Montana - Time to Shake it Up?

[brockel]

I that’s a great idea but I’d like to see it for R too .

I think mule deer will have to be on the edge of extinction before you see Montana residents restricted that much

 

[cgasner1]

It's that bad. The Commissioners are NOT LISTENING TO YOU. People can cite the constitutional responsibilities and NAM and trustee duty all they want, but it isn't going to make them listen. Most Montana hunters won't "nut up" and pay more for permits, and they won't "nut up" and endure any change to seasons. You are too busy fighting with each other to realize what you all value is being lost. BTW, the changes for 410 deer were from the FWP biologist that "nutted up" and wrote up the recommendation. And there were comments against it.

Wonder if it would be easier to get that biologist to just transfer into 7?

 

[SAJ-99]

Wonder if it would be easier to get that biologist to just transfer into 7?

Give credit where it is due, because she is getting heat from others I’m sure.

https://www.facebook.com/MontanaFWP/photos/a.202756826434177/3889978537711969

 

[rogerthat]

And there were comments against it.

You’re preaching to the choir. I guarantee no one reading this thread commented against it. I commented for it and said the biologist should get accolades.

 

[cgasner1]

Give credit where it is due, because she is getting heat from others I’m sure.

https://www.facebook.com/MontanaFWP/photos/a.202756826434177/3889978537711969

We have some people that are an amazing asset to fwp. The couple wardens that I know are awesome they go so far above and beyond. I feel like that does get missed a lot by all the other noise

 

[Hammsolo]

I remember my first trip from Anaconda in my Honda CRX with my blue heeler Daisy to hunt speed goats past Ekalaka. It was a full work day drive to get to a completely different ecosystem. That’s why we need more localized influence and management structure.

 

[mtmiller]

Give credit where it is due, because she is getting heat from others I’m sure.

https://www.facebook.com/MontanaFWP/photos/a.202756826434177/3889978537711969

Everyone should take 20 minutes and read her justifications for the Commission meeting. A real pro with solid data.

 

[Hem]

One thing I haven't seen addressed is the huge increase in pressure and impact archery hunters have had on elk in Montana. Six weeks of archery pressure is ridiculous. Elk archery season needs to be the month of September and that's it.

Also, I like the idea of hunters becoming more engaged and demanding change, but the realistic side of me knows that's not going to happen.

Hunters are the most apathetic group of people I've ever seen. They never show up for anything, including things that will impact them and the wildlife they pursue.

I tend to want to blame them for their lack of action, but on the other hand, I kind of get why they don't show up more. Their efforts rarely pan out when the Commissions, Legislators, and even the Departments just ignore them anyway.

I'm not one to wave a white flag, but a person can only tolerate being ignored for so long.

Not to derail, but Wyoming is starting to slip into the Montana model and I hate it.

Yeah, don't know...I think even a month of archery for elk is too generous.

 

[Lasiocarpa]

One thing I haven't seen addressed is the huge increase in pressure and impact archery hunters have had on elk in Montana. Six weeks of archery pressure is ridiculous. Elk archery season needs to be the month of September and that's it.

Also, I like the idea of hunters becoming more engaged and demanding change, but the realistic side of me knows that's not going to happen.

Hunters are the most apathetic group of people I've ever seen. They never show up for anything, including things that will impact them and the wildlife they pursue.

I tend to want to blame them for their lack of action, but on the other hand, I kind of get why they don't show up more. Their efforts rarely pan out when the Commissions, Legislators, and even the Departments just ignore them anyway.

I'm not one to wave a white flag, but a person can only tolerate being ignored for so long.

Not to derail, but Wyoming is starting to slip into the Montana model and I hate it.

With how effective archery hunting is during the peak of the rut, I would argue that 4 weeks is too much.

I would like to see Sept 1-20 for archery and Oct 20 to Nov 10 for rifle.

Archery pressure is absolutely a part of the private land elk harboring problem and a month break until rifle would help that.

I say all of this as an enthusiastic but mediocre archery hunter and former Montana resident who now lives in Wyoming.

 

[SAJ-99]

With how effective archery hunting is during the peak of the rut, I would argue that 4 weeks is too much.

I would like to see Sept 1-20 for archery and Oct 20 to Nov 10 for rifle.

Archery pressure is absolutely a part of the private land elk harboring problem and a month break until rifle would help that.

I say all of this as an enthusiastic but mediocre archery hunter and former Montana resident who now lives in Wyoming.

