Montana Legislature - 2019

[Ben Lamb]

Right now, they're suggestions that the Legislature would like to see enacted.

If FWP doesn't, then I think we can expect many of those suggestions to come back as bills next session.

Thanks for the kudos guys. This process only works well if people are willing to listen & try to find common ground. Otherwise it turns into a street brawl quickly. Like past sessions have been.

 

[Straight Arrow]

"Right now, they're suggestions that the Legislature would like to see enacted.
If FWP doesn't, then I think we can expect many of those suggestions to come back as bills next session."
That is true ... but as far as the likelihood of further decline in elk population and adverse impacts on hunting, the distinction has little importance.

 

[Irrelevant]

It's passed both Chambers. Resolutions don't go to the governor.

Gotcha. Thanks for the poly sci reminder. I'll join the chorus, I greatly appreciate your legislative updates.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Yep. This is intimidation from the Legislature to FWP and I can't name a time that FWP has stood up to the Legislature.

FWP has been opposing a good number of them, to be clear. It also bears repeating that a lot of these bills or resolutions result from work upfront from the agency to reduce the egregiousness, even if the final product still sucks. This resolution, for example, could have easily been bills to enact these same things, rather than a "letter to Santa."

FWP worked hard to kill HB 161, they worked extensively on the PAL Act to make it a good bill and while I've been less than happy with some of their testimony on a few issues, I think their lobby team this session has done tremendous work to keep the session from going full-on attack mode.

 

[Straight Arrow]

FWP has been opposing a good number of them, to be clear. It also bears repeating that a lot of these bills or resolutions result from work upfront from the agency to reduce the egregiousness, even if the final product still sucks. This resolution, for example, could have easily been bills to enact these same things, rather than a "letter to Santa."

FWP worked hard to kill HB 161, they worked extensively on the PAL Act to make it a good bill and while I've been less than happy with some of their testimony on a few issues, I think their lobby team this session has done tremendous work to keep the session from going full-on attack mode.

Even though Rep Kerry White's HB 265 terrible conservation easement related bill was passed, it is important to point out the strong opposition, careful and thorough analysis, and well articulated information provided by FWP and, in particular, by Director Williams. In a sane and reasonable legislative world, without the partisan, lockstep-to-the-party, anti-governor caucus worship, that bill would have met a quick-table death.

'Don't know how you persevere, Ben Lamb, in such an environment, without going frustratingly nuts ... but, as others have also offered, kudos to you for being there and working, thinking, and expressing so diligently.

 

[BuzzH]

My concern is that HR 18, a joint resolution being considered then passed by both chambers, will end up at FWP as an agency, then Fish & Game Commission as a board under legislative oversight, not as "ideas" for elk management as couched by Wylie Galt ... but as legislative MANDATES which require FWP policy changes and aggressive actions, in my opinion, not in the best interests of elk management.

I totally agree...look at the way the first couple shoulder seasons were supposed to be "experimental" with reporting prior to any expansion of the program.

The FWP brain trust quickly broke that off in the ass of not only elk, but the hunting public and expanded it to what 44 units? They lost the last shred of trust I'll ever have for that Agency...and it was pretty much the thinnest sliver of remaining trust I may have had.

There should be no expectations, other than what you mentioned, that everything in HR18 will be mandated by the MTFWP. That agency never loses any excuse they can to continue to treat big-game in Montana like a noxious weed.

 

[Ben Lamb]

'Don't know how you persevere, Ben Lamb, in such an environment, without going frustratingly nuts ... but, as others have also offered, kudos to you for being there and working, thinking, and expressing so diligently.

I angry text Buzz with my feelings, and he calmly reassures me.

And a lot of bourbon & vodka.

 

[Straight Arrow]

" .... first couple shoulder seasons were supposed to be "experimental" with reporting prior to any expansion of the program." True, and never in any of the hearings or debates did the phrase "pilot program" get uttered. My take on the issue is that once Gov Bullock went on a helicopter ride with Galt and on the television news lauded the great idea of "shoulder seasons", it became a foregone conclusion that this "management" program would continue and grow. This is a sad era for elk and elk hunting, IMO.

Another example of the emphasis on slaughtering more elk was seen in the recent Senate Fish & Game Committee hearing on F&G Commission appointments when Sen. Lang suggested that the Commission get with the BLM to allow shoulder season hunting on the CMR Refuge. What became of the idea to hunt private to move elk to public? How could a member of the Senate F&G Committee miss that? (Silly, naive, rhetorical questions on my part!)

