

Based on the latest Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) data for the 2024 hunting season (covering the 2023-2024 license year, with primary seasons in fall 2023 extending into early 2024), the statewide deer harvest totaled 39,070 deer. This includes both mule deer (the majority, ~28,000) and white-tailed deer, reflecting a slight increase from prior years but ongoing population pressures from factors like epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), habitat loss, and weather. The harvest was up modestly from 2014 levels, but mule deer populations declined 3% to an estimated 249,157 statewide.

Breakdown by Residency​

• Residents: Harvested 27,700 deer (71% of total). This was driven by ~120,000 resident deer hunters.
• Nonresidents: Harvested 11,370 deer (29% of total), primarily mule deer. This marked an increase of ~1,570 from 2014, despite ~2,600 more nonresident hunters participating.

Success Rates​

Success rates are calculated as the percentage of deer hunters who harvested at least one deer, based on FWP hunter surveys and effort data (days afield). Statewide rates were mixed due to regional variations—higher in western Montana (e.g., 21% at some check stations) and lower in eastern areas amid population declines.

• Residents: ~23% success rate. With ~120,000 hunters averaging 7.7-8 days afield, this equates to broad participation but moderate individual outcomes.
• Nonresidents: ~40-43% success rate (higher due to guided hunts and focused effort). ~29,108 nonresident deer hunters (2.43% above 21-year average) averaged 6.1 days afield, concentrating pressure in high-opportunity eastern Regions 6 and 7.

 

[DFS]

Will this negatively impact BMA funding?

Who cares

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

Who needs to shoot a mule deer doe anywhere and why?

 

[INMT]

Will this negatively impact BMA funding?

Those letters have to be getting worn out on your keyboard. How many times have you posted the same question in the past month?

 

[DFS]

Those letters have to be getting worn out on your keyboard. How many times have you posted the same question in the past month?

FWP could prioritize the BMA’s that allow access beyond family and friends and force access to the landowners that sold their soul with conservation easements. That isn’t happening.

 

[DFS]

BMA’s there are some good ones but many of them are not good and money is wasted.

 

[Treeshark]

Those letters have to be getting worn out on your keyboard. How many times have you posted the same question in the past month?

Three times. Or four. I can’t remember.

BMA enrollment is declining and has been for a while. I think @DFS may be on to something… who cares?

It’s dying. What’s next?

 

[DFS]

Three times. Zero answers.

BMA enrollment is declining and has been for a while. I think @DFS may be on to something… who cares?

It’s dying. What’s next?

Keep the good ones. Spend the rest on easements to public land for long term access

 

[Matthew57]

I probably shouldn't use any particular state as an example. It is surprising though the percentage of WA plates I see in the area I hunt. But.....for the most part they are as friendly as any of us and I have no problem with them.

Yeah, no I get it man it’d be annoying for me too haha

 

[Archer86]

My montana deer hunt was great this year my boy killed his first buck and i didn't ever find anything I wanted to shoot. I seen More deer then hunters had a good time in the mountains. I think it's a good start to limit nr I did see more nr plates then residents but all this crowding talk leads me to belive some need to find new hunting areas wasnt hard to get away from the crowds.

 

[Treeshark]

Keep the good ones. Spend the rest on easements to public land for long term access

Good concept, but that would likely result in a massive reduction in access in terms of overall acreage.

 

[shb]

The potential budget shortfall could be made up by increasing all of the NR licenses.

If we are trying to improve the herd, I don't see how reducing NR licenses helps.

If they just kept increasing the nr licenses until 2500 less nr's threw in the towel, they could reduce pressure, AND maintain revenue.

 

[Nick87]

I think @DFS may be on to something… who cares?

It’s dying. What’s next?

Transferable landowner tags and hunting vrbo ranch rentals. Your gonna love it. Even though you'll never use it.

 

[DFS]

Good concept, but that would likely result in a massive reduction in access in terms of overall acreage.

Manage for what we have access too. Right now we are crowding everyone on the same land. There are ways to do it without decreasing opportunities very much. We haven’t even tried besides incessantly increasing tags.

 

[Treeshark]

There are ways to do it without decreasing opportunities very much. We haven’t even tried besides incessantly increasing tags.

I couldn’t agree more.

 

[Treeshark]

If they just kept increasing the nr licenses until 2500 less nr's threw in the towel, they could reduce pressure, AND maintain revenue.

That would be kind of sweet, honestly. But what do you foresee the outcome of that would be overall?

Targeting roughly 25% of hunters/harvest while public land access continues to decline- is that really a win?

 

[cgasner1]

The potential budget shortfall could be made up by increasing all of the NR licenses.

If we are trying to improve the herd, I don't see how reducing NR licenses helps.

I believe the prices are set by the legislation so Fwp can’t adjust anything at the moment

 

[DFS]

I couldn’t agree more.

Transferable tags isn’t the best path forward. The public does need to be realistic with expectations though. I have had several landowners tell me they are protecting deer because MTFWP wont. I appreciate those landowners and they don’t have an outfitter.

 

[Hobbes]

My montana deer hunt was great this year my boy killed his first buck and i didn't ever find anything I wanted to shoot. I seen More deer then hunters had a good time in the mountains. I think it's a good start to limit nr I did see more nr plates then residents but all this crowding talk leads me to belive some need to find new hunting areas wasnt hard to get away from the crowds.

"Mountains" explains some of your experience and I enjoy hunting those too, but R6 and R7 are the primary NR destination for deer and many residents.

 

[Hobbes]

Three times. Or four. I can’t remember.

BMA enrollment is declining and has been for a while. I think @DFS may be on to something… who cares?

It’s dying. What’s next?

BMAs are not dieing. Sure some have dropped off but the program is not dieing. It's a great program that I utilize regularly.
Do you ever get tired of telling Montanans how to manage their resource?