Be realistic, this is an internet debate on “If I were King” scenarios. MT doesn’t have a shortage of elk. Any cuts to elk seasons are dead on arrival. Pick your battles wisely.

 

[rogerthat]

It’s always the mediocre to crappy archery hunters that say archery is easy and want to see cuts to it. I want to see rifle season cut drastically. I guess I know what kind of rifle hunter that makes me.

 

[cgasner1]

Be realistic, this is an internet debate on “If I were King” scenarios. MT doesn’t have a shortage of elk. Any cuts to elk seasons are dead on arrival. Pick your battles wisely.

That was my thought also even with doing a non resident region tag do you set caps of just let them pick a region after they draw a deer tag? If you set cap how do you pick how many tags go into each region obviously can’t just divide by 7. No one signs off on that. You throw resident caps in make them unlimited? Do the non resident draw after the resident and allow 10% of whatever the resident drew up to the capped nr deer tags?

 

[cgasner1]

It’s always the mediocre to crappy archery hunters that say archery is easy and want to see cuts to it. I want to see rifle season cut drastically. I guess I know what kind of rifle hunter that makes me.

A heritage one

 

[rogerthat]

That was my thought also even with doing a non resident region tag do you set caps of just let them pick a region after they draw a deer tag? If you set cap how do you pick how many tags go into each region obviously can’t just divide by 7. No one signs off on that. You throw resident caps in make them unlimited? Do the non resident draw after the resident and allow 10% of whatever the resident drew up to the capped nr deer tags?

I think setting regional caps based upon historical harvest and current game populations would be a starting point.

 

[cgasner1]

I think setting regional caps based upon historical harvest and current game populations would be a starting point.

I’d agree till you ask moga to back cutting a significant amount of tags out of land they hunt on private personally I almost think a draw for last 2 weeks or a short range season would be best still give that opportunity take the creedmore off the table

 

[Lasiocarpa]

It’s always the mediocre to crappy archery hunters that say archery is easy and want to see cuts to it. I want to see rifle season cut drastically. I guess I know what kind of rifle hunter that makes me.

I consider myself a mediocre archery hunter and still think it is easier to connect with a bull than during rifle….
Both seasons need cut

 

[SAJ-99]

That was my thought also even with doing a non resident region tag do you set caps of just let them pick a region after they draw a deer tag? If you set cap how do you pick how many tags go into each region obviously can’t just divide by 7. No one signs off on that. You throw resident caps in make them unlimited? Do the non resident draw after the resident and allow 10% of whatever the resident drew up to the capped nr deer tags?

Like WY. Figure out the average number if NR hunters and set the limit at that. Let supply and demand figure out the rest. This is where @BuzzH jumps in and says it wasn’t the case in WY, and I would say he is right, but it is close enough for government work. It all starts with what the goal is. Distributing pressure? Fine. Just eliminate deer elk combo. Make them separate and make people pick a region. Let’s see what happens for a couple of years. I doubt harvest rates increase, at least for archery, but people may be happier. And let’s be honest, that’s the real goal.

 

[cgasner1]

Like WY. Figure out the average number if NR hunters and set the limit at that. Let supply and demand figure out the rest. This is where @BuzzH jumps in and says it wasn’t the case in WY, and I would say he is right, but it is close enough for government work. It all starts with what the goal is. Distributing pressure? Fine. Just eliminate deer elk combo. Make them separate and make people pick a region. Let’s see what happens for a couple of years. I doubt harvest rates increase, at least for archery, but people may be happier. And let’s be honest, that’s the real goal.

Would be a lot easier to set those kind of numbers had we started a mandatory report ow idk about 10 years ago

 

[brockel]

Give credit where it is due, because she is getting heat from others I’m sure.

https://www.facebook.com/MontanaFWP/photos/a.202756826434177/3889978537711969

She sent me an email last year asking how my archery hunt went in 410 and a few questions about the elk and deer numbers. That was definitely first for me. Gave her the information she was looking for and thanked her for wanting to gather more info over just the harvest survey call.

 

[SAJ-99]

Would be a lot easier to set those kind of numbers had we started a mandatory report ow idk about 10 years ago

Agree. And another thing on my list that should be an easy win in regards to working with other groups. If it is a cost issue, tell them you’ll pay for it with an extra $5. I have never understood the reason for FWPs opposition to mandatory electronic reporting.