Montana contemplates shooting more cows, less bulls

[Straight Arrow]

Maybe iam mistaken but state and federal agencies in charge of public land and wildlife should or would be there job so to speak manage wildlife and public lands for the public. Sorry for spelling or grammar.

Killergaurd, 'don't know where you live or your background relative to wildlife and hunting issues, but an over simplistic "should or would" perspective comes across as naive.

Couple of suggestions: 1. Read, study, listen, learn, know issues thoroughly (this forum continually provides good information and valid opinions) ... then express your own considered opinions. 2. Employ spellcheck and proofreading as helpful tools.

I like to follow those suggestions myself and often have to hold my typing in check to prevent displaying my own ignorance and poor writing skills. 'Just sayn.

 

[Killergaurd]

Sorry man. I barely graduated highschool. Too much hunting and shed hunting. Then dropped college. Too much hunting and shed hunting. Know I work 2 jobs and go do too much hunting and shed hunting according to my wife.

 

[MTGomer]

Sorry for my ignorance as I have not been to MT since 89',but how do those few folks hunting the ranches get tags normally? Draw? Permission slips?
Does no ranch being eaten out of house & home allow hunting during draw seasons to public? Or is it just those who lease it for themselves to hunt? And how do they get tags? Do they spent thousands & hope they draw?
Does MT have a landowner tag system or is this their idea of one. mass shootings during winter?
Just wondering. A NM landowner who works with NMG&F....

There are landowner tags for people that own enough land. I believe the threshold for elk is a contiguous section or equivalent, and it’s a 1/4 section for deer. (They can’t be sold and in units that are special permit, I believe there is a landowner pool).
Then, depending on the unit there are all the other tags that can be as simple as a general license which is OTC for residents, damn near OTC for NR, or as is the case with the snowies, a bull tag has to be drawn. This tag is very easy to get in archery, not so easy in rifle. Cow tags vary from OTC to draw depending on the type.
As with everything in MT there is no short answer. You really just have to find the specific unit you’re interested in the regs and read it.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Know I work 2 jobs and go do too much hunting and shed hunting ...

'Good on you. I admire your diligence. ... and not to minimize yourself, as some of the most highly successful and respected people I have known did not complete high school, but did learn to use the "tools" which made them successful.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Dieseldog. I love beef over game meat. BUT for the cost of an elk licences I can get 1 great rib eye or a few pounds of burger if on sale. Sorry man iam pro elk. Burger is burger but ya can't beat a good beef steak.

WOLVES KILL THEM ALL

A complete tangent, but since you raised it . . . . For me, my wife, oldest daughter and son: #1 Elk, #2 Antelope, #3 Beef, #4 Turkey, #5 Grouse, #6 Beef-alo, #7 Buffalo, #8 Pork, #9 Walleye, #10 Pheasant, #11 Deer. Except for beef hamburger, our youngest daughter is a "quasi-vegetarian" (hamburger is a pretty big loophole, but she doesn't care ).

 

[hank4elk]

There are landowner tags for people that own enough land. I believe the threshold for elk is a contiguous section or equivalent, and it’s a 1/4 section for deer. (They can’t be sold and in units that are special permit, I believe there is a landowner pool).
Then, depending on the unit there are all the other tags that can be as simple as a general license which is OTC for residents, damn near OTC for NR, or as is the case with the snowies, a bull tag has to be drawn. This tag is very easy to get in archery, not so easy in rifle. Cow tags vary from OTC to draw depending on the type.
As with everything in MT there is no short answer. You really just have to find the specific unit you’re interested in the regs and read it.

Thanks Gomer.
I used to just go get a deer or elk tag OTC & pray. I remember the state having as many confusing tags as CO & you just have to check,online now I would imagine.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I'm not going to weigh in on the fun times related to season structure, etc, but all of you bitching about this better show the hell up during this session.

We're seeing a lot of draft bills that could easily turn in to ranching for wildlife, more private/transferable tags, and another big assault on the public trust.

FWP has it's issues, and I'll always agree that they can do a better job, but the legislature is going to take this issue up and rather than have a balanced approach that respects all sides, you can expect the worst elements to bring forward bills that will have a high likelihood of passage due to committee make up.

So, rather than bitching on the internet, get your boots ready to fight back this winter.

 

[JLS]

In montana landowners are reimbursed loss of hay whatever.

You sure about that?

 

[Killergaurd]

I guess some ranches get reinbursed.

 

[JLS]

I guess some ranches get reinbursed.

You sure about that too? Unless laws have changed in the last ten years, MT does not reimburse for crop damages or loss. They do provide hay fencing materials if public hunting is allowed.

 

[Killergaurd]

JLS you are correct. FWP does not reimburse the crop. Like u stated they do provide the fencing material along with other things.

