Montana - Time to Shake it Up?

[cgasner1]

All you have to do is convince MT’s archery hunters.

And rifle hunters

 

[brockel]

Does fwp or the commission have to convince anyone of anything? I’m betting a lot of people weren’t convinced of mule deer does being only legal on private land but here we are. I know it’s about 50/50 on the people I know in favor of the mule deer doe decision and those against it.

 

[Deleted member 48080]

Does fwp or the commission have to convince anyone of anything? I’m betting a lot of people weren’t convinced of mule deer does being only legal on private land but here we are. I know it’s about 50/50 on the people I know in favor of the mule deer doe decision and those against it.

No kidding. They rammed shoulder seasons down our throats despite not convincing anyone.

 

[Deleted member 48080]

I’m not speaking for MOGA, but a lot of us involved with MOGA would absolutely entertain the idea of hunting mule deer in October. If we would have been doing it for the past 20-30 years we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Speaking in terms of rifle season, mule deer and antelope the month of October, the first week of November (or however the calendar falls) deer/elk overlap and the month of November elk and whitetail. Mule deer are more protected and everyone can drive around eating cold Turkey sammiches and shoot whitetail and elk…..win/win.

You're thinking same general deer tag is good for both mule deer in October and whitetail in November?

 

[huntin24/7]

You're thinking same general deer tag is good for both mule deer in October and whitetail in November?

I’d personally be more ok with this if it was either October muley or November whitetail than having the same tag good for both. I think that could be pretty tuff on the mountain whitetails potentially. No problem with the October muley part of it though.

 

[Deleted member 48080]

I’d personally be more ok with this if it was either October muley or November whitetail than having the same tag good for both. I think that could be pretty tuff on the mountain whitetails potentially. No problem with the October muley part of it though.

Me too, but I know I'm probably in the minority on that.

 

[mtmuley]

Me too, but I know I'm probably in the minority on that.

I only apply for LE mule deer. Then hunt a tough general unit when I don't draw. Mountain whitetails are fast becoming my favorite deer hunt so I'm with you. mtmuley

 

[Big Shooter]

I remember in 2016 when FWP first introduced the idea of shoulder seasons, there were shoulder seasons proposed to overlap the archery season. Even though they were to be considered “private land only,” there was a lot of pushback from archery hunters about rifle hunting overlapping archery hunting, safety concerns, archers needing to wear orange, etc.

Just something to consider/be prepared to deal with if this particular discussion keeps gaining momentum. You may have to find a way to convince a whole slew of elk archers this is good idea in order for it to move much.

Great point and that is definitely a concern 100%! I couldn’t agree more.

Archery the month of September and rifle the month of October. Then there’s no overlap.

I’m guessing what she’s getting at is that it could take away a week of archery which obviously would be a problem. That’s a problem that would need addressed for sure.

 

[brockel]

Great point and that is definitely a concern 100%! I couldn’t agree more.

I’m guessing what she’s getting at is that it could take away a week of archery which obviously would be a problem. That’s a problem that would need addressed for sure.

I get the losing the week of archery. But isn’t 30 days of archery enough?

 

[Big Shooter]

You're thinking same general deer tag is good for both mule deer in October and whitetail in November?

Not sure I guess. What’s your thoughts?

 

[Deleted member 48080]

Not sure I guess. What’s your thoughts?

I'd like for it to be so each person had to choose between either mule deer in October or whitetail in November. If we allowed everyone to do both we'd put too much pressure on the whitetail in the rut. Just my opinion.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Not sure I guess. What’s your thoughts?

I think deer season needs to be either an October/mule deer tag or November whitetail tag, or if it’s a mule deer/ whitetail tag seasons for both species need to end by the first weekend in November.

I would prefer the latter scenario where all rifle seasons for deer end before the rut peaks. I would also prefer rifle elk to be delayed at least a week until Nov 1 to protect bulls that are still hanging with cows at the tail of their rut.

