Elk Camp At the Capitol - January 24th 2023

[Ben Lamb]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 4, 2022

Contact: Jeff Lukas, Montana Citizens’ Elk Management Coalition, 406-546-8406



Hunters and Anglers Invited to ‘Elk Camp at the Capitol’

Helena, MT — Montana hunters and anglers are invited to attend ‘Elk Camp at the Capitol’ on Tuesday, January 24 at the Montana Capitol building in Helena.

Elk Camp is a celebration of Montana’s exceptional outdoor legacy and an opportunity for hunters and anglers to discuss wildlife and habitat policy with lawmakers active in the 68th Montana Legislature.

The event is hosted by member organizations who make up the Montana Citizens’ Elk Management Coalition. The Coalition has been active this past year working to improve the status-quo of elk management, foster better relationships between hunters and landowners, and in establishing a new trust account to fund habitat stewardship projects in rural Montana.

Montana Citizens Elk Management Coalition organizer, Jeff Lukas, says Elk Camp is an opportunity for hunters and anglers to learn how to be civically engaged during an important legislative session.

“We want hunters and anglers to learn how to participate in the wildlife policies that impact our public access, wildlife, and hunting opportunity,” Lukas said. “There have already been 150 bills requested to modify fish and wildlife policy so we encourage hunters and anglers to get engaged and join us at Elk Camp.”

Elk Camp begins at 11:30 a.m. with a gathering on the North Lawn to hear from Montana citizens and bipartisan lawmakers active in wildlife management policy. Speakers include Senator Jeff Wellborn, R-Dillon, Rep Tom France, D-Missoula, and recently retired Fish and Wildlife Commissioner, Patrick Byorth.

After the gathering, participants will partake in civic training sessions and meet with lawmakers inside the building. Topics of discussion include improving the Block Management hunting program, public access and Habitat Montana, and establishing the Montana Legacy Trust to improve wildlife habitat conditions.

Complimentary bus transportation to and from Helena is available from several cities in the State. A full list of activities and transportation opportunities, as well as the RSVP, is available at www.montanaelk.org. Participants are encouraged to RSVP in advance.

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[Ben Lamb]

There will also be a couple of Advocacy Trainings on January 23rd, and during the day of January 24th. You should sign up through the website Montanaelk.org if you want to participate in this. January 23rd is at Lewis & Clark Brewery, if that helps sweeten the deal.

 

[Nameless Range]

Bumping this. This type of effort, and the Coalition itself, I believe is our best chance at long term successful solutions. Lineup looks good.

 

[Big Fin]

Thanks for doing this. Wish I wasn't out of state that week. Hope a lot of folks show up. Feel free to use Hunt Talk for any purposes you find helpful.

 

[Ben Lamb]

We have the speaker line up set:

Senator Jeff Welborn (R, Dillon)
Representative Tom France (D, Missoula)
Dusty Crary, 7LazyP Outfitting
Pat Byorth, former R3 Fish & Wildlife Commission.

Buses are filling up so if you haven't rsvp'ed yet, you better.

 

[MTelkHuntress]

See all you elk enthusiasts tomorrow. Excited for this event!

 

[Gerald Martin]

See all you elk enthusiasts tomorrow. Excited for this event!

I wish I could make it. Work is tough right now. I figured I better save my trips to the Capitol for days and issues when a timely testimony might be most effective.

I am thankful for everyone who is showing up to represent!

 

[Ben Lamb]

Great to see so many friends & Hunt Talkers today. You guys are rock stars.

Advocacy orgs talk elk management at Capitol event

Policymakers centered funding for Block Management, Habitat Montana and the Montana Legacy Trust in their comments Tuesday.

montanafreepress.org

 

[Nameless Range]

I thought it was a very well done event, and the tenor of this legislative session, though there will be challenges, seems very different than it could be otherwise.

I am really grateful for all your work Ben, as well as all the other conservation organizations and their staff working hard for Montana Hunters.

Thank you.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I thought it was a very well done event, and the tenor of this legislative session, though there will be challenges, seems very different than it could be otherwise.

I am really grateful for all your work Ben, as well as all the other conservation organizations and their staff working hard for Montana Hunters.

Thank you.

MOGA has been a good partner in this. For the last 6-8 months, we've been quietly meeting to develop this group of bills, and we've been ale to find common ground on a lot of issues. We still have a long way to go in terms of passing these bills, but I think that, in the aggregate, these help reduce some pressure on public lands, incentivize access and give some good programs a needed haircut & shave to keep them fresh.

