In Montana NR Hunters secured over 85,000 hunting licences.

[hank4elk]

You gave your wildlife dept. over to legislature for funding and help managing.
No harvest reports? LOL,LLLOOOLLLLL!!!!!

Glad I got to hunt and fish there a few times,way back in the day.

 

[Bowmannate2000]

A real meaningful change (IMO) would be mandatory reporting. Details could be worked out simply enough, but the department (or others) fight this every session. Wondering why??????????

That is pretty crazy. In MN we even have mandatory registration for turkeys. It shouldn't be that difficult if they wanted more accurate data.

 

[ismith]

IMO Until resident hunters let loose some of that greenback it's not gonna ever change. Your FWP is accustomed to spending those funds each year on new toys and think they need it. (Insert NR greenback) The article is misleading with the title to get folks feathers ruffled.

I love how the NRs keep saying Rs need to pay more for hunting licenses.

 

[Rie Bread]

Am I reading those numbers right? 11-12k combo tags, 4-5k elk tags, 11k ish mule deer tags? Seems well over the 17k tags for non- resident. Thank you Gerald M for the data I’m just not sure I’m reading that right.

 

[Beignet]

If only there existed some kind of super futuristic technology that could show how many of each specific license was sold (eg Deer 004-00) and how many of those were successfully filled…

They’re clearly selling a ton of tags to NR, but the data they provide is laughably inconclusive. Garbage in, garbage out.

 

[Carnage2011]

Do any of you R Montanans ever travel outside of Montana as a NR?

Every year, multiple states. What’s your real question?

 

[MTGunner]

Do any of you R Montanans ever travel outside of Montana as a NR?

Annually. To many states to hunt deer, hogs, quail, pheasant, etc, etc. Have hunted 14 different states, many provinces in Canada, New Zealand, Spain, RSA. When doing so it’s supporting game management. To be clear, yes MT residents do support other states game and the game LEO. MTG

 

[MTGunner]

I find it ironic that every state loathes NR hunters and most of the people who are griping are/have been/or will be a NR hunter sometime in their life. I am no different.

Have not experienced loathing in the states, countries, provinces as long as I play by the rules. Respect the laws and do the right thing. MTG

 

[Pagosa]

I would gladly pay a little more for decreased pressure whether is fishing or hunting. I bought a fishing license that cost $130 that will probably only be used 1-3 times.

Just drive into Glascow MT around November 12th and you will get a quick idea of the nonresident pressure.

 

[Beignet]

I find it ironic that every state loathes NR hunters and most of the people who are griping are/have been/or will be a NR hunter sometime in their life. I am no different.

My loathing is more directed toward our legislature and game management agency for not collecting data or being transparent about the amount of tags they’re selling.

 

[manitou1]

$$$...

Residents don't like it start coughing up a reasonable resident fee. Until then, keep sucking the non-resident teat.

I want more revenue. I want quality wardens and biologists. I want them to know they're paid adequately for their responsibilities as state employees.

I want adequate aerial coverage for counts, I want better surveys for population identification, as a few examples.

$$$.

We do. We pay extraordinary real estate taxes, sales tax, buy our groceries and expensive gas here, buy our hunting gear, our houses, and our vehicles here.

We frequent the retaurants and shops. Pay vehicles taxes here.

I pay $67.00 for an elk tag, $57 for deer and antelope tags, pay app fees and conservation stamps. (Which is the most expensive resident fees I have ever paid as I have lived all over due to spending my life in the military). But I would gladly pay double if they would reduce the zoo every fall.

Less hunters would reduce the cost of wardens and to manage also.

I don't think many loathe NR, but loathe the state gov for over selling tags and chasing $$$.

What we do loathe is the NR that feel they we owe them something, that they hold up the state's economy, or that they loathe residents because they don't live here.

 

[manitou1]

If only there existed some kind of super futuristic technology that could show how many of each specific license was sold (eg Deer 004-00) and how many of those were successfully filled…

They’re clearly selling a ton of tags to NR, but the data they provide is laughably inconclusive. Garbage in, garbage out.

Filling tags is only a small part of the equation. Competing with tens of thousands of other hunters reduces the serenity and enjoyment of hunting any more and pressures the animals, which forces them to private. Drawing a tag has become more and more competitive.

Would you appreciate not being able to draw a tag in your state while watching thousands of people from other states hunt those tags?

Rifle hunting, and to some extent, even bow hunting is no longer hunting but a race with fifteen other guys to get to the fleeing animal first.

 

[brockel]

I would gladly pay a little more for decreased pressure whether is fishing or hunting. I bought a fishing license that cost $130 that will probably only be used 1-3 times.

Just drive into Glascow MT around November 12th and you will get a quick idea of the nonresident pressure.

Can play the license plate game in baker,mt at Cenex from middle of November to thanksgiving

 

[Pagosa]

Can play the license plate game in baker,mt at Cenex from middle of November to thanksgiving

I worked on the pipeline over there a few years back and I think Glasgow has you guys beat. Broadus opening weekend of pronghorn season would be 1st runner up. But I haven't been there recently in big game season only in September. I love the guys in Kulu and bino harness in the gas station about 30 minutes after sunrise

 

[Beignet]

Filling tags is only a small part of the equation. Competing with tens of thousands of other hunters reduces the serenity and enjoyment of hunting any more and pressures the animals, which forces them to private. Drawing a tag has become more and more competitive.

Would you appreciate not being able to draw a tag in your state while watching thousands of people from other states hunt those tags?

Rifle hunting, and to some extent, even bow hunting is no longer hunting but a race with fifteen other guys to get to the fleeing animal first.

Well, I live and hunt exclusively in Montana, so I think I’m in the demographic of which you speak.

Montana doesn’t even collect an accurate count of how many animals are getting killed here, let alone on what permit. Perhaps NR’s would buy less of the OTC tags if the odds of filling them were low? It’d be nice to even know how many of each permit they’re actually selling.

To your point though, I get to hunt antelope here in MT every 5 or so years now, choosing to apply to low odds / low issue units. I got tired of being shot toward or having animals shot out from underneath me. What’s supposed to be a fun, easygoing hunt is actually a pretty stressful situation in a lot of units.

 

[huntin24/7]

I really started noticing things get bad in ne mt about 3 years ago. We have very little public or accessible deer land to begin with, and there were days a 1,000sh acre bma would have different license plates at almost every approach. Lol. I actually witnessed this. Single sections of state land getting hunted by 4-5 groups a day.

 

[Muleyassassin406]

I really started noticing things get bad in ne mt about 3 years ago. We have very little public or accessible deer land to begin with, and there were days a 1,000sh acre bma would have different license plates at almost every approach. Lol. I actually witnessed this. Single sections of state land getting hunted by 4-5 groups a day.

It’s bad like that all across the hi line… it’s actually pretty disgusting and sad to see!

 

[Shed God]

So we are questioning if mt fwp lies to us. They controlled by the politicians. So yes they lie. $$$$$$

 

[Shed God]

I noticed it was bad in mt 20 yrs ago. Otc

 

[brownbear932008]

I love how the NRs keep saying Rs need to pay more for hunting licenses.

If you want less NRs that fact. For the record I haven't chased deer or elk in MT since around 2015 and don't plan on doing so anytime soon. Terrible bang for the buck especially for a deer tag.