FWP’S BIENNIAL HUNTING SEASON-SETTING PROCESS BEGINS IN JUNE

[Nameless Range]

The proposed season setting meetings are happening, starting tonight in Glasgow. They'll be held throughout the 7 regions over the next two weeks.

Proposed 2024/2025 Hunting Regulations | Montana FWP

FWP will host a series of virtual and in-person public meetings around the state to present proposed hunting regulations for 2024/2025 hunting seasons.

fwp.mt.gov

They are only having one per region. Me being in Region 3, it would mean 2 hours there and 2 hours back on a Thursday night. On one hand it's kind of BS, but on the other, when they have held locally venued meetings, there's usually more staff than public there anyway.


Comments are due by November 21st!

 

[stoep]

Went to the Region 3 one. Interesting that there is a lot of pressure to change regs in the west 313 / south 314 area over the last few season settings. Fwp actually brought up the fact that they refused to change on a petition to make all of 313 west of the Yellowstone part of 314 and to leave a comment in agreement. Last season setting it was about removing the subunit of 314 south of big creek and allowing cow harvest in all of 314.. Must be some squeaky wheels down there.

 

[rmyoung1]

If Montana must have a 5-week firearm season in Oct/Nov and a muzzleloader season, I wish they’d merge the two ideas and have 3 weeks of modern rifle and then the last 2 weeks for primitive muzzleloaders. Doesn’t seem like a big ask, but it would have to help the mule deer some. Would be a small step in the right direction anyway.

 

[bigsky2]

I'm completely clueless when it comes to muzzleloaders, but I did notice this was crossed out in the proposed regs.

"Sabots or other similar power and range-enhancing manufactured loads that enclose the projectile from the rifling or bore of the firearm are prohibited. “Skirts” or gas checks on the base of a projectile are acceptable."

So it looks like sabots will be allowed now. Will that make much of a difference on the effectiveness of muzzleloaders?

 

[Nameless Range]

I think it is worth noting, that as right now and as I was told this morning by an FWP employee, FWP's recommendations on this season setting are final.

You can submit comments to the website, but the only way something is changing is if a commissioner proposes an amendment.So, if something is really bothering you, as it is me, I would submit your comments to FWP, but also reach out to your regional commissioner.

 

[YukonGold]

I'm completely clueless when it comes to muzzleloaders, but I did notice this was crossed out in the proposed regs.

"Sabots or other similar power and range-enhancing manufactured loads that enclose the projectile from the rifling or bore of the firearm are prohibited. “Skirts” or gas checks on the base of a projectile are acceptable."

So it looks like sabots will be allowed now. Will that make much of a difference on the effectiveness of muzzleloaders?

I was told this change applied only to weapons restrictions areas/seasons. Sabots would NOT be allowed during the heritage muzzleloader season.

But yes, sabots improve accuracy.

 

[bigsky2]

I was told this change applied only to weapons restrictions areas/seasons. Sabots would NOT be allowed during the heritage muzzleloader season.

But yes, sabots improve accuracy.

You are correct, I learned it was just for weapons restricted areas at our meeting last night.

 

[cgasner1]

You are correct, I learned it was just for weapons restricted areas at our meeting last night.

I wish they hadn’t put that in there it just made the regs more confusing and plenty of options for a legal bullet if a guy did his homework.

 

[Irrelevant]

I submitted some very general comments basically supporting the Region 4 proposals and saying Region 7 needs to look at what Region 4 is doing and cut all MD B tags. I got the following response.

I countered that drought can almost certainly be ruled out from a Region wide aspect, the weather data just doesn't support it. I looked at Miles City, Billings, and Broadus. All have have had much worse droughts, heck the last decade has been above avg in Broadus.

 

[Schaaf]

I submitted some very general comments basically supporting the Region 4 proposals and saying Region 7 needs to look at what Region 4 is doing and cut all MD B tags. I got the following response.
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I countered that drought can almost certainly be ruled out from a Region wide aspect, the weather data just doesn't support it. I looked at Miles City, Billings, and Broadus. All have have had much worse droughts, heck the last decade has been above avg in Broadus.


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Who responded to you?

 

[brockel]

I submitted some very general comments basically supporting the Region 4 proposals and saying Region 7 needs to look at what Region 4 is doing and cut all MD B tags. I got the following response.
View attachment 302849
I countered that drought can almost certainly be ruled out from a Region wide aspect, the weather data just doesn't support it. I looked at Miles City, Billings, and Broadus. All have have had much worse droughts, heck the last decade has been above avg in Broadus.


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It blows my mind everytime I see 48% below average counts and we still basically continued on business as usual. At what point would fwp do anything? 75% 80%

 

[MTTW]

It blows my mind everytime I see 48% below average counts and we still basically continued on business as usual. At what point would fwp do anything? 75% 80%

They will just quit counting.

 

[DFS]

It blows my mind everytime I see 48% below average counts and we still basically continued on business as usual. At what point would fwp do anything? 75% 80%

The population chart is quite disturbing yet we are letting nonresidents shoot 57% of the bucks. The red flags should be flying at region 7 headquarters but we are claiming business as usual we have been here before. I can assure you we haven’t been here in my lifetime at least.

 

[DFS]

That is criminal to the residents of this state.

 

[antlerradar]

It blows my mind everytime I see 48% below average counts and we still basically continued on business as usual. At what point would fwp do anything? 75% 80%

The bad thing is we are likely much worse than 48% on public land.

 

[brockel]

The bad thing is we are likely much worse than 48% on public land.

From what I’ve heard of the Custer by ekalaka it’s REAL bad this year. And it’s not just the mule deer that aren’t there anymore. Very few whitetail as well