Fwp December commission meeting

[8andcounting]

Did they run out of paper to print the changes proposed in R7 ?

Fish And Wildlife Commission Meeting: December 14, 2023 | Montana FWP

Fish and Wildlife Commission Meeting: December 14, 2023

fwp.mt.gov

 

[8andcounting]

I like some of the proposed changes for mule deer in R4 . Finally

 

[MTHunter1321]

I like a lot of the changes that I saw when I glanced through it yesterday. Whether or not the commission adopts them though is the question.

 

[DFS]

My hat is off to region 4 staff. Looks like they are trying to address some issues.

 

[bigsky2]

I haven't got to read through it completely yet, but so far here are my takeaways-

The good: "Licenses and/or permits issued through a drawing identified as a "first and only choice" opportunity will not be offered as a surplus license/permit opportunity if the department receives fewer applications than the number of license/permits available." Nice to see this cleared up, as there was no need to be selling surplus permits in already over crowded districts in R4 and R5.

"Change the Mule Deer General License regulation in HDs 410 and 417 from "Antlered Buck Only" (AB) to Limited-entry (LE) permits for both six-week Archery and five-week General Seasons (quota 100 in each HD)"

"Change all Mule Deer B Licenses for HDs 410, 411, 412, 417, 419, and 426 to be valid "only on private land"

"HD 535: Remove the General License mule deer antlerless opportunity and change the mule deer buck 535-50 quota from 850 to 500."

"HD 410: For the 410-02 Antlerless Elk License, remove the shoulder season that extends from the day after General Season through Feb. 15, and remove the second antlerless elk opportunity on General License to 410-02 License holders."

The bad: No proposed deer changes in Region 7.

The really bad: Statewide- Eliminate quota ranges for all deer and elk permit license-permit types. I can't wrap my head around why they would do this. It would really hamper the ability of biologists to adjust permit numbers after bad winters, etc. If this goes through, biologists would have to get commission approval to adjust quotas. We have outfitters on the commission and we all know how most outfitters in MT feel about reducing any opportunity. If you send in comments please make sure to hit on this.

 

[8andcounting]

My hat is off to region 4 staff. Looks like they are trying to address some issues.

Yeh the problem is gonna be getting the residents to be ok with this . I see tons of residents out filling tags when I go late season usually thanksgiving week . I see NR but majority is residents . Some people just won’t wanna let go of the Turkey day shoot .

 

[DFS]

I see there is a special session for the commission Dec 13 for court mandated training. Anyone know what this is about?

 

[MTLabrador]

Good for region 4, I hope this works out. The increase in deer harvest to go along with almost unlimited elk B tags has been a problem for a long time, and it’s well past time to stop allowing people to shoot does on public land.

 

[MTLabrador]

And of course we need a CWD management season through January 1 in Region 6, with additional B licenses valid for bucks. Samples are voluntary, just like when they did this joke of a season in the Ruby.

Anyone who shoots a buck during a CWD management season and doesn’t submit a sample should be beaten severely in public and lose their hunting privileges for the next 10 years. That might actually be my official submitted comment. I’m pissed off.

 

[Schaaf]

And now they're proposing to increase the 700 elk quotas. These people piss me off.

 

[Art Vandeley]

Just read through all the public comments that were previously submitted. I see 3 comments (out of approximately 150- just a guess, non-scientific counting) opposing the changes to 410/417/426 stating their outfitting business in 417 will go tits up if they change it to LE deer tags. GMAFB.

 

[DFS]

Is it unusual for a region 5 commissioner to make amendments to region 7 regulations?

 

[Hunting Wife]

And of course we need a CWD management season through January 1 in Region 6, with additional B licenses valid for bucks. Samples are voluntary, just like when they did this joke of a season in the Ruby.

Anyone who shoots a buck during a CWD management season and doesn’t submit a sample should be beaten severely in public and lose their hunting privileges for the next 10 years. That might actually be my official submitted comment. I’m pissed off.

View attachment 303579

I am pretty sure this one has been withdrawn already.

 

[MTLabrador]

I am pretty sure this one has been withdrawn already.

That is excellent news. I was too busy sharpening my pitchfork and preparing to riot to look into it further.

 

[Hunting Wife]

That is excellent news. I was too busy sharpening my pitchfork and preparing to riot to look into it further.

I’m sure it will come back around so you might not want to completely ditch the pitchfork. I know they were getting a lot of pushback from several angles. I suspect they will do more scoping before proposing it again.

Though if there’s really a 25% prevalence in R6 CWD testing I’m hearing rumors of this year, it’s a lost cause and I don’t know why they would bother.

 

[DFS]

I’m sure it will come back around so you might not want to completely ditch the pitchfork. I know they were getting a lot of pushback from several angles. I suspect they will do more scoping before proposing it again.

Though if there’s really a 25% prevalence in R6 CWD testing I’m hearing rumors of this year, it’s a lost cause and I don’t know why they would bother.

Is Canada addressing this issue? It seems there is going to have to be 100% buy in from surrounding states and provinces if we are going to shoot it out of the herd. The state of mule deer is depressing.

Edit: buy in from landowners as well.

 

[Schaaf]

I’m sure it will come back around so you might not want to completely ditch the pitchfork. I know they were getting a lot of pushback from several angles. I suspect they will do more scoping before proposing it again.

Though if there’s really a 25% prevalence in R6 CWD testing I’m hearing rumors of this year, it’s a lost cause and I don’t know why they would bother.

Yep. Mule deer are the losers on this all the way around.

I would like to see someone smarter than I take a deep dive on understanding how CWD spread across the state of MT at an exponentially faster rate than any other western state.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Is Canada addressing this issue? It seems there is going to have to be 100% buy in from surrounding states and provinces if we are going to shoot it out of the herd. The state of mule deer is depressing.

Edit: buy in from landowners as well.

No, Canada did the same nothing everyone else is doing. But that’s a moot point. Even with 100% buy in from everyone, it’s too late. There is no possible way to shoot your way out of a contaminated environment that continues to infect animals.

 

[DFS]

No, Canada did the same nothing everyone else is doing. But that’s a moot point. Even with 100% buy in from everyone, it’s too late. There is no possible way to shoot your way out of a contaminated environment that continues to infect animals.

In Montana’s defense we have had cwd management before cwd existed. Sad state of affairs for mule deer.

 

[rogerthat]

Yep. Mule deer are the losers on this all the way around.

I would like to see someone smarter than I take a deep dive on understanding how CWD spread across the state of MT at an exponentially faster rate than any other western state.

I’m dumber than you for sure but I think the answer is it was already here. How to solve a problem step 1. Do I have a problem? Yes step 2. How bad is the problem? I think we are here.