Montana General Season Structure Proposal

[The Hedgehog]

Has anyone compared Wyoming’s Hunter numbers to Montana’s? I know it’s a popular opinion that Wyoming has better deer hunting because of their seasons, but is that the only variable?

I have not seen that. I have noticed Wyoming does have some general Nov seasons, but not as lengthy as ours and are designated/managed by individual region. I can no longer wrap my head around why anybody would think a state wide late Oct through end of November general rifle season on our mule deer should be anything still taking place. It’s a catastrophe.

 

[Rie Bread]

I have not seen that. I have noticed Wyoming does have some general Nov seasons, but not as lengthy as ours and are designated/managed by individual region. I can no longer wrap my head around why anybody would think a state wide late Oct through end of November general rifle season on our mule deer could be anything still taking place. It’s a catastrophe.

Never hunted that late in the season for deer but could see why based of the doofus deer I see then

 

[The Hedgehog]

But what were they net?

The one on the right, mine, 182-1/8. Not sure at the one on left - I measured it and only remember mine was 1” better. I haven’t hunted that place in years as it didn’t last.

 

[SwaggyD]

The one on the right, mine, 182-1/8. Not sure at the one on left - I measured it and only remember mine was 1” better. I have t hunted that place in years as it didn’t last.
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Great deer.

 

[Carnage2011]

I have not seen that. I have noticed Wyoming does have some general Nov seasons, but not as lengthy as ours and are designated/managed by individual region. I can no longer wrap my head around why anybody would think a state wide late Oct through end of November general rifle season on our mule deer should be anything still taking place. It’s a catastrophe.

I don’t disagree with you. I’m just wondering if everyone puts all this faith in Wyoming’s season structure as the answer to Montana’s problems but in reality it may be an apples to oranges comparison if they have half the hunters. Taking the season out of the rut should allow some deer to grow up, but I think we are headed towards full LE soon, especially if we see no improvement.

 

[Forkyfinder]

The one on the right, mine, 182-1/8. Not sure at the one on left - I measured it and only remember mine was 1” better. I have t hunted that place in years as it didn’t last.
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Looks like a "huge deer" to me

Guessing that was a gross score?

 

[Forkyfinder]

I don’t disagree with you. I’m just wondering if everyone puts all this faith in Wyoming’s season structure as the answer to Montana’s problems but in reality it may be an apples to oranges comparison if they have half the hunters. Taking the season out of the rut should allow some deer to grow up, but I think we are headed towards full LE soon, especially if we see no improvement.

Its an apples to oranges comparison in many ways. Lots more road and "easy" access in montana - in my experience.

Theres a lot of MT mule deer areas where you cant get much further than 2 miles from a road - for example.

 

[The Hedgehog]

It’s an apples to oranges comparison in many ways. Lots more road and "easy" access in montana - in my experience.

Theres a lot of MT mule deer areas where you cant get much further than 2 miles from a road - for example.

There’s also a lot of mule deer areas in MT that take a full day of hiking to get to which are also getting the beat down over time.

Wyoming also has plenty of deer areas that have piles of roads. Some are well managed and still have excellent hunting.

 

[DFS]

Looks like a "huge deer" to me

Guessing that was a gross score?

Reading comprehension got you. Much bigger than that 213 that netted 181. Right?

 

[The Hedgehog]

Looks like a "huge deer" to me

Guessing that was a gross score?

I’m not following the winky emoji bullsht but the measurement was what was used when I entered it into B&C awards. It was a very pretty but not a “huge deer”.

 

[Rie Bread]

The one on the right, mine, 182-1/8. Not sure at the one on left - I measured it and only remember mine was 1” better. I have t hunted that place in years as it didn’t last.
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Nice horns on the last pic but my god loook and the neck and brisket!

 

[The Hedgehog]

Nice horns on the last pic but my god loook and the neck and brisket!

You Like neck roasts?

 

[Shed God]

Like I said depends who scores them.

 

[Shed God]

Just teasing u greenhorn

 

[Shed God]

Outstanding muleys

 

[Shed God]

I honestly don't know anyone that is a resident public land hunter, that wants pleads for opportunity. Everyone I know wants change in some way. The people I know that want opportunity are landowners outfitters and non residents.

 

[Eric Albus]

I honestly don't know anyone that is a resident public land hunter, that wants pleads for opportunity. Everyone I know wants change in some way. The people I know that want opportunity are landowners outfitters and non residents.

And we have a lot of outfitters pushing for change. In fact a couple of the biggest outfitters are PUSHING HARD for CHANGE. Who happen also to be LANDOWNERS. In fact all the landowners I know and deal with R’s 6&7) are all in for CHANGE.

 

[antlerradar]

I honestly don't know anyone that is a resident public land hunter, that wants pleads for opportunity. Everyone I know wants change in some way. The people I know that want opportunity are landowners outfitters and non residents.

Landowners in SE MT look across the boarder at the WY two week season with envy.

 

[Forkyfinder]

And we have a lot of outfitters pushing for change. In fact a couple of the biggest outfitters are PUSHING HARD for CHANGE. Who happen also to be LANDOWNERS. In fact all the landowners I know and deal with R’s 6&7) are all in for CHANGE.

That is suprising. Maybe they got enough landowner tags now - they dont need as many people with a gen permit to hire them.

 

[Ben Lamb]

And we have a lot of outfitters pushing for change. In fact a couple of the biggest outfitters are PUSHING HARD for CHANGE. Who happen also to be LANDOWNERS. In fact all the landowners I know and deal with R’s 6&7) are all in for CHANGE.

This is a really important point: It's a rare occurrence when landowners, outfitters and DIY hunters are all on board with changes. As someone who "fought the war" since 2007 in MT, I can attest that the war of attrition that we've engaged in isn't helping the resource. I've seen a lot of people complain that "we have to work with the outfitters" to get anything changed. That sentiment is born from the last war we waged, not the war we find ourselves in today.

Landowners, outfitters and hunters are all neighbors, cousins and oftentimes, friends. People get addicted to the dopamine high of the fight, rather than getting addicted to actually helping the resource. That conflict model can be great for generating membership and donors, but it doesn't move the needle on issues like licensing, allocation and finding lasting solutions to issues associated with hunting pressure, animal distribution and creating a better place for wildlife than what exists today.

If we take Uncle Randy's advice and seek to grow the pie, we need all forks at the table - and in this instance, that means hunters, outfitters and landowners.