 

[Big Shooter]

I'd like for it to be so each person had to choose between either mule deer in October or whitetail in November. If we allowed everyone to do both we'd put too much pressure on the whitetail in the rut. Just my opinion.

I agree with that. In my opinion from reading this forum over the years and listening to hunters on different platforms, opportunity is the huge concern for most. By doing something like this, it doesn’t take opportunity away……it just moves the opportunity to a different time and will potentially somewhat protect a resource.

 

[cowboy]

(I would also prefer rifle elk to be delayed at least a week until Nov 1 to protect bulls that are still hanging with cows at the tail of their rut.)

Agree with this in principal but not for State wide. Our elk camp is 17 miles from nearest gravel road and we’ve been snowed out the last 2 years. You cannot get in or out of there 2 out of 4 years after Nov 1 and we are on horse back for most of the way in a general area and it’s not one of the early seasons in the Bob or Beartooths.
Just like everything that has been discussed - one size does not fit all.

 

[brockel]

We keep worrying about what is good for the hunter vs what is good for the resource. That’s how we’ve ended up with these come home to hunts, youth seasons, traditional seasons, etc.

 

[MTTW]

We keep worrying about what is good for the hunter vs what is good for the resource. That’s how we’ve ended up with these come home to hunts, youth seasons, traditional seasons, etc.

Not to mention general hunting clear through the rut for 40 years too long.

 

[WanderWoman]

Great point and that is definitely a concern 100%! I couldn’t agree more.

I’m guessing what she’s getting at is that it could take away a week of archery which obviously would be a problem. That’s a problem that would need addressed for sure.

Yes—and thank you. Also it would be 2 weeks of archery I think..

Another thing related to this mainly from an elk standpoint, is the condension(?) condensing(?) of archery pressure from an already busy 6 weeks to 4 weeks. Plus no more dead week. (Not really sure the implications of that, if any.. maybe youth deer hunt? That needs to be addressed probably too.) Anyway, think of HDs where there’s already a lot or too much pressure on public land, which may or may not also now be exacerbated by the “draw a permit hunt the HD” regulation, and now more guys and gals scrambling to fill tags in an archery season that’s being reduced by 30%.

Again. Something to keep in mind, and if not addressed, may overturn or negate a lot of hard work and good ideas.

 

[cgasner1]

Yes—and thank you. Also it would be 2 weeks of archery I think..

Another thing related to this mainly from an elk standpoint, is the condension(?) condensing(?) of archery pressure from an already busy 6 weeks to 4 weeks. Plus no more dead week. (Not really sure the implications of that, if any.. maybe youth deer hunt? That needs to be addressed probably too.) Anyway, think of HDs where there’s already a lot or too much pressure on public land, which may or may not also now be exacerbated by the “draw a permit hunt the HD” regulation, and now more guys and gals scrambling to fill tags in an archery season that’s being reduced by 30%.

Again. Something to keep in mind, and if not addressed, may overturn or negate a lot of hard work and good ideas.

Also changing season dates does 0 for moving pressure. Set these exact season dates for rifle deer in October and guys will be on here still pist that all all the non residents still showed up in 7. It would probably look even worse with same tags and season being cut down

 

[huntin24/7]

Me too, but I know I'm probably in the minority on tha

Also changing season dates does 0 for moving pressure. Set these exact season dates for rifle deer in October and guys will be on here still pist that all all the non residents still showed up in 7. It would probably look even worse with same tags and season being cut down

I agree with that. I think you still have to implement something to spread out pressure throughout the regions to go along with the date changes.

 

[Big Shooter]

Also changing season dates does 0 for moving pressure. Set these exact season dates for rifle deer in October and guys will be on here still pist that all all the non residents still showed up in 7. It would probably look even worse with same tags and season being cut down

Just a thought……but do you think that an October mule deer season would decrease the number of nonresident DIY hunters or not. Thoughts?