Montana General Season Structure Proposal

[Gerald Martin]

FWP manages wildlife according to the social “science” of the laws enacted by the Legislature and the lobbying of user groups.

Folks pointing fingers at FWP should probably realize that there’s four fingers pointing back at themselves as they do so. If anyone wants change they need to understand what changes policy and get involved in changing it.

I probably need this advice as much as anyone.

 

[Carnage2011]

I'm not pointing fingers. I'm simply stating that, as a tax paying MT resident, who also spends a significant amount of money for tags (Multi species apps for myself and my 3 kids) I believe the NR's opportunities should be limited before taking aim at limiting residents opportunities. If that still doesn't fix the issue, then that may be the time to consider limiting residents, but not before. NR opps takes a hit.

What opportunity are you losing with this proposal? I always hear this argument, but I'm not convinced that people know what opportunity is. I can go to Colorado and have an opportunity at a mature buck in a 7 day season, but in MT I don't have that "Opportunity" unless it's at least 5 weeks? Is that correct? Or is it the opportunity to pack a rifle around for 5 weeks that you want? Also, how do you want FWP to manage wildlife if they aren't allowed to make any changes without taking away "your opportunity?" The easy way out is always to blame NR's. I do think that we have too many of them running around right now, but there are still far more residents.

Also, as far as the significant amount of money goes. I bought almost every tag available in in MT this year and applied for 8 draw tags for a grand total of around $210....that's dirt cheap.

 

[cgasner1]

I'm not pointing fingers. I'm simply stating that, as a tax paying MT resident, who also spends a significant amount of money for tags (Multi species apps for myself and my 3 kids) I believe the NR's opportunities should be limited before taking aim at limiting residents opportunities. If that still doesn't fix the issue, then that may be the time to consider limiting residents, but not before. NR opps takes a hit.

How do your propose the nr take the hit? We need the money so if you cut tags residents need to pay for it. Good luck with that. I live here work here and pay taxes here also. If you don’t like our idea please put one together and show up with a plan to fix it. None of us are saying we are right or wrong it’s an idea we believe will help with information to back that up.

 

[Rie Bread]

I just wana virtue signal that I did my part and shot a whitetail and cow elk this year.

Anyway Eastmans did a video recently talking about the increase of bird hunter purchasing b tags. Thus more hunting pressure. Anyone support this observation?

 

[SAJ-99]

who also spends a significant amount of money for tags (Multi species apps for myself and my 3 kids)

Out of curiosity, do you have a total? It would help to get some idea of your definition of "significant".

This thread is 110 pages long and every page has a post form someone trying to explain that NR cuts are great but the loss in $$$ needs to be considered.

 

[8andcounting]

I'm not pointing fingers. I'm simply stating that, as a tax paying MT resident, who also spends a significant amount of money for tags (Multi species apps for myself and my 3 kids) I believe the NR's opportunities should be limited before taking aim at limiting residents opportunities. If that still doesn't fix the issue, then that may be the time to consider limiting residents, but not before. NR opps takes a hit.

Significant amount of $ ?

NR opportunities should be cut no doubt but if we are gonna get drastic then your “significant” amount of $ is about to go from “significant “ to huge

 

[mtmuley]

Out of curiosity, do you have a total? It would help to get some idea of your definition of "significant".

This thread is 110 pages long and every page has a post form someone trying to explain that NR cuts are great but the loss in $$$ needs to be considered.

I haven't paid what I consider "significant" money for tags and permits since the up front money for the big 3 went away. (Somethjng that should be brought back). And even then was manageable. I paid 97 bucks for a Sportsman's with bear for this year. I can't understand the complaining from Montana residents about costs. mtmuley

 

[8andcounting]

I haven't paid what I consider "significant" money for tags and permits since the up front money for the big 3 went away. (Somethjng that should be brought back). And even then was manageable. I paid 97 bucks for a Sportsman's with bear for this year. I can't understand the complaining from Montana residents about costs. mtmuley

I applied for a big 3 tag this year that I wouldn’t have if I had to front the cash cuz of all the other apps I have in for different states. I totally agree with you it should be up front

 

[sclancy27]

Out of curiosity, do you have a total? It would help to get some idea of your definition of "significant".

This thread is 110 pages long and every page has a post form someone trying to explain that NR cuts are great but the loss in $$$ needs to be considered.

Let's use myself as an example. I spent 230$ for all my tags and apps in MT. It takes almost 6 of me to make 1 NR big game combo holder. And most MT residents are spending 1/2 what I do, so that means 12 of them to equal 1 NR big game combo holder.

We would need to 2-3x current Resident license costs to justify meaningful reductions to NR (not to mention change the statute that already defines the NR combos). Nothing is impossible, but I bet we get to Mars before that happens.

 

[brockel]

Anyway Eastmans did a video recently talking about the increase of bird hunter purchasing b tags. Thus more hunting pressure. Anyone support this observation?

Bird hunting in my slice of Montana is busier now than when we actually had a good pheasant population. So I’d say YES

 

[DFS]

Funding before the resource (wildlife) is as good as argument as “we can’t change we’ve done this forever”. Region 7 NEEDS nonresident caps for mule deer, whatever the season structure is going forward.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I'm not pointing fingers. I'm simply stating that, as a tax paying MT resident, who also spends a significant amount of money for tags (Multi species apps for myself and my 3 kids) I believe the NR's opportunities should be limited before taking aim at limiting residents opportunities. If that still doesn't fix the issue, then that may be the time to consider limiting residents, but not before. NR opps takes a hit.

