Bozeman: is it really that bad anymore?

[mtmiller]

I actually got Boone and Crockett plates for the sole reason when I went home to hunt with my dad people didn’t assume I was an OTC (out of town c@&ksucker).

Good tip for Bozemanites is to pick up the new AP plates before heading north. You're welcome.

 

[Ought Six]

I ran into a Bozifornian in the woods last year that said he had been elk hunting that spot for the last 25 years, the guy couldn’t have been much older than 30, and the elk had only moved into that spot in the last 5 years. Something didn’t quite add up

 

[The Hedgehog]

I ran into a Bozifornian in the woods last year that said he had been elk hunting that spot for the last 25 years, the guy couldn’t have been much older than 30, and the elk had only moved into that spot in the last 5 years. Something didn’t quite add up

A beautiful thing is that those hunters never actually hunt around Bozeman. They go deep into to were GOHUNT, OnXMaps, Huntinfool, Epic Outdoors, Eastmuns, etc guides them with online filtering or constant contact email vollies...

 

[DouglasR]

A beautiful thing is that those hunters never actually hunt around Bozeman. They go deep into to were GOHUNT, OnXMaps, Huntinfool, Epic Outdoors, Eastmuns, etc guides them with online filtering or constant contact email vollies...

have you ever checked out methodhunting?
not to be confused with my company, methodskiing.

 

[mtmiller]

A beautiful thing is that those hunters never actually hunt around Bozeman.

And they just call a BLM office and want all the livestock reservoirs and threaten with a FOIA.

 

[shrapnel]

Most of the criticism is unwarranted, although much is true. Few people have lived here longer than I have, but this is only the perspective of a lifetime of observing the changes.

I don't like the growth, if you could have seen Bozeman in the 50's to the early 60's, you would have fallen in love. I am not leaving and enjoy what the Gallatin Valley has to offer, not just Bozeman.

When I was in elementary school we studied Montana in Social Studies and learned of the vast natural resources that Montan was blessed with. We had timber, minerals, oil, cattle and other valuable resources that made Montana the "Treasure State" and the "Bonanza State".

All that changed with environmental pursuits and tourism promotion. In the mid 60's when we celebrated our 100th Territorial and 75th statehood anniversaries, the change was to "Big Sky Country". The celebration was huge in Bozeman and we participated in events that led to a bigger attraction to out of state interests and people heading here to partake of all the wonder.

Bozeman stopped on North Seventh at Durston and West Main Street didn't even exist past 8th avenue. When the Buttrey's shopping center (where Harbor Freight is now) was under construction, my dad got us in the car to go see the new shopping center. When we got there he exclaimed "Who in the Hell is going to come clear out here to buy their groceries?"

Much has changed, much is not what locals have liked to see, but many moved somewhere else and added to the growth wherever they went. Leaving other places around the country to come here has not ruined Bozeman, but it certainly has changed it.

I miss the "Old" Bozeman, but you need to adapt and enjoy what it has to offer. The reason people are coming here is due to those basic qualities found in Bozeman and not where they left. I am a native and proud of it, but it wasn't 170 years ago and we were doing the same thing to the Indians...

This is a Montana Centennial revolver and the original letter to the owner in 1964 proclaiming Montana "Big Sky Country"






Here are a few later publications chronicling the changes in Montana, and specifically the Gallatin Valey...

 

[KB_]

I got my veteran plates specifically cause I heard of the slashing of tires.

First of all, if you have ever done that to someone because of where they are from your a POS. Freakin schmuck tried to do that to my dads truck a 6 years back in Wyoming. My dad is pretty paranoid and wanted to stay within shooting distance of his truck and we busted him before he could shove his knife into the tires. Game warden got there shortly after we busted him cause as my dad was running down the hill I called the game warden. Anyone here that knows me would be shocked to hear that I was trying to calm the situation. All he got was a stern warning from the game warden since he didnt actually slash the tire. But frankly im glad no tires were slashed and we can move on with our trip.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Most of the criticism is unwarranted, although much is true. Few people have lived here linger than I have, but this is only the perspective of a lifetime of observing the changes.

I don't like the growth, if you could have seen Bozeman in the 50's to the early 60's, you would have fallen in love. I am not leaving and enjoy what the Gallatin Valley has to offer, not just Bozeman.

