Montana Muzzleloader season bill

[Sytes]

as to the muzzle loader season, I would be all for it, No in-lines, no scopes, EVER. Use it to replace last 20 days of general rifle season.

This would be great! The element of the muzzleloader restrictions are on par, as written, right?

Amend it and I'd certainly support swapping the last 20 days of rifle for traditional muzzleloader.
That or what I would most prefer, swap the last week of archery for traditional muzzleloaders.

And for chits n grins, if last week of archery swapped for muzzleloader, shorten rifle 20 days while we're at it.
Oh heck since I'm in the SNG mind frame - raise f-n resident license fees.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

as to the muzzle loader season, I would be all for it, No in-lines, no scopes, EVER. Use it to replace last 20 days of general rifle season.

 

[Eric Albus]

sytes, all with you on raising the Resident license price. We are being subsidized by NR high priced license.

Were I king, archery would be first Saturday of Sept-30. Short muzzle loading season, maybe 6-8 days, Oct. 10 general season starts, runs thru Oct 30, then short muzzle loader season, followed by 2 week archery. Then it would be antlerless deer/elk only PRIVATE LAND ONLY Nov 20 thru Dec. ???open to date.

This is a win/win/win (wiidlife/lanowners/sportsmen). Dates can be tweaked a little here and there.

 

[Eric Albus]

Ben,
I have not supported 505, I think that is the 10 LO elk tags? Not even a little bit. I don't hunt elk, in fact I hate elk, but don't want to see everyone with 640 acres kill 10 bulls. After year one it would be a branch antlered or a spike hunt.

143, I can support. I don't like the amendment, but I think it was your team who amended it. It would be far better for the resident hunter to force around 8500 NR's to go with an outfitter than compete with them on accessible lands.

Were I the writer of SB143 I would have made it more complex. The outfitted client would have had to pick a window of 5-7 days to hunt, and they would've had to choose archery season or rifle. When their hunt time is up their license becomes invalid, outfitter would retain an unfilled license and return to state after season. This way an outfitted client/license could not be used later on accessible land to compete with resident hunters.

There has to be a reasonable piece of middle ground where the outfitting community can have something stable on which to operate a viable business. If there is not a way to stabilize licensure for outfitters, then there be no need of outfitters to be licensed and regulated.

 

[Irrelevant]

sytes, all with you on raising the Resident license price. We are being subsidized by NR high priced license.

Were I king, archery would be first Saturday of Sept-30. Short muzzle loading season, maybe 6-8 days, Oct. 10 general season starts, runs thru Oct 30, then short muzzle loader season, followed by 2 week archery. Then it would be antlerless deer/elk only PRIVATE LAND ONLY Nov 20 thru Dec. ???open to date.

This is a win/win/win (wiidlife/lanowners/sportsmen). Dates can be tweaked a little here and there.

That is certainly an improvement, but I don't see why they have to be hassled non-stop from Sept 1 - Thanksgiving. Two weeks for archery in September, 2 weeks rifle (last week of Oct -1st week of nov), 10 days after turkey day for muzzleloaders. Anything besides that should be a special tag, though I do like you antlerless private land only idea as well.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Ben,
I have not supported 505, I think that is the 10 LO elk tags? Not even a little bit. I don't hunt elk, in fact I hate elk, but don't want to see everyone with 640 acres kill 10 bulls. After year one it would be a branch antlered or a spike hunt.

143, I can support. I don't like the amendment, but I think it was your team who amended it. It would be far better for the resident hunter to force around 8500 NR's to go with an outfitter than compete with them on accessible lands.

Were I the writer of SB143 I would have made it more complex. The outfitted client would have had to pick a window of 5-7 days to hunt, and they would've had to choose archery season or rifle. When their hunt time is up their license becomes invalid, outfitter would retain an unfilled license and return to state after season. This way an outfitted client/license could not be used later on accessible land to compete with resident hunters.

There has to be a reasonable piece of middle ground where the outfitting community can have something stable on which to operate a viable business. If there is not a way to stabilize licensure for outfitters, then there be no need of outfitters to be licensed and regulated.

Eric,

Your team, MOGA, was at the podium supporting 505.

143 still needs work, but it's a far better bill than it was 4 weeks ago.

 

[Eric Albus]

Who was representing MOGA?

