More Discounted Non-residents licenses for Montana

[Big Fin]

We are in the first week of the legislative session and the bills to change Montana hunting are already coming out. We knew this bill was on the docket and the final language just came out.

We already have the "Come Home To Hunt," the "Montana Native," and the "College Student" programs that allow selected non-residents to hunt here without having to draw, and they get to do so at a discounted price. This bill will allow a lot more people to hunt Montana, at a reduced price, and add beyond the 17,000 (really double that number) that they say is the non-resident cap. A ton of folks would qualify under this proposal.

This proposal expands the Montana Native program, essentially doubling that program. Anyone who is married to a Montana Native, would now get to buy a discounted non-resident license, the same as under the existing Montana Native program.

Section 1. Section 87-2-514, MCA, is amended to read:

"87-2-514. Nonresident relative of resident allowed to purchase nonresident licenses at reduced cost -- definitions. (1) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(a) "Nonresident relative of a resident" means a person born in Montana who is the natural or adoptive child, spouse of a natural or adoptive child, grandchild, sibling, or parent of a resident but is not a resident.​

The amount of ways that the 17,000 cap is being circumvented grows every legislative session. This has the possibility to add a lot more to that. And, given the other big issues in this session, stuff like this is just more distraction.

Given the bill is currently in draft form, hopefully we can convince the sponsor of the problems resulting from this bill before he actually introduces it for a committee hearing.

If you have some comments on this proposal, please email the sponsor, politely and professionally - [email protected]



Link to the bill here - https://leg.mt.gov/bills/2023/billpdf/LC0209.pdf

 

[MThuntr]

 

[TheTone]

What a joke. So which legislators relative or outfitter client needs their own special license?

 

[Addicting]

What does it really matter? You already have several unused tools to kill the last elk in MT. Throwing one more thing in an already overflowing bucket of opportunities just helps get those pesky elk off the landscape faster.

 

[ccc23454]

 

[Gerald Martin]

Setting a total number of tags available and having residents and nonresidents draw for every tag seems inevitable and necessary to me.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Here's a 10 year accounting of license sales from the agency. The NR Native licenses are significant in terms of overall NR license sales. Adding these new prescriptions means a lot more competition on public land, and a lot less opportunity to actually kill a critter for residents.

Thanks for bringing this forward, Randy. Sen McGillvray has always been a professional, IMO, so please use your best inside voice to politely ask him to not bring the bill forward.

 

[JCS]

Let's allow any one who wants to hunt Montana can hunt Montana. Just one bill and be done

 

[bigsky2]

Thanks for the heads up. E-mail sent.

 

[Elkmagnet]

What a joke. So which legislators relative or outfitter client needs their own special license?

This.

 

[Hammsolo]

This is ridiculous. I was born in Great Falls, grew up in Anaconda, live in WA, but own land outside of Anaconda. Shouldn’t I get a free license!?! Kidding! Calm the crap down.

One thing though, I didn’t draw a combo last year. They’re not guaranteed. I did get two the year before… I do use the program, but would pay full-price to hunt with my brother.

What is the expressed goal? I’m sick of this opportunity crap. We all can’t have everything. Shoot the world would run out of doughnuts!

 

[Hammsolo]

Setting a total number of tags available and having residents and nonresidents draw for every tag seems inevitable and necessary to me.

Too logical. How would they set the tag numbers though?

 

[Gerald Martin]

Too logical. How would they set the tag numbers though?

Tag numbers would be based as a percentage of annual game counts and factoring in anticipated and desired harvest.

Mandatory harvest reporting is the first step towards setting accurate and responsible tag allocation.

 

[Big Fin]

If you do email Senator McGillvary, I would suggest copy your local Senator, also. If you want to find the email for that person, click the "Legislators" tab at the top of the page here - https://leg.mt.gov/session/

 

[Werty]

We need to take the power away from the legislature! This crap is getting old.

 

[brian flatlander]

looking for a wife from montana

 

[Straight Arrow]

If you do email Senator McGillvary, I would suggest copy your local Senator, also. If you want to find the email for that person, click the "Legislators" tab at the top of the page here - https://leg.mt.gov/session/

Roger, WILCO.

 

[Matthew57]

looking for a wife from montana

Same!

 

[Big Shooter]

What a joke. So which legislators relative or outfitter client needs their own special license?

Pump the brakes pal…….! Where at in Randy’s post did you dream up that it was an outfitter client that needs “their own special license”? Did I misread and or miss MOGA’s name on what Randall posted? If so….please let me know so I can get up to speed on it.

 

[TheTone]

Pump the brakes pal…….! Where at in Randy’s post did you dream up that it was an outfitter client that needs “their own special license”? Did I misread and or miss MOGA’s name on what Randall posted? If so….please let me know so I can get up to speed on it.

You’re right it doesn’t say that but IME when a piece of legislation is this specific it was dreamed up by some trust will specifically benefit from it. At this point who shouldn’t get there own special set aside? Is this bill something you hope to see implemented?