Elk Advisory Board - Choose Your Weapon

[Wind Gypsy]

@JMG not sure what the right solution for MT is... but I think it's much easier to fill a tag in CO's 5 day rifle seasons than in Montana's 12 week season.

You all need to push for something better than the status quo of "opportunity" at all costs.

And just cutting opportunity for others aint gonna move the needle much.

 

[MTGomer]

My $0.02..

Choosing a weapon will only result in people pouring a little extra into their specified season.

I think rifle could benefit, however archery would have similar saturation issues.

In order to make any substantive change they would need to subdivide the season. (NM comes to mind)

If I were king for a day:

1st Archery: 9/1-9/15
2nd Archery: 9/16-10/1

1st Rifle: 10/15-11/1
2nd Rifle: 11/2-11/15

Additional nuances:
1) All 2nd Rifle mule deer would issued LE

2) All 1st Rifle elk would be issued LE

3) Explore splitting archery vs. rifle in more LE elk units (Bear Paws come to mind)

4) Mothball the muzzy season

A structure like this would give every resident that wanted a tag, a chance to hunt every year while greatly increasing the quality of the hunting experience.

 

[seeth07]

@JMG not sure what the right solution for MT is... but I think it's much easier to fill a tag in CO's 5 day rifle seasons than in Montana's 12 week season.

You all need to push for something better than the status quo of "opportunity" at all costs.

General season resident oppurtunity elk states are what, Montana, CO, Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon and Washington right?

If I had to pick a state to live 100 percent based on the resident elk hunting opportunity I would have Montana as my last choice. Wyoming hands down choice one. They are close to each other, why not copy them

 

[JLS]

General season resident oppurtunity elk states are what, Montana, CO, Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon and Washington right?

If I had to pick a state to live 100 percent based on the resident elk hunting opportunity I would have Montana as my last choice. Wyoming hands down choice one. They are close to each other, why not copy them

If you would choose Washington over Montana for elk hunting you are clearly drunk.

 

[seeth07]

If you would choose Washington over Montana for elk hunting you are clearly drunk.

I'm thinking about living there the rest of my life. Do you really think there will be many elk left on public land to hunt in 5 years? 10 years?

 

[JLS]

I'm thinking about living there the rest of my life. Do you really think there will be many elk left on public land to hunt in 5 years? 10 years?

Living where?

 

[seeth07]

Living where?

If I had to pick a state to live 100 percent based on the resident elk hunting opportunity

I was just clarifying for you that the hypothetical here was to not only consider its current state but also where its headed.

 

[JLS]

I was just clarifying for you that the hypothetical here was to not only consider its current state but also where its headed.

If you were to project t+10 years and pick Washington over Montana for elk hunting, I’d still say you were drunk.

 

[Sytes]

In an effort to address overcrowding and pressure on public lands the Elk Management Citizen Advisory Group is recommending that wildlife managers require hunters to choose either archery hunting or rifle hunting.

To keep on topic: 100% select weapon used. I'd go so far as to define it to traditional archery and muzzy date block people must choose from if they want to use such... A 2 week or less block combined time frame.. Though doubt the majority would be in favor. That's it. Choose your weapon, get your time frame to hunt. Shorten seasons that way, if possible.

My two coppers worth. Glad to see the topic garner enough attention.

Crowding is the new game - for those, "non-native" third generation hunters. To the current, new, "non-native generation - to them this is the norm.

 

[seeth07]

To keep on topic: 100% select weapon used. I'd go so far as to define it to traditional archery and muzzy date block people must choose from if they want to use such... A 2 week or less block combined time frame.. Though doubt the majority would be in favor. That's it. Choose your weapon, get your time frame to hunt. Shorten seasons that way, if possible.

My two coppers worth. Glad to see the topic garner enough attention.

Crowding is the new game - for those, "non-native" third generation hunters. To the current, new, "non-native generation - to them this is the norm.

I've brought it up a lot before with buddies in discussion that I wish there was a good way to implement "chose your season". What I mean by that is that if it's a let's say a 60 day season, rather than your otc tag being good for 60 days, it's only good for a conservative 9 day season just like nr fishing licenses are out of state. Spreads out hunters over the season and for most it wouldn't have a drastic impact on the amount of days they hunted. But in not a resident of Montana and not really impacted by this do who cares about how I feel...

 

[elkduds]

Crowding is the new game - for those, "non-native" third generation hunters. To the current, new, "non-native generation - to them this is the norm.

 

[BuzzH]

I still say that there is no need to go choose your weapon just yet.

Why not a 4 week archery season from Labor day weekend to the end of Sept. Give elk a break and hunt them say October 24-Nov. 10 rifle season and then done. Have permit only cow hunting and some additional bull tags for both private and very sparingly on public lands.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I still say that there is no need to go choose your weapon just yet.

