Black bear hunting with in Montana-- HB 144

[houndy65]

Please everyone support this bill HB 144 for Black bear hunting with hounds in Montana. This bill will be before the FWP Committee on 1/22/13 at 3 PM. We need as many houndsmen and houndswomen there as possible to show support. Different people have talked with 3 of the 5 FWP commissioners and those 3 all spoke favorably. We all will be meeting at the Walmart parking lot at 1pm, see everyone there.

Following are members of the committee everyone should send them an e-mail asking them to support the bill.
Name : JEFFREY WELBORN (R) HD 72 [email protected]
Name : DOUG KARY (R) HD 48 [email protected]
Name : FRANKE WILMER (D) HD 63 [email protected]
Name : CYDNIE ( CARLIE ) BOLAND (D) HD 23 [email protected]
Name : PAT CONNELL (R) HD 87 [email protected]
Name : VIRGINIA COURT (D) HD 52 [email protected]
Name : ALAN DOANE (R) HD 38 [email protected]
Name : KELLY FLYNN (R) HD 68 [email protected]
Name : EDWARD GREEF (R) HD 90 [email protected]

Name : BRIAN HOVEN (R) HD 24 [email protected]
Name : TOM JACOBSON (D) HD 25 [email protected]
Name : ED LIESER (D) HD 4 [email protected]
Name : JP POMNICHOWSKI (D) HD 66 [email protected]
Name : JEAN PRICE (D) HD 21 jl [email protected]
Name : RAY SHAW (R) HD 71 [email protected]
Name : BRIDGET SMITH (D) HD 31 [email protected]
Name : GORDON VANCE (R) HD 67 [email protected]
Name : KIRK WAGONER (R) HD 77 [email protected]
Name : WENDY WARBURTON (R) HD 34 [email protected]
Name : TED WASHBURN (R) HD 69 tedwashburn007@gmailcom
Name : KERRY WHITE (R) HD 70 [email protected]

 

[houndy65]

i'm hoping and praying to get this passed, it be agreat opprotunity for Montana. We're looking at a spring hunt and summer pursuit season and stay completily away from the fall.

 

[The Hedgehog]

I'm making phone calls AGAINST this. No need for hounds on big game other than cats. Would ruin it for those who enjoy spot and stalk bear hunting.

 

[Rat Fink]

No support here either. Our current spring bear season is fair chase and a great hunt. I enjoy seeing bears in their natural environment in the spring not pushed far off from the roads and always on edge. A hound season will make it very tough to hunt spot and stalk in the future without doing a backcountry hunt.

 

[Drake4]

No support from me. I'm pushing everyone I know to speak out against this bill. Spot and stock spring bear hunts are as good as it gets, no need to ruin it with hounds.

 

[houndy65]

I'd ask one thing of everyone that supports hunting of all kinds. Why not support any opprotunity for other kinds of hunting. I'll ask you all a question, how black bears with cubs are mistakily shoot with cubs. how many grizzilies are shoot not knowing the difference. How many hunters have ever been on a hound hunt, whether its cats or bears. the time we as houndsmen put in training a pack of hounds is a timily process. The fair chase words are not really right, just look at Idaho, how many people spot and stalk there and very successful. Please go out on a cat hunt with one of us houndsmen and just see how dedicated we are.

 

[The Hedgehog]

I'd ask one thing of everyone that supports hunting of all kinds. Why not support any opprotunity for other kinds of hunting. I'll ask you all a question, how black bears with cubs are mistakily shoot with cubs. how many grizzilies are shoot not knowing the difference. How many hunters have ever been on a hound hunt, whether its cats or bears. the time we as houndsmen put in training a pack of hounds is a timily process. The fair chase words are not really right, just look at Idaho, how many people spot and stalk there and very successful. Please go out on a cat hunt with one of us houndsmen and just see how dedicated we are.

Take your dogs and go to Idaho. I've hunted with hounds. No problem with it. Not for bears , deer, elk, etc..

It will never fly in MT.. so give it up.

 

[BiggWimm]

I had an archery LE elk tag in Utah that was ruined on multiple occasions by hounds "chasing" bears. Reality was a quarter of them were chasing bears, half the hounds were chasing elk, and a quarter of the other ones were tearing up my camp.

 

[Rat Fink]

I'd ask one thing of everyone that supports hunting of all kinds. Why not support any opprotunity for other kinds of hunting. I'll ask you all a question, how black bears with cubs are mistakily shoot with cubs. how many grizzilies are shoot not knowing the difference. How many hunters have ever been on a hound hunt, whether its cats or bears. the time we as houndsmen put in training a pack of hounds is a timily process. The fair chase words are not really right, just look at Idaho, how many people spot and stalk there and very successful. Please go out on a cat hunt with one of us houndsmen and just see how dedicated we are.

