FWP Officer Ticketed

[sweetnectar]

I'm more apt to reward an honest man like this Bruce fellow not fine him. At the same time I do see some wisdom in having a fine as an incentive to try hard to make sure you don't accidentally shoot a spike. I did learn a little bit about these damage hunts...as I figured it was on the clock go mow the critters down, stack them in a big pile, and light em up, kind of a thing.
In any case I posted this up thinking it would invoke some thought or even entertainment during the off season of hunting and help pass the time.

 

[Hank375]

I agree with Gerald, the elk numbers are down and have been declining since 2006 especially the branch antler bulls, but Bruce continues to give out cow tags, and shoot cows on damage control hunts. That just doesn't make sense to me but what do I know.
(Doesn't surprise me Bruce is trying to shoot a cow, he's just practicing what he preaches)

 

[----]

That is really messed up they'd be doing damage hunts on the lower Clark Fork.

 

[Ben Lamb]

That is really messed up they'd be doing damage hunts on the lower Clark Fork.

and the Blackfoot, and the Madison, and...

Thank HB 42.

 

[----]

and the Blackfoot, and the Madison, and...

Thank HB 42.

Comparing elk herds in the Lower Clark Fork and the Madison is apples and oranges.
Not saying that they should be having depredation hunts over there, but look at the difference in elk populations.

Is there a place online where they record where they've done hunts this winter? I'm not finding anything.

 

[Ben Lamb]

My point was about the depredation hunts in units that shouldn't have them, and that HB 42 makes elk management more about landowner tolerance than biological concerns.

 

[Gerald Martin]

I agree with Gerald, the elk numbers are down and have been declining since 2006 especially the branch antler bulls, but Bruce continues to give out cow tags, and shoot cows on damage control hunts. That just doesn't make sense to me but what do I know.
(Doesn't surprise me Bruce is trying to shoot a cow, he's just practicing what he preaches)

Hank375- That's my feelings too.

Again, I'm not upset with the whole spike shooting deal, I think it was handled in an appropriate manner. And personally, I've got nothing at all against Bruce, I think he's a good guy. But professionally, I think he's a little too slow to recognize the dynamics of what has taken place here in the past three years with reguards to elk, wolves and hunters. He's still in the mentallity of if farmer Brown has elk in his field eating on his hay pile it must mean there's too many elk around and it would be okay to kill some off.
I find it particularly galling that the area this occurred in experienced a major winter kill three years ago.

 

[BuzzH]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Montanas Elk Management Plan, HB 42, and Debby Barrett...

Lets all pass the buck and blame the biologists.