Why not a 4 week archery season from Labor day weekend to the end of Sept. Give elk a break and hunt them say October 24-Nov. 10 rifle season and then done. Have permit only cow hunting and some additional bull tags for both private and very sparingly on public lands.

Agreed. Choose your district just gets instituted this season. Let's see what that does first.

The advisory board deserves a lot of credit for staying out of the ditch & focusing on some solutions. I'm glad they brought this concept forward, especially given the discussion it's sparked.

 

[DFS]

There are tons of ways to improve things, all of those include limiting opportunity to some extent. The general resident hunting population in Montana wants better hunting, more access, less people, more animals without limiting any opportunity. Frustrating to watch.

 

[DFS]

Probably should start a new thread but I am interested if anyone has attended the meetings that started for the new elk management plan. Right now they are seeking comments on objectives. Sounds like the process this year involves no input from the local department level. They refrained from even giving us their professional opinion. The new emp will be based off public comment and crafted by the department in Helena and final approval by the commission. I got the feeling we are about to get railroaded. Hope I’m wrong. Seems completely wrong to not let the local professionals have input into the elk management plan.

 

[The Hedgehog]

View attachment 229812

Most MT “native” sticker guys have lived here less than 5 years and are the 1st to complain about all the folks moving here.

 

[Irishman]

My $0.02..

Choosing a weapon will only result in people pouring a little extra into their specified season.

I think rifle could benefit, however archery would have similar saturation issues.

In order to make any substantive change they would need to subdivide the season. (NM comes to mind)

If I were king for a day:

1st Archery: 9/1-9/15
2nd Archery: 9/16-10/1

1st Rifle: 10/15-11/1
2nd Rifle: 11/2-11/15

Additional nuances:
1) All 2nd Rifle mule deer would issued LE

2) All 1st Rifle elk would be issued LE

3) Explore splitting archery vs. rifle in more LE elk units (Bear Paws come to mind)

4) Mothball the muzzy season

Right now residents can hunt 6 weeks archery and 5 weeks of rifle. If you don't think they are ready to go from 11 weeks to 5 or 6, there is no way they are ready to go to just 2 weeks. Personally, I'd have no problem with going to just archery or rifle, and right now I hunt all 11 weeks as I'm retired.

 

[Sytes]

Most MT “native” sticker guys have lived here less than 5 years and are the 1st to complain about all the folks moving here.

Then there are the 2nd, 3rd, 4th.... "Natives" that complain about the 1st "Natives". Non the less the true Natives that complain about all, "MT Natives".

 

[Drake4]

I still say that there is no need to go choose your weapon just yet.

Why not a 4 week archery season from Labor day weekend to the end of Sept. Give elk a break and hunt them say October 24-Nov. 10 rifle season and then done. Have permit only cow hunting and some additional bull tags for both private and very sparingly on public lands.

This

 

[Gr8bawana]

Newspaper Article in the Billings Gazette

In an effort to address overcrowding and pressure on public lands the Elk Management Citizen Advisory Group is recommending that wildlife managers require hunters to choose either archery hunting or rifle hunting.

As a long time resident of Montana, I value my hunting opportunities. This "requirement" goes against something I strongly value, because my time hunting is mostly spent with friends and family. Hunting to me is a family value ... a lot of quality time spent with those friends and family.

When we are being told there are too many elk, why would you limit opportunity? Reducing the number of hunters in the field during either weapons season (archery or rifle), makes no sense. By limiting residents, such as myself, you are reducing the amount of time and money I spend on hunting (gas, groceries, supplies, gear, etc.). The MT Legislature(s) have passed laws making it easier for people who have moved out of state to come back home to hunt. It's ideas, laws, and programs like these that contribute to the "overcrowding issue". If you want the privileges' with living in Montana ... move and live in Montana (We refer to it as the "Big Sky Tax"). Stop allowing kids under 12 to hunt before the season or with a mentor. Sorry ... I could not hunt until I passed Hunters Safety and was twelve. My kids were not offered the opportunity to hunt before twelve and they survived or didn't need counseling. It's OK ... twelve is the "cut-off". The kid will survive and appreciate hunting at age twelve. The "feel good idea" is adding to the perceived problem of overcrowding.

The things we value are being stripped away by ideas, regulations, and legislative bills. I really hope residents speak up and show up when asked to comment on ideas such as the idea of "choose your weapon". But, unfortunately ... this Country is changing ... Montana is changing with all the people moving here.

So you're of the "this is the way we have always done it" crowd? The hundreds of pages on just this forum alone about how bad things are hunting-wise in Montana would suggest SOMETHING needs to change.
The hunters of Mont. love to complain about how bad things are but any suggestion of change? NO! We don't want any changes because this is the way we have always done things.
I guess we could go back to the time when no license was needed and there was no season and no bag limits. Would that make you happy?
There are a bazillion more hunters out there now than in the "old days" so you just can't keep doing things the way it's always been.