When I was in elementary school we studied Montana in Social Studies and learned of the vast natural resources that Montan was blessed with. We had timber, minerals, oil, cattle and other valuable resources that made Montana the "Treasure State" and the "Bonanza State".

All that changed with environmental pursuits and tourism promotion. In the mid 60's when we celebrated our 100th Territorial and 75th statehood anniversaries, the change was to "Big Sky Country". The celebration was huge in Bozeman and we participated in events that led to a bigger attraction to out of state interests and people heading here to partake of all the wonder.

Bozeman stopped on North Seventh at Durston and West Main Street didn't even exist past 8th avenue. When the Buttrey's shopping center (where Harbor Freight is now) was under construction, my dad got us in the car to go see the new shopping center. When we got there he exclaimed "Who in the Hell is going to come clear out here to buy their groceries?"

Much has changed, much is not what locals have liked to see, but many moved somewhere else and added to the growth wherever they went. Leaving other places around the country to come here has not ruined Bozeman, but it certainly has changed it.

I miss the "Old" Bozeman, but you need to adapt and enjoy what it has to offer. The reason people are coming here is due to those basic qualities found in Bozeman and not where they left. I am a native and proud of it, but it wasn't 170 years ago and we were doing the same thing to the Indians...

This is a Montana Centennial revolver and the original letter to the owner in 1964 proclaiming Montana "Big Sky Country"



View attachment 268546


Here are a few later publications chronicling the changes in Montana, and specifically the Gallatin Valey...





View attachment 268548View attachment 268549View attachment 268550

Shrapnel, one of the last six true Bozeman natives.

 

[brockel]

I ran into a Bozifornian in the woods last year that said he had been elk hunting that spot for the last 25 years, the guy couldn’t have been much older than 30, and the elk had only moved into that spot in the last 5 years. Something didn’t quite add up

Knows where the elk will be before the elk do. Sounds like a hell of an elk hunter to me.

 

[The Hedgehog]

View attachment 268548

My Dad was attending MSU right then, got his Electrical Engineering degree 2 years later.

 

[The Hedgehog]

have you ever checked out methodhunting?

Who would possibly pay for that?

 

[sacountry]

I take all of this as good humor. No doubt the huge changes in Bozeman and Gallatin County give some basis for deserved ridicule.

But, before rural Montanans get to down in the mouth on Bozeman and license plates with a 6, you might want to send us some Thank You cards when it comes time to pay property taxes and when your local school board tries to balance their budget. I'll explain below.

We have this thing in Montana called "State School Equalization." It is where every piece of property is assessed its proportionate share of mill levy, based on assessed values, for taxes that go to the Montana General Fund for purposes of "equalizing" school funding. A lot of smaller/rural school districts have their most valuable properties covered by the famous "ag exemption." Thus, they end up with very little tax receipts for school funding. Without the equalization payments coming their way, the per pupil spending in those smaller and rural districts would be very unbalanced compared to a place like Bozeman, where a school levy has never failed in my 32 years here.

Since Gallatin County schools are funded at a much higher rate than smaller/rural schools, we are a net payer to the Equalization effort. And since our property values have increased so much, our proportionate "millage" gets higher every year. That's to the benefit of small/rural districts who receive the majority of these Equalization payments from places like Gallatin County.

So, for this exercise, I calculated what I paid last year in the form of Equalization payments on properties I own. I paid $5,220.42, in these "School Equalization" taxes. That is about 45% of the amount that I paid to my local school district in taxes. That money gets distributed to the schools that are below the spending levels of say, Gallatin School Districts. For me, that equals $435 per month that I pay to benefit these smaller/rural districts in counties who won't/don't increase property taxes on their own local properties to fund their schools at higher levels.

Multiply that by every Gallatin County property owner, both residential and commercial, and just know those assholes with "6" license plates are helping fund a lot of your school district. And as someone who feels education funding should be a high priority for any society, no matter the financial resources of the child receiving that education, the $435 I get taxed each month for schools far away from where I live is some of the best investment I make, even if it is not voluntary.

That said, it is a good distraction to read this stuff and see the opinions expressed, the humor interjected, and the offenses taken.