 

[Ben Lamb]

Who was representing MOGA?

Mac.

 

[brockel]

sytes, all with you on raising the Resident license price. We are being subsidized by NR high priced license.

Were I king, archery would be first Saturday of Sept-30. Short muzzle loading season, maybe 6-8 days, Oct. 10 general season starts, runs thru Oct 30, then short muzzle loader season, followed by 2 week archery. Then it would be antlerless deer/elk only PRIVATE LAND ONLY Nov 20 thru Dec. ???open to date.

This is a win/win/win (wiidlife/lanowners/sportsmen). Dates can be tweaked a little here and there.

I’m for a September archery. October rifle. November muzzleloader. People still get their 3 Months to get their deer so maybe there wouldn’t be a lot of complaining. Or as much complaining I guess over shortening their 3 month season

 

[BenInMT]

I might support it if you had to declare your weapon when you buy a tag and the tag is only good for archery, rifle or muzzle loader- not all of the above.

 

[timmy]

This bill passed? Yikes. More opportunity.

 

[BuzzH]

I just don't have the words anymore for the legislature in Montana....at least ones I can share on this board.

What a joke.

But, in fairness its just carrying on with adding a day to make a Saturday opener and allowing another couple days for the youth deer season.

Its all about opportunity and days in the field, no reason to worry about the resource. It would be a tragic "waste" if a single deer or elk ever died of old age in Montana.

Lets not also forget that the muzzleloader season would allow over the snow vehicles behind many gates that open on Dec. 2 or 3...

YEEHAWWWW jump on my snowmachine and get at them elk/deer with the smokepole without even having to walk.

I can't see what could possibly go wrong...

 

[BenInMT]

If these asshats want more opportunity why the F do they not give us a SPRING SNOW GOOSE SEASON?

 

[JLS]

Unbelievable. I’m trying to figure out how these clowns get elected, and how only 29 people in the state of Montana see an issue with the legislatively mandated hunt. What a joke.

 

[jt13]

What a silly bill. With an already long archery rut season and a 6 week rifle season I have a hard time imagining that more than like 8 people will be taking advantage of this. The flintlock market in MT is about to be booming. Lyman Great Plains rifles, black powder, and .50/.54 cal roundballs are about to be the next great shortage to rival only 9mm and .223


Serious advice from a guy who likes to scare deer in PA with a flintlock:

-Pretty guns shoot better
-Percussion over flintlock
-Its not a high powered rifle, its a hole poker
-A .54 pokes a bigger hole than .50
-Dont shoot roundballs out of a 1/32 twist
-Williams/Lyman tang mounted peep, trust me
-Electrical tape on the bore
-Keep your powder dry.. really, really dry
-Dont flinch
-Accurate load > velocity
-A slight breeze helps clear powder smoke
-Only use brass tools
-Hot soapy water and TC bore butter
-Dont shoot with your powder can on the bench
-Be wary of used black powder guns

 

[Sytes]

I wonder if by sharing I support this bill if amended to swap last week of archery or rifle, it notches as, "for"...(?) Seeing as only 1/15th voted in support of this bill, I'd imagine my opposition for the dates entered the correct category.

What was the final result of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers alleged support of this bill?
Did they support it or not? I believe initially they supported it though withdrew due to their member backlash or did they ultimately end up supporting this?

 

[OntarioHunter]

Some other old timers may have better memories but I seem to recall back in the 70s there was a late muzzleloader season in Montana. Most of December?

I am not opposed to it or early bow season (at least there's less spoiled meat in a late muzzy season) but I think hunters should be required to select one season only. It is just too much pressure on the resource having everyone double or triple dipping for four months of hunting every year. This could be easily accomplished with present computer licensing system and seasonally dedicated tags. I think that would be an acceptable compromise for all ... especially the resource. I should come back and run for GOP governor and then maybe it would happen.

 

[timmy]

After the status quo I was open to what the new legislature would do. Couldn’t get worse right? Well I am officially out, time to find a new hobby. Adding more hunting to Montana’s seasons is disgusting.

 

[JLS]

Hell, take the Hawken and head to the Custer.

 

[Hem]

Folks will be psyched until they realize its hard to hit a pie plate at 100 yds with a roundball/open sights....consistently.
But the lead will fly regardless.