Montana General Season Structure Proposal

[Shed God]

Exactly stifler. That is why is has to be LE.

LE allows for unit by unit management. So it works for the business of outfitters that caters to non residents, which allows large land owners to be in power. But the public benefits with swooping in once in a while getting a bma or border buck. With that more LE unlimited. The large landowner outfitted places will want le unlimited. Who cares.

 

[Shed God]

More public land the unit is the more it is managed for the public. LE limited.

 

[Shed God]

LE overtime and currently the best choice.

 

[Shed God]

LE limited and of course awesome compared to right now for the public. Giants roamed LE public land managed correctly.

Who cares what the private does. It only makes the public better.

What is the best hunt u ever been on. Mine is otc public land with my Dad in 1994.

 

[Stifler]

LE limited and of course awesome compared to right now for the public. Giants roamed LE public land managed correctly.

Who cares what the private does. It only makes the public better.

What is the best hunt u ever been on. Mine is otc public land with my Dad in 1994.

Probably on the ranch before my grandfather sold it. So before I could hunt. Sold it around 2003. Couldn't really tell a year, I was way to young to hunt. Born in 92 and lived on the ranch untill it sold. But those years in Lewistown were probably the best I got to experience. Not so much for myself but I seen the uncles live the days. Probably 2012 public for myself.

 

[cgasner1]

I mean I know guys that go east and shoot muleys. Say it's a meat buck. They filled there tag because. To tell there wife I got one, post it on Facebook, show off to there kids. I know alot of people that go east. Because the west sucks. The better deer I c come off of private. Those people I know definitely would go draw LE on hunting a mature muley
.
I don't know. Honestly. Who are these people. Wanting to hunt a mule deer every yr.

I think the more you look into all this it’s going to be very eye opening for you. A lot of people don’t want any change they are perfectly content killing a 2.5 year old buck every year. Good luck with your current frustrations when you realize how unpopular any of these conversations are other than with like minded people

 

[mtmiller]

As a group we welcome your feedback on these proposals. I’m anticipating significant discussion to occur about this proposal and a lot of interest from readers who may not normally interact on the forum.

 

[cgasner1]

As I said before none of us are hiding @Treeshark you got something you wanna bring up let’s hear it. All these conversations have done for this group is strengthen our belief this is the way to go. The push back and comments we getting are helping us. If we can defend this against a few people on here we will never go the distance with this. When you guys ask some of these harder questions thought you should also realize we have a group for a reason each guy in the group has a purpose I’m sure you have realized Ben is amazing with numbers. Art has a great perspective as a sportsman and land owner so it may take awhile for one of us to answer.

 

[Treeshark]

Thanks @cgasner1. I appreciate your perspective and really respect what the group has put together. To make sure it’s clear- I wasn’t criticizing the groups proposal. My response was to another posters idea.

I still think the biggest hurdle is going to be reconciling the mule deer part of your plan with the departments CWD vision. That, and it’s a big plan- sometimes things overgrow themselves due to mission-creep. That can make it difficult even if all of the ideas within are solid.

Overly simplistic, but for sake of discussion: if you guys could get an Oct 1-Oct 31 mule deer rifle season and greatly reduced/eliminate public land mule deer doe harvest (realize this is already happening to some extent), you would have achieved something that would be a significant upgrade.

 

[brockel]

They probably paying to play. They probably pay for sex too.

 

[Shed God]

What I honestly think is some want change so bad that they are willing to sacrifice elk hunting as we know it. Going against everything elk management for public lands. Mule deer foundations and alot of politics. Land owners ranchers. Are all for this proposal. I understand most on here for it. It's like a feather in the cap. U can say we did that with the landlords permission. Good job. U made things worse for the public land hunter. Just my opinion.

 

[Rie Bread]

What I honestly think is some want change so bad that they are willing to sacrifice elk hunting as we know it. Going against everything elk management for public lands. Mule deer foundations and alot of politics. Land owners ranchers. Are all for this proposal. I understand most on here for it. It's like a feather in the cap. U can say we did that with the landlords permission. Good job. U made things worse for the public land hunter. Just my opinion.

Cut the first two weeks of the proposed mule deer season and I see almost zero issue.