First off, houdsmen should spend a little more time in school and less time training hounds. When pushing for legislation and trying to rally support, good communication skills are necessary.

Secondly, I have been on a hound hunt for bears. It is fun and exciting way to hunt, but not needed in Montana. The wrongful shootings of sows with cubs and grizzlies are very rare, and a seasoned sportsman making good decisions in the bear woods diminishes the likelihood of that.

Thirdly your Idaho example plays right into my earlier point of forcing spot and stalk hunters into backcountry hunts. Many of the successful Idaho spot and stalk bear hunters do the backcountry thing to get away from roads, bait sites, and hounds. Our current season structure keeps more bears available to more hunters, and also decreases the amount of outfitting that inherently comes with hound hunting.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Not for or against, but just a question:

What happens when your hounds get on a grizz, and the bear takes out the pack?

 

[Rat Fink]

Not for or against, but just a question:

What happens when your hounds get on a grizz, and the bear takes out the pack?

A few mercy killings on dogs that have their guts ripped out and backs broken, and a revenge killing on a bear?

 

[Drake4]

Not for or against, but just a question:

What happens when your hounds get on a grizz, and the bear takes out the pack?

The houndsman will start bitching and moaning that we need to wipe out the griz just like they do when wolves kill their dogs.

I have nothing against hounds, I'm good friends with several houndsmen. I put a lot of work/time into my bird dog...doesn't mean I should be able chase elk with him.

 

[FAIR CHASE]

Hell no. And thanks for providing the list.

Spot and stalk for MT bears is kinda of special and I will do my part to keep it that way.

 

[houndy65]

So, spend a little more time in school, really, bash me because all I did is post a bill about hunting with hounds Rat Fink and presume I'm a hick. I've put in a lot of time in this state fighting for all kinds of hunting. I've had hounds all my life and I'm a father & husband with 4 kids, one studing to be a lawyer, one high school girl, and two 8 & 6. i'm a good man and person and a man that happens to like to hunt with hounds. Hey, also there were 18 grizzlies killed here in region 1 this year a mistakes.

My name is Terry L. Zink and When I'm pushing for legislation and trying to rally support, good communication skills are necessary, you'll see that if your at the committe meeting when I testify and I've done that a lot. So, so sorry for trying to communicate with other hunters.

Thanks; Terry L. Zink

 

[montana_bow]

I would also say I'm against this. There are so many awesome spot and stalk opportunities for bear and hound hunting bears is something I don't agree with for much of Montana. I would be ok with it in a few areas of the state that are extremely thick such as Northwest Montana, but at the same token these bears are very easy to find in the spring even with so much dense timber. Go to Idaho if you love it so much.

 

[theat]

I have been on several hound hunts for bears and many cat chases. It is lots of fun and most of the time anything but easy. In fact some of the most exhausting hunts I have ever been on were with hounds. Despite this I am opposed to a state wide hound bear season. I could support a few units going to hound or bait hunting for bears but only in a small number of units that have an overabundance of bears.

Montana has some of the best spot and stalk bear hunting around and despite what some say, hound hunting does change bear habits and can interfere with spot and stalk hunts. I have had several spot and stalk as well as bait hunts ruined by hounds in Idaho. A couple of hound hunters in the Lochsa area would walk their hounds into my and others bait sites to find fresh bear sign. I asked them repeatedly to stop but they gave me the "this is my land too" routine. Not a good way to get other hunters to support your hunting style.

Here is a big bear from a hound hunt in BC that I filmed

 

[Straight Arrow]

There is no problem with the black bear harvest in Montana, thus no real need to employ another tactic to hunt black bears.

With all due respect for your obvious passion as a houndsman desiring to hunt bears with your hounds, I submit that allowing that opportunity for the relatively few houndsman in the state will adversely affect the quality of hunting for a great number of other hunters in the state. Your wants and desires do not make a strong case for allowing it. I am opposed to this bill.

 

[sethkuhl]

I also will not support, More bear hunting opportunities should include two bear tags not dogs giving chase to them.

 

[jryoung]

This is really interesting to hear the opinions of Montanan's. Here in CA we lost our ability to hunt bears and bobcats with hounds (still fine for pigs), and mountain lion hunting has been banned since the 1990.

Granted there are some key differences between in states as you guys have griz and we don't and you have a spring season and we don't. Most around here were pretty dissapointed with the ban as houndsman typically make up less than 50% of the annual bear harvest, and our bear population has doubled in the last 20 years.

I'm hoping to head up there this spring and get myself a new rug for the living room.

 

[GFHunter]

If you cant harvest a bear during the spring with a spot and stalk hunt, then go shoot one over bait in Idaho.

No way would I ever support this. In fact I am 100% against it. TERRIBLE IDEA!!!!!