 

[BuzzH]

Ben...just for you:

 

[Ben Lamb]

It also takes a lot of Megadeth.

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[What Map]

Ben, thanks for all your work and the updates you post here. I really appreciate them.

 

[mtmuley]

It also takes a lot of Megadeth.

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Fitting. Good song too. Thanks for all you do Ben. mtmuley

 

[Schaaf]

" .... first couple shoulder seasons were supposed to be "experimental" with reporting prior to any expansion of the program." True, and never in any of the hearings or debates did the phrase "pilot program" get uttered. My take on the issue is that once Gov Bullock went on a helicopter ride with Galt and on the television news lauded the great idea of "shoulder seasons", it became a foregone conclusion that this "management" program would continue and grow. This is a sad era for elk and elk hunting, IMO.

Another example of the emphasis on slaughtering more elk was seen in the recent Senate Fish & Game Committee hearing on F&G Commission appointments when Sen. Lang suggested that the Commission get with the BLM to allow shoulder season hunting on the CMR Refuge. What became of the idea to hunt private to move elk to public? How could a member of the Senate F&G Committee miss that? (Silly, naive, rhetorical questions on my part!)

SA, was that from this week?

 

[mtmuley]

Really? Shoulder seasons on the CMR? mtmuley

 

[Mtnhunter1]

Ben,,,, as mentioned above, THANKS for trying to fight the good fight!

Guessing there are two, possibly three, moves and the game will be over.....checkmate!

 

[Straight Arrow]

SA, was that from this week?

Yes, during the Thursday meeting of the Senate F&G Committee all four Commission appointment nominees addressed the committee and responded to questions. I watched it on PBS.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Really? Shoulder seasons on the CMR? mtmuley

Yes, that is what Sen. Lang was obviously promoting.

 

[MTelkHuntress]

Thanks for all the updates and all your hard work Ben! It's really helpful to be more informed.

 

[Ben Lamb]

The Legislature has adjourned.

Overall, it was a good one for hunters, anglers and wildlife conservation. Many challenges remain ahead of us, especially with a new administration coming in. The reliable backstop of a Gubernatorial veto on many bad bills over the last 16 years has made folks complancent on doing good work during the interim, and hopefully that changes.

This session we were able to get the following:

$59 million in spending authority for FWP which includes a lot of new construction for FWP regional centers who need upgrades (Glasgow & Missoula in particular), better funding for wardens, increased Grizzly bear and wolf specialists, Upland Game Brid Habitat Improvement, Gov's tag habitat spending, Habitat MT, Future Fisheries, Fishing Access Sites and $10 million for a new ALS system that will replace the current crash-proned program that is 20 years old.

We secured a new access program (PAL Act) that will help increase access to landlocked public lands, passed bills to protect data on specific locations of wildlife to prevent the commercialization of game, renewed In-Stream Flows, increased funding for state parks, trails and fishing access and a whole bunch of things that I can't remember after a really tall glass of Eagle Rare.

We also defeated some truly bad bills, like one that would have eliminated FWP's need to consider public opinion on wildlife decisions, stopped the crossbow bill and kept many, many others from getting to the Governor's desk. We weren't able to stop the bad bison bills (which would have put Counties in charge of wildlife and made all bison considered domestic - even YNP bison). We also couldn't stop the legislature from messing with Habitat Montana in the form of HB 265, which re-inserts politics into the conservation easement program of HM or stop the war on elk sponsored by Rep. Wylie Galt in the form of HJ 18. Those are areas that MT hunters will need to step up their efforts in the interim.

All in all, it's a 6.5 out of 10 session and definitely one of the better one's we've had since 2009. Montana TU, MWF, Montana Bowhunters Association, MTBHA, RMEF, DU, MT Audubon and many other groups worked around the clock to lobby the legislature and that combined effort and coalition helped diffuse a lot of the anger towards sportsmen and women.

And now, I'm going to pour myself another triple, and fall asleep for a couple of days. Thanks to all of the Hunt Talk crowd who did much, much more than just show up for a rally. You guys continue to blow the legislature away with your informed, insightful advocacy and I hear about you battered bastards of public lands every day from legislators who are tired of the barrage of emails and phone calls from the folks on this board.

Onward to 2021, and what is looking like a much bigger challenge for all of us.

 

[Mtnhunter1]

Thanks Ben, sleep well!