In your experience is the first two weeks of October critical for the archery elk hunt? You v seen zero issue but I’m not anywhere near private land

 

[DFS]

What I honestly think is some want change so bad that they are willing to sacrifice elk hunting as we know it. Going against everything elk management for public lands. Mule deer foundations and alot of politics. Land owners ranchers. Are all for this proposal. I understand most on here for it. It's like a feather in the cap. U can say we did that with the landlords permission. Good job. U made things worse for the public land hunter. Just my opinion.

I have to say your incoherent ramblings make some sense. You can’t turn the entire state loose and all the nonresidents without some limitations to where they go. In any month. Obviously not worth it to you and your elk hunting.

 

[Ought Six]

What I honestly think is some want change so bad that they are willing to sacrifice elk hunting as we know it. Going against everything elk management for public lands. Mule deer foundations and alot of politics. Land owners ranchers. Are all for this proposal. I understand most on here for it. It's like a feather in the cap. U can say we did that with the landlords permission. Good job. U made things worse for the public land hunter. Just my opinion.

This proposal isn’t going to hurt my elk hunting one bit, if anything it will make it better

 

[DFS]

This proposal isn’t going to hurt my elk hunting one bit, if anything it will make it better

There has to be at minimum some limitations to where nonresidents are going during mule deer season.

 

[popeyoung12]

And mt. Voted Tester in? No wonder this thread continues. I moved out in 82. Really sad. Hunted the breaks every year. Can't believe this is mt. And tester will win again? He voted 99% for dementia Joe policies. Grow a pair and Vote!!! Or stfu. So sad.

 

[Rie Bread]

This proposal isn’t going to hurt my elk hunting one bit, if anything it will make it better

Lay down some facts please

 

[Ought Six]

Lay down some facts please

I primarily archery hunt bull elk, never really rifle hunted them except for one special permit in my entire life, grew up a mule deer hunter. The first couple weeks of September are my favorite time to do so, have had a lot of success there, and I know guys love the October portion of the archery season for elk, but I typically focus on upland birds and antelope come then usually, while scouting for mule deer.

I think that last week of August would be a fun time to archery hunt bulls as well while they are pattern-able from summer activity and haven’t moved out of some of the more bull only habitat in search of cows, and I’m kind of bummed this year’s season doesn’t open until Sept 7. It also doesn’t hurt my elk B tag hunting at all because I don’t focus on that until after I kill a deer, and only really if I didn’t get a bull with my bow, or the opportunity presents itself while deer hunting. I would probably hunt cows harder in November if I wasn’t hunting deer, which would be a fun meat hunt with buddies.

Just my circumstances, I know it doesn’t line up with the way some others like to do things. I’ll adapt to any changes, especially if they help out mule deer numbers.

 

[bigsky2]

I primarily archery hunt bull elk, never really rifle hunted them except for one special permit in my entire life, grew up a mule deer hunter. The first couple weeks of September are my favorite time to do so, have had a lot of success there, and I know guys love the October portion of the archery season for elk, but I typically focus on upland birds and antelope come then usually, while scouting for mule deer.

I think that last week of August would be a fun time to archery hunt bulls as well while they are pattern-able from summer activity and haven’t moved out of some of the more bull only habitat in search of cows, and I’m kind of bummed this year’s season doesn’t open until Sept 7. It also doesn’t hurt my elk B tag hunting at all because I don’t focus on that until after I kill a deer, and only really if I didn’t get a bull with my bow, or the opportunity presents itself while deer hunting. I would probably hunt cows harder in November if I wasn’t hunting deer, which would be a fun meat hunt with buddies.

Just my circumstances, I know it doesn’t line up with the way some others like to do things. I’ll adapt to any changes, especially if they help out mule deer numbers.

I’m in the same boat as you. I think the majority of archery elk hunters just go to likely areas and listen for bugles. I really enjoy getting out in the summer and scouting for bulls. In years like this when the opener is later, summer scouting kind of goes out the window. I’d love to have a consistent opener that was closer to September 1st.

 

[cowboy]

85+ pages of responses and by far the VAST MAJORITY are “I want” responses that fits their personal benefits.

I’ve got way more years of experience behind me than I’ve got in front of me and ‘I want’ my 8-10 year old Grandsons to have 1/2 the opportunities that I have had.

We need to stop the nit picking about the group that dedicated their own time and money to form these proposals (which has a snow balls chance in hell of being approved as proposed).

The opposition or better idea guys need to get together and make their proposal and presentation- just like the original volunteer group did.

Have at it boys - this horse is plumb dead and rotten. Let me know where and when your meeting is going to be.