Fall Hunt related: Covid-19 On The Rise <See Post #9 before posting>

[Deleted member 28227]

I am a state employee and I have read each and every one of the Governor's and the State Health Officer's orders and press releases. I think in a worst case scenario is you will have to self quarantine for two weeks. Nothing in the order says that can not be in your tent at hunting camp LOL. And unlike New York, New Jersey and that, there is very little enforcement action except on some businesses. But on serious side, I think the worst is over for Wyoming except spikes in some areas.

I think the idea is there would be an escalation of cases and governors would put in place measures stricter than March.

Denver and Seattle are the Level 1s for ID, WY, and MT. Therefore my guess is that the governors of these three states will be closely monitoring CO and WA hospital capacity and following their lead as far as regulating travel.

 

[WyoDoug]

I think the idea is there would be an escalation of cases and governors would put in place measures stricter than March.

True but from what I am seeing is the restrictions if increased would be in certain areas. Most of the state is not seeing significant increases and some are not seeing anything at all.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

True but from what I am seeing is the restrictions if increased would be in certain areas. Most of the state is not seeing significant increases and some are not seeing anything at all.

I agree, probably localized County level would be my guess, and it would be counties worried about cases coming in so if the situation continues in TX and AZ specific counties with no cases might try and close the doors (camping, airB&B, hotels, trail heads, etc).

We are definitely in wait and see mode.

 

[madtom]

But on serious side, I think the worst is over for Wyoming except spikes in some areas.

This is extremely (naively) optimistic and not reflective of the recent data in Wyoming. We had very few Covid cases until tourist season, and I expect our current rapid increase to continue through the fall hunting/tourist season. Time will tell how/if we’ll see any travel restrictions that affect hunting season, but the foreseeable outlook here is anything but rosy.

 

[madtom]

An interesting resource I heard about on npr this week

Risk Levels - Global Epidemics

RISK LEVELS First published in July 2020, our COVID-19 risk levels dashboard served as a tool for the public to track the pandemic in real time. As the pandemic has evolved and testing and reporting data have changed significantly, we have retired the dashboard as of December 2022. To explore...

globalepidemics.org

 

[Carnage2011]

The shutdown was in place to “flatten the curve” so that hospitals could be more prepared and better equipped. We have 14 hospitalizations in MT. That is hardly cause for concern. If we go back to Phase 1 we gain absolutely nothing. People struggle more financially and everything looks great on the Covid front..until things open up again. Then we have another spike and the news tells us we are all going to die.

 

[SandyCreek]

well..its not going anywhere shutting everything down just delays more cases..ive got my tags so im going regardless

 

[Huntkook]

<See Post #9 before posting>

I'd be curious what will occur in the coming months... MT, as an example is seeing records set each day.

We're nearing archery/rifle season w/ non-resident interests to hunt... I have a suspicion we may be looking at a pullback to our earlier phase or... Maybe a let it ride and the, "chips" fall where they may...

I think we see where the chips fall. We as a nation can't afford to shut down every time the virus rears it's ugly head. This virus isn't going anywhere soon. We only have so many years to live. Let's do it doing what we love.

Montana reports 67 new COVID-19 cases, a new single day record (Thursday, July 2)

Montana state health officials reported 67 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, a new single day record for new cases.

www.ktvq.com

edited title as some may not read the OP before jumping in to type a post.

I think we see where the chips fall. We as a nation can't afford to shut down every time the virus rears it's ugly head. This virus isn't going anywhere soon. We only have so many years to live. Let's go out doing what we love. Let's go huntin.

 

[thatsjet]

I guess it's good I'm only hunting local at this point. I may end up doing an OTC hunt in ID if things stay open, but we shall see.

I for one believe I've already been exposed to it and I'm asymptomatic, but I can't get a test unless I have symptoms or know I've been exposed to someone who is confirmed positive. I feel like this is another one of those "no test, no positive numbers" scenarios. I think if they tested more of us they might find out there's a lot more asymptomatic cases out there than we realize.

 

[Shangobango]

I think, speaking for Montana, we are lackadasical in our reaction to the prior shutdown. Basically, it's back to playtime approach is taking its toll.

I feel like we are in the same boat here in Louisiana.

I may have to cancel my reconn trip up in September.

I am naturally worried about our early November trip to Montana. We will make the trip as long as it is legal. We will just be camping on the ride up as opposed to hotels. Eating out of the cooler and such. If we need supplies while we are in the hunting area we will just have to use masks, sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes like we already are here.

My biggest concern as far as our trip goes is that I am going to have to drive my son into Billings so he can get on a plane and fly home. He can only miss a week per semester at his college. I am worried about him having to be in such close proximity to so many people on the flight back.

 

[LopeHunter]

View attachment 145550

Test as few people as you want or as many as you want. I count two things. Bed capacity in hospitals and deaths. A lot of extra deaths took place in April-May here in America in 2020 than 2019 and subtracting out every Covid-attributed death still leave an increase in 2020 which is hard to explain away except that Covid deaths are actually higher than reported. What other explanation is there? Hmmm. Looks like someone is being paid to NOT report Covid cases.

Arizona had no clear mandate on masks and they are almost out of ICU beds and ventilators. Increased testing did not fill ICU beds as if you have minimal symptoms you do not get a bed much less a ventilator. You do not get a bed by merely having a common cold that created a false Covid positive. Beds. Deaths. All the other metrics are less useful to predicting how sick our population really is. All the self-proclaimed experts who are sure about the $7000 payments, false positive tests but ignore the false negative tests, can measure oxygen levels, trust essential oils, heard from a friend of a friend about the real truth, etc., likely mean well. Beds. Deaths. That is what I trust more right now.

