Corrected FWP bill has problems for wildlife management

[Gevock]

The section on herding wildlife was moved and is still in the bill, but we're still opposed to HB 637 for a host of reasons, including the pheasant stocking program at a cost of $1 million, the removal of the waiting period on black bears and the free hound handler licenses for non-resident landowners. This bill is a poor use of hunter license dollars and would change much of what we do to manage wildlife in Montana.

 

[Gevock]

The section on herding wildlife was moved and is still in the bill, but we're still opposed to HB 637 for a host of reasons, including the pheasant stocking program at a cost of $1 million, the removal of the waiting period on black bears and the free hound handler licenses for non-resident landowners. This bill is a poor use of hunter license dollars and would change much of what we do to manage wildlife in Montana.

 

[Ben Lamb]

There's a credible rumor that Ellsworth & MOGA are looking to amend this bill & put SB 143 into it.

There are some draft amendments floating around. This would include Wilderness outfitter tags & a 30% welfare tag. They're also apparently trying to illegally get the cap on the 17k b-10's & 4600 B11's removed administratively (same thing they asked for last year & we're told no).

Suit up folks. We're back in the game.

 

[TrumpkinTheDwarf]

How much longer is this legislative session?

 

[MThuntr]

How much longer is this legislative session?

May 11

My knowledge of how bills are introduced and amended isn't great but I believe the cutoff time for those changes is coming up.

https://leg.mt.gov/content/Sessions/67th/2021-session-calendar.pdf

 

[Ben Lamb]

May 11

My knowledge of how bills are introduced and amended isn't great but I believe the cutoff time for those changes is coming up.

https://leg.mt.gov/content/Sessions/67th/2021-session-calendar.pdf

To quote Emilio Estevez as Billy the Kid in Young Guns II, "There's many a slip twixt a cup & a lip."

New bills are done, with perhaps an exception of a study resolution. You can see the calendar here: https://leg.mt.gov/content/Sessions/67th/2021-session-calendar.pdf

This is the time of the session when bills get amended heavily to add in bills or concepts that haven't moved yet. HB 637 is a good example of a bill designed to be hijacked in case something comes along. The title is broad, and the list of issues is fairly expansive, making it a prime candidate for plug & play legislation. Competent lobbyists can and do get their bills amended on to other bills often. It's considered good trade-craft, if somewhat disingenuous.

If HB 637 gets hijacked even more (aside from the piss-poor use of funds for stocking birds & cratering fair chase lion hunting in favor of ignorance) then we can see just how effective the MOGA lobby team is. Vigilance until the session ends is necessary. Especially in the endgame.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Pheasant stocking is a waste of money for sure. I recall one biologist from my younger days who told me only 20% of birds survive past two weeks after being released. Lucky if 2% make it through the winter. These birds are so stupid they often have to be kicked in the air to get a shot. It's like stocking lakes. The dept publishes the day the fish are released and the lake is jammed with fisherman the next day dragging in trout that go after anything thrown at them and taste like wallpaper paste. When pheasants are released (always the day before opener) the same mob shows up and everyone goes home with a limit and never firing a shot. Dog easily catches them. What a thrill. Any birds the hunting dogs don't catch the coyotes will clean up as soon as it gets dark.

And where will these birds be released? Public land? I bet there's nothing written into this bill specifying that. If not, I'm sure we can guess who will get the lion's share.