 

[JM77]

I'm not going to weigh in on the fun times related to season structure, etc, but all of you bitching about this better show the hell up during this session.

We're seeing a lot of draft bills that could easily turn in to ranching for wildlife, more private/transferable tags, and another big assault on the public trust.

FWP has it's issues, and I'll always agree that they can do a better job, but the legislature is going to take this issue up and rather than have a balanced approach that respects all sides, you can expect the worst elements to bring forward bills that will have a high likelihood of passage due to committee make up.

So, rather than bitching on the internet, get your boots ready to fight back this winter.

Ben, I wish you better luck with getting them to show up there than we have here!

 

[onpoint]

Ben, I wish you better luck with getting them to show up there than we have here!

The majority of Montana (WYO, ID, etc) voters - including a lotta' sportsmen- elect the very legislators who introduce the legislation Ben outlined above. Pretty difficult to get those folks who voted 'em in to show up and speak up about things.
As for the rest...............

 

[TheTone]

The majority of Montana (WYO, ID, etc) voters - including a lotta' sportsmen- elect the very legislators who introduce the legislation Ben outlined above. Pretty difficult to get those folks who voted 'em in to show up and speak up about things.
As for the rest...............

Yep, a bunch of Idaho hunters and fishers were seemingly pissed off at legislators this year regarding new trespass laws in the state and then voted for the same legislators a month ago...

 

[onpoint]

showed them:hump:

 

[midwesterncrosshair]

Young and Dumb here,

Just leaned about podcasts for the first time this year... so buzzing through Randy's podcast its clear that our public lands are always on the chopping block from our government/special interest groups. On top of that... learning about how cool a story it was that the RMEF was formed by some avg Joe's, I was inspired by the idea.

I even emailed BigFin with the idea knowing its hunting season and wont hear back from him. It will be better heard here and will either get people thinking about it or shot down in a hurry. Just thought it my be an idea to the problem I'm reading here. So here it goes.

Why not form an organization to buy more public lands? As in buy lands from landowners/ranchers and make it public lands? Not sure how but if you could get land taxes dismissed because the land is being used as public land for the people...

Funding?

There were more than 551,000 deer permits sold for all seasons in IL for 2017 (shotgun, bow, muzzleloader, ect).... Most people buy 2 tags buck/doe tag. 550,000/2=275,000
Only some people hunt multiple seasons so we will assume the number of hunters in IL are 200,000.... Now this is just me speaking but I would be more than happy to donate 10$ a year to this so called organization. SO.... 200,000*10=$2,000,000.00

You can buy a ranch with that cant you? Even if you cant that's just one state I'm running with those numbers...

I understand there is a lot more to be added or talked about with the subject but is this an idea or is it dumb?

Ye or Ne?

 

[LopeHunter]

Sorry man. I barely graduated highschool. Too much hunting and shed hunting. Then dropped college. Too much hunting and shed hunting. Know I work 2 jobs and go do too much hunting and shed hunting according to my wife.

I understood every point you were making. I care more about the message than style points and will gladly wade though a few miscues to get to the message. Keep doing what you do and look forward to reading more of your posts.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Why not form an organization to buy more public lands?

Because RMEF already does that in spades, public lands for huntable elk habitat as well as for other wildlife. Question back at ya: Why would you want to form a new organization competing to dilute the moneys already going to such a cause?

 

[JEL]

I'm not going to weigh in on the fun times related to season structure, etc, but all of you bitching about this better show the hell up during this session.

We're seeing a lot of draft bills that could easily turn in to ranching for wildlife, more private/transferable tags, and another big assault on the public trust.

FWP has it's issues, and I'll always agree that they can do a better job, but the legislature is going to take this issue up and rather than have a balanced approach that respects all sides, you can expect the worst elements to bring forward bills that will have a high likelihood of passage due to committee make up.

So, rather than bitching on the internet, get your boots ready to fight back this winter.

Yep, it is going to be a sh!t show. From what I have heard there is a record number of bill drafts. See the link for some of the general titles regarding wildlife.
http://laws.leg.mt.gov/legprd/LAW0203W$BSRV.ActionQuery?P_SESS=20191&P_BLTP_BILL_TYP_CD=&P_BILL_NO=&P_BILL_DFT_NO=&P_CHPT_NO=&P_ENTY_ID_SEQ2=&P_SBJT_SBJ_CD=FISH&P_ENTY_ID_SEQ=&Z_ACTION2=Find

 

[bigsky2]

I read up on the bill involving landowner elk licenses. Basically it says the landowner will receive an either sex permit for every four hunters that the landowner gives access to. The hunters will be chosen in a random drawing by FWP. The landowner can give the permit to a direct family member or hired hand but can not sell the permit. I am curious how this would be figured in to the limited permit quotas. Would quotas be increased to accommodate the landowner permits or would it just cut into the number of permits that are given to the general public?