 

[seeth07]

From a personal health standpoint, I have zero concerns regarding my four out of state hunting trips this fall. From a legal standpoint there is just some minor concern only due to the nature of one of my tags. For a typical big game tag, I wouldn't be too concerned about enforcement about limitations on non resident hunters and depending on the scenario, idk if I'd forfit my tag willingly due to that type of government action. However, this year my Idaho moose tag requires the potential harvest to be checked and sealed at a fish and game office...if ID does do something restricting non residents, I'm just SOL and my once in a lifetime tag gone.

 

[LopeHunter]

I guess it's good I'm only hunting local at this point. I may end up doing an OTC hunt in ID if things stay open, but we shall see.

I for one believe I've already been exposed to it and I'm asymptomatic, but I can't get a test unless I have symptoms or know I've been exposed to someone who is confirmed positive. I feel like this is another one of those "no test, no positive numbers" scenarios. I think if they tested more of us they might find out there's a lot more asymptomatic cases out there than we realize.

Areas that had lots of Covid deaths per 1 million residents may be at around 20% of the residents with Covid antibodies. Most testing centers where the person reports symptoms that could align with Covid are finding around 25%. The new tests for Covid are stated to now be at 99% accurate. Tests administered by nasal swabs can be cross-checked with a blood sample to have a better idea of accuracy. If you live away from an urban core then you are much less likely than 20% to have had Covid at this time. Likely under 5%. I miss drawing a lot of tags that have 1 in 20 odds.

 

[TheNorthStar]

Take it for what it is worth, anecdotal evidence, but in Minnesota here, I know personally 10 positive cases as Covid19 ran through my place of employment. 9 of those run from the ages of 20 to 62 and all survived without hospitalization. Some faired worse than others respiratorily and with regards to fever, especially one who is obese and suffers from MS, some whose only symptoms were the loss of their senses of taste and smell.

One did not survive, and I hesitate to say unfortunately. She was a 96 year old nursing home resident, the mother of my wife's uncle, who had been hoping to pass on for Christmas this last December.

Again, take from this what you will, but I am unafraid of this beta corona strain based on my experiences, my age and my health, but I am cautious around those whose results may be more severe. I hope Idaho stays open this Fall.

 

[LopeHunter]

This is extremely (naively) optimistic and not reflective of the recent data in Wyoming. We had very few Covid cases until tourist season, and I expect our current rapid increase to continue through the fall hunting/tourist season. Time will tell how/if we’ll see any travel restrictions that affect hunting season, but the foreseeable outlook here is anything but rosy.

Agreed that we are no where near the half way point to reaching the old way of hugs, bars and taking cruises. I understand washing hands for longer than accustomed, wearing masks and/or face shields, not going to gatherings of family and strangers, etc is a grind. I lived in Los Angeles when HIV was a death sentence of less than two years for most people infected. I had acquaintances that tired of taking precautions figuring they were doomed or bullet-proof so partied the nights away. Did not end well. Stay the course on taking precautions. Is going to be a long haul and we can do this. High school seems a blink of the eye and was 4 years.

 

[406dn]

It is pretty difficult to know where we will be in 3 or 4 months with this virus. What is easy to know is it is hard to find many countries that have handled the pandemic more poorly. What that means a few months from now,,, I do not know.

As all of my hunting is instate,, I think there will be hunting for something available.

I think a US citizen who has a sheep hunt booked in Canada for this fall,,, they are SOL.

 

[Big Fin]

I am keeping a close eye as things unfold in these other states. Our situation is likely the exception to how this would impact most hunters.

We have 15 tags we planned to film this fall. I am trying like hell to get film permits for all of them, but with agencies working from home, it is a very slow process. We have shelled out thousands and thousands of dollars in applications and will shell out 2-3x that amount in non-refundable film permit fees. That is our Plan A.

Plan B, the fall back plan for us, is that we film strictly in Montana. I have submitted film permits for almost every corner of Montana, just in case these other western states close their borders to non-residents. That costs a big chunk of non-refundable money, but I'd be a fool to ignore the likelihood. If that is the case, we hope the audience likes grouse hunting, waterfowl, trapping, snaring, whitetail does, and any other activity we can nose our way into.

Add all of those logistics, schedules for eight employees, their hunts, sponsor requests, and not wanting to expose any of them to unnecessary risks, and I think the odds of me being forced to Plan B are getting closer to 50%. Suffice to say, knowing this was a possibility, I've been as observant as possible to every protocol that might mitigate risks to this spiking again.

I know this sounds like a First World problem, and to some degree it is for me. But, for eight employees it is a real problem if it keeps us from doing our work.

 

[Valley1320]

As far as it affecting my hunting this year it won't at all. Also I'm just hunting my home state this year anyways..

 

[JLS]

It’s hard to be optimistic right now. We have a governors order to wear a mask in public. Less than half the people at Home Depot were wearing them. The flippant and cavalier attitude is amazing to me.

On one hand, we want to continue with our lives, yet we’ve made a culture war out of a simple practice we can all do to reduce the spread and lessen the burden on our businesses and our health care system. I fear it is going to be a very real possibility state travel restrictions will resume.

Science is out the window. Playing Russian Roulette with a Glock would probably give similarly predictable results.

 

[Nick87]

No out of state big game hunts for me. Maybe a late winter duck hunt. Not because I'm worried about covid but rather it has put a damper on workload. I work construction and we had a ton of work lined up just like the last two years. However most investors who were lined up for new projects have backed out last minute. We are scratching for any kind of work so I decided it wasnt a good time to take off work and spend any extra. We dont have paid time off and I've got another little one on the way. Oh well more waterfowl hunting and building points this year. I guess it's more of an indirect effect for us. I'm afraid this isnt the only bump in the road from this mess. No worse feeling to me than work not rolling in.