LOL. Ironic coming from someone that tries to pimp their YouTube hunts across the forums. If you said your tag fees for 4 hunters are significantly subsidized by NR for all those applications I’d agree.

 

[Rie Bread]

 

[INMT]

LOL. Ironic coming from someone that tries to pimp their YouTube hunts across the forums. If you said your tag fees for 4 hunters are significantly subsidized by NR for all those applications I’d agree.

HA! Pimp that wildlife. I had No idea thanks for the heads up @Wind Gypsy.
I think I found their early YouTube videos:

 

[brockel]

Funding before the resource (wildlife) is as good as argument as “we can’t change we’ve done this forever”. Region 7 NEEDS nonresident caps for mule deer, whatever the season structure is going forward.

We could also start keeping $150 from each non resident application like Arizona does. That would add up quick

 

[mtmuley]

LOL. Ironic coming from someone that tries to pimp their YouTube hunts across the forums. If you said your tag fees for 4 hunters are significantly subsidized by NR for all those applications I’d agree.

Hey, he endures crappy winters. mtmuley

 

[cgasner1]

LOL. Ironic coming from someone that tries to pimp their YouTube hunts across the forums. If you said your tag fees for 4 hunters are significantly subsidized by NR for all those applications I’d agree.

Ya I wasn’t gonna bring that up. I figured it was good conversation to have without that.

 

[Life by the Horns]

I spent over $800 each year between me and my kids tags and applications. That’s not a small amount of money for someone to spend on resident tags. However, to your guys point, yes, I would be fine if they increased the price for me as a Resident.

As to the snarky crappy winter comments….. You literally have no idea where I live or what I have to put up with to live where I live. I’m assuming you probably live in some city where you get natural gas and don’t have to spend $1200 a month for propane, have to plow four foot drifts in your driveway, only to have the wind blow it back in and start all over, or wreck a pick up on the way to work because you hit a drift that was hard packed and blew out your transmission and coolant lines. And that’s not to mention the four weeks of continuous -20 to -30 below that is freezes lines in my house or shop, or trying to keep livestock fed and their water unfrozen, and vehicles not being able to start, etc…. Not to mention the fact that my closest grocery store is 45 miles from where I live. And none of that includes my kids having to drive 45 miles one way to school every day down gravel roads, and having their bus get rolled over almost killing them because some douche bag hunter was parked in the middle of the road glassing deer in a dense fog. You literally have no clue, and what proves it, is that if you did, you won’t be making stupid comments like that.

As for posting videos on YouTube, don’t even get me started. I’m sick and tired of you guys eating on anybody and everybody who decides to post a video. It’s absolute crap behavior for hunters to do to each other. First of all, let’s get a couple things straight. I don’t make a single dime off of any YouTube video I post, and you won’t find a single video that I’m aware of in any of my stuff that refers to the state I live in or where I’m hunting. I don’t promote any products, and I make nothing off of the videos I put together. I do it for fun and enjoyment, and the size of my channel can show you that. There’s tons of guys on these forums that like watching kids shoot their first deer or a nice buck, etc. or a watching a guy doing something that he’s good at and loves doing. I’ve been filming hunts long before it was cool or en Vogue, I just finally decided to start putting them together and not being lazy and just having them sit there unedited for years on end. If you don’t like it, that’s fine. Don’t hate on me because you don’t. Says a lot more about you that it does me. Why don’t you find some other war to wage, maybe like anti-hunters or something that actually matters. The irony of all of this is you’re posting on a forum that is ran by Randy Newberg. So don’t give me your virtue signaling while posting on a forum ran by someone who has a massive YouTube channel that tells everyone where and how to hunt and what draws to put in for. The hypocrisy is absolutely astounding to me.

As for the non-residents, please stop giving me that nonsense about how their tag fees are so crucial to our wildlife. That’s absolute poppycock. Fish and game is spending millions of dollars in my local regional office for a bunch of remodeling that they don’t need. Like any other government agency in this country it’s fat and happy, and they could use a trim down. Believe me, I know, I’m a government worker myself, and see it every day all the time. Fish and game in Montana is more interested in buying land with the money they make than they are actually managing the wildlife. I happen to know the biologist who flat out told me his recommendations aren’t even listened to, and that same office has bought up massive amounts of land in that region. So they’re not really worried about managing the resource. They’re more worried about running their business.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Ya I wasn’t gonna bring that up. I figured it was good conversation to have without that.

Yeah. Probably didn't need the personal shots but it's pretty applicable being that the recent youtube video he's been making threads on is of him walking across an open ag field to to shoot 6 year old rutting muley. But rifle rut hunting muleys isn't an issue and you shouldn't take that away from him. Just take it away from other people. He paid $16 for that deer tag dontcha know.

 

[INMT]

You literally have no idea where I live or what I have to put up with to live where I live. I’m assuming you probably live in some city where you get natural gas and don’t have plow four foot drifts in your driveway for five hours on a continual basis or record a pick up on the way to work because you hit a drift that was heart packed and blew out your transmission lines. And that’s not to mention the four weeks of continuous 20 to 30 below that is freezing lines in my house or shop, trying to keep animals fed and safe, and vehicles being able to start. Not to mention the fact that my closest grocery store is 45 miles from where I live. You literally have no clue, and what proves it, is that if you did, you won’t be making stupid comments like that.

That’s funny. The only comment made was that you survive “MT winters.” No one questioned where you lived or what you have to do, but then you go on a rant pointing fingers at everyone saying that we all live on cities!!! Oh the irony.

You’re right though, you are the king of MT, plowing drifts and all.