It's all fun n' games until the accountant gets involved....there ain't no hidin' from the numbers . Speaking of hiding, there is one ancillary beneficiary to the negative "6"....that's RMEF with all the money they make on the 6ers who buy RMEF plates in order to conceal their sixiness. As a 7 guy, the RMEF plate is handy when hunting the hi-line.

 

[mtmuley]

As a 7 guy, the RMEF plate is handy when hunting the hi-line.

So you are one of them. Not as easy to spot, but I'll be on the lookout. mtmuley

 

[Southern Elk]

Everyone knows the RMEF and BHA plates are just covers for 6 plates.

 

[antlerradar]

I take all of this as good humor. No doubt the huge changes in Bozeman and Gallatin County give some basis for deserved ridicule.

But, before rural Montanans get to down in the mouth on Bozeman and license plates with a 6, you might want to send us some Thank You cards when it comes time to pay property taxes and when your local school board tries to balance their budget. I'll explain below.

We have this thing in Montana called "State School Equalization." It is where every piece of property is assessed its proportionate share of mill levy, based on assessed values, for taxes that go to the Montana General Fund for purposes of "equalizing" school funding. A lot of smaller/rural school districts have their most valuable properties covered by the famous "ag exemption." Thus, they end up with very little tax receipts for school funding. Without the equalization payments coming their way, the per pupil spending in those smaller and rural districts would be very unbalanced compared to a place like Bozeman, where a school levy has never failed in my 32 years here.

Since Gallatin County schools are funded at a much higher rate than smaller/rural schools, we are a net payer to the Equalization effort. And since our property values have increased so much, our proportionate "millage" gets higher every year. That's to the benefit of small/rural districts who receive the majority of these Equalization payments from places like Gallatin County.

So, for this exercise, I calculated what I paid last year in the form of Equalization payments on properties I own. I paid $5,220.42, in these "School Equalization" taxes. That is about 45% of the amount that I paid to my local school district in taxes. That money gets distributed to the schools that are below the spending levels of say, Gallatin School Districts. For me, that equals $435 per month that I pay to benefit these smaller/rural districts in counties who won't/don't increase property taxes on their own local properties to fund their schools at higher levels.

Multiply that by every Gallatin County property owner, both residential and commercial, and just know those assholes with "6" license plates are helping fund a lot of your school district. And as someone who feels education funding should be a high priority for any society, no matter the financial resources of the child receiving that education, the $435 I get taxed each month for schools far away from where I live is some of the best investment I make, even if it is not voluntary.

That said, it is a good distraction to read this stuff and see the opinions expressed, the humor interjected, and the offenses taken.

This gets out, hunters with 6 plates and those that get custom plates just so no one can tell they are from Gallatin County will feel entitled to blast a forky on the Custer. Have got to admit, Powder River and Carter county property taxes are sure as hell not covering the cost of schooling. I am old enough however to remember when the the western part of the state was more than happy to spend the coal and oil & gas revenue.

I could care less where hunters are from, good and bad from everywhere in the state, It is FWP's job to regulate where they hunt.

 

[DFS]

I ran into a Bozeman guy elk hunting a few years back. He started off the conversation with he was from southwest montana. Poor fellow was afraid to say the B word. His plan was to hunt the whole season. Archery and rifle.

 

[The Hedgehog]

While elk hunting in eastern MT with a friend a few years back, my friend crossed paths with a couple locals who were NONSTOP bugling, I mean nooonnnn stooooppp. My friend Jake asks, what are you guys trying to do here? Guy says "We're trying to get them to go into a FRENZY".

 

[TheTone]

have you ever checked out methodhunting?

I’d like to pay them the on the ground deal for the elk unit I hunt most often. I wonder if after the two days they’d just say it sucks or what they would “find”

 

[antlerradar]

Put one of them Native Montanan bumper stickers on your truck. Nobody will touch anything. mtmuley

As long as it is not next to a Yellowstone,Dutton Ranch sticker.

 

[Wrong Burgundy]

have you ever checked out methodhunting?
not to be confused with my company, methodskiing.

That does not seem like a great business plan.
$700 for "boots on the ground" package? For what? How would they monitor and fairly space out dipshitz who sign up for that for something like elk or mule deer? And the majority of the info they pass on is readily available for free.

Out of business in 3, 2, 1....