I've known Dusty since 2007. We worked together on the Rocky Mtn Front Heritage Act and I know what kind of a good & decent person he is. @Eric Albus's leadership in MOGA helped get this done as well. Let's be sure to recognize they are a big part of this effort.

 

[golfer]

MOGA has been a good partner in this. For the last 6-8 months, we've been quietly meeting to develop this group of bills, and we've been ale to find common ground on a lot of issues. We still have a long way to go in terms of passing these bills, but I think that, in the aggregate, these help reduce some pressure on public lands, incentivize access and give some good programs a needed haircut & shave to keep them fresh.

I've known Dusty since 2007. We worked together on the Rocky Mtn Front Heritage Act and I know what kind of a good & decent person he is. @Eric Albus's leadership in MOGA helped get this done as well. Let's be sure to recognize they are a big part of this effort.

Which group of bill are you referring to?

 

[Ben Lamb]

Which group of bill are you referring to?

See the attached PDF. We are still drafting, but have a group of bi-partisan legislators ready to introduce them once finished. They should be introduced by next week.

SB 58 & HB 243 are already introduced and are making their way through the process.

 

[Luke_with_a_lab]

See the attached PDF. We are still drafting, but have a group of bi-partisan legislators ready to introduce them once finished. They should be introduced by next week.

SB 58 & HB 243 are already introduced and are making their way through the process.

Can you clarify what exactly B10, B11 and B8 deer licensees are? General tag vs permit vs doe tag I'm guessing?

 

[Ben Lamb]

B10: NR Big Game Combo

B11: NR Deer Combo

B8: NR Antlerless Deer

 

[Luke_with_a_lab]

B10: NR Big Game Combo

B11: NR Deer Combo

B8: NR Antlerless Deer

Thanks for the clarification. Is the intent of limiting the B8 an attempt to take some pressure off of mule deer does? Or is the hope to just reduce overall hunting pressure?

 

[Ben Lamb]

Thanks for the clarification. Is the intent of limiting the B8 an attempt to take some pressure off of mule deer does? Or is the hope to just reduce overall hunting pressure?

It's both. What wev've seen is that in the last decade, the B8 sales have doubled to around 11-12K licenses under a fairly open OTC regime. We're also seeing NR's spending more time hunting, leading to a big increase in hunter days.

The thought is to save the anterless harvest for residents, while still allowing opportunity for NR's, but on a more economical scale. This will reduce hunting pressure on public land, be essentially budget neutral and help with restoring mule deer populations. It also allows for the commission to make some changes based on the biology and population controls needed for whitetail in river bottoms, etc.

Fact is, an elk doesn't know if you're chasing a doe or a them.

 

[Luke_with_a_lab]

It's both. What wev've seen is that in the last decade, the B8 sales have doubled to around 11-12K licenses under a fairly open OTC regime. We're also seeing NR's spending more time hunting, leading to a big increase in hunter days.

The thought is to save the anterless harvest for residents, while still allowing opportunity for NR's, but on a more economical scale. This will reduce hunting pressure on public land, be essentially budget neutral and help with restoring mule deer populations. It also allows for the commission to make some changes based on the biology and population controls needed for whitetail in river bottoms, etc.

Fact is, an elk doesn't know if you're chasing a doe or a them.

Gotcha, thanks for the explanation

 

[ID Hunter 22]

One thing I would like to see is if FWP is going to limit the amount of antlerless deer for NR (which I agree they should) that they allow NR youth to be able to utilize the mentorship program without mandating that the parent or grandparent hold a combination or even an antlerless license.

 

[Schaaf]

See the attached PDF. We are still drafting, but have a group of bi-partisan legislators ready to introduce them once finished. They should be introduced by next week.

SB 58 & HB 243 are already introduced and are making their way through the process.

For people looking through the pdf, The big thing to remember on this is that it’s not gonna fix everything at once but I do believe these are a huge step in the right direction and with everyone involved in it so far it’s a good sign of things to come in my opinion.

 

[sacountry]

For people looking through the pdf, The big thing to remember on this is that it’s not gonna fix everything at once but I do believe these are a huge step in the right direction and with everyone involved in it so far it’s a good sign of things to come in my opinion.

And to celebrate, Shaaf is busting open his recently restocked supply of canned oysters. Hit him up if you'd like some.