MT birdhunters 2

[onpoint]

This may low on a lotta "concern" lists...accepted, believe me....

But HB 159 concurred as amended - READ - rifles WILL be allowed for use on upland birds and spring turkey. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. If this concerns you, keep hammering on legislators and be ready to contact the guv to veto (along with a bunch of other horrendous crap).

 

[Mudranger1]

what's wrong with shooting a 30.06 at a flying pheasant?

 

[onpoint]

hey guys who spring turkey hunt with their kids, guys who bird hunt with dawgs and/or your wives (in that order), or folks who just plain don't like hot lead in their general vicinity...............if my and a few others' concerns about this repeal [of rifles for upland birds and spring turkey] are recognized, that means something really bad for someone AND HUNTING IN GENERAL has happened. If the few of us that are hotly opposing this bill are wrong, we were just fear mongers and everything is just fine. I'll err on the side of caution.....suit yourself.

 

[onpoint]

This particular battle has been won, currently.....

 

[Bambistew]

Hasn't it always been legal to hunt upland birds in MT with a rifle? I thought the only time you couldn't was for spring turkey?

I'm fullly in support of this bill. You hunt birds your way and I'll mine. It has nothing to do with safety, and everything to do with transplants knowing whats best.

 

[onpoint]

Hasn't it always been legal to hunt upland birds in MT with a rifle? I thought the only time you couldn't was for spring turkey?

I'm fullly in support of this bill. You hunt birds your way and I'll mine. It has nothing to do with safety, and everything to do with transplants knowing whats best.

I'll be sure to way in on Alaska issues when I feel the need.....thanks for your valuable input.

 

[BuzzH]

The only upland birds you could hunt with a rifle in Montana were turkeys and mountain grouse.

Sharptails, sage grouse, pheasants, and huns have always been shotgun only. Sometime in the 90's turkey was changed to shotgun only in the spring.

I think its fine to hunt mountain grouse with a .22...and I dont really have a problem with turkeys being hunted with a rifle either, in particular the fall.

The turkey issue isnt about safety as much as it as about the snobbish attitude of most purist turkey hunters and their self-righteous attitude of "hunting them right". I admit its fun to call them in and all...but I've no problem with dusting them in a field with a rifle either.

I could live with whatever the real bird hunters want...if I choose to shoot birds, I'll use whatever is legal.

 

[Bambistew]

What has become so funny about this board is all the tool bags that have shown up in the last 6months with an 'agenda'.

 

[shoots-straight]

What has become so funny about this board is all the tool bags that have shown up in the last 6months with an 'agenda'.

keeps the conversations going. Lets talk NR numbers again.

 

[onpoint]

The only upland birds you could hunt with a rifle in Montana were turkeys and mountain grouse.

Sharptails, sage grouse, pheasants, and huns have always been shotgun only. Sometime in the 90's turkey was changed to shotgun only in the spring.

I think its fine to hunt mountain grouse with a .22...and I dont really have a problem with turkeys being hunted with a rifle either, in particular the fall.

The turkey issue isnt about safety as much as it as about the snobbish attitude of most purist turkey hunters and their self-righteous attitude of "hunting them right". I admit its fun to call them in and all...but I've no problem with dusting them in a field with a rifle either.

I could live with whatever the real bird hunters want...if I choose to shoot birds, I'll use whatever is legal.

Turkey purist? That's funny. I do not hunt turkeys in the spring. I only "hunt" turkeys in the fall, as in a bonus shoot during antelope hunting. I will shoot a turkey with a shotgun OR a .22 in the fall, whichever is handy. Turkey "hunting" is actually quite boring to me.
Man, if you knew me, you would know that I am indeed an %$#hole....a snob? That is hilarious.

 

[onpoint]

What has become so funny about this board is all the tool bags that have shown up in the last 6months with an 'agenda'.

Hey monkeywrench......So you've been posting your ideas and trophy photos since 2002. Who cares. Watch out "last 6 monthers". Bambistew's been on the scene since 2002, has it figured out. It's the guys without any agenda(s) that are toolbags. Once again , thanks for the valuable input.

 

[BuzzH]

onpoint,

That post wasnt directed at you as far as the turkey snob statement. But, that absolutely IS the reason that rifle hunting spring turkeys was taken away. A MTFWP employee in Missoula was largely responsible for it.

Theres also a growing number of upland bird snobs that also find it almost tragic that a kid with a .22 can blast a blue grouse off a stump legally. You know, you should be shooting them when they "fly" off the stump with your pigeon grade, over-under, with either the interchangeable barrels in 20 or 28. Then its only appropriate we get some good field phots with the pure bred, shit eating dog that retrieved the grouse. Pardon me while I take the wrinkles out of my $300 bird hunting vest and adjust my necktie for the award winning photo...fuggin' ridiculous.

I'd rather see a picture of a 12 year old kid with a beat up .22 in one hand and a dead grouse in the other.

The same types ruined the fishing in Montana as well...you are the anti-christ if you dont own stock in Sage or Winston, own a $500 landing net, look like a poster boy for abercombie and fitch, and use any fly bigger than a #16. Of course actally killing a fish for the frying pan will get you labeled as the Hannibal Lecter of the Blackfoot, Clark Fork, or Rock Creek.

 

[lamdilligaf]

onpoint,

That post wasnt directed at you as far as the turkey snob statement. But, that absolutely IS the reason that rifle hunting spring turkeys was taken away. A MTFWP employee in Missoula was largely responsible for it.

Theres also a growing number of upland bird snobs that also find it almost tragic that a kid with a .22 can blast a blue grouse off a stump legally. You know, you should be shooting them when they "fly" off the stump with your pigeon grade, over-under, with either the interchangeable barrels in 20 or 28. Then its only appropriate we get some good field phots with the pure bred, shit eating dog that retrieved the grouse. Pardon me while I take the wrinkles out of my $300 bird hunting vest and adjust my necktie for the award winning photo...fuggin' ridiculous.

I'd rather see a picture of a 12 year old kid with a beat up .22 in one hand and a dead grouse in the other.

The same types ruined the fishing in Montana as well...you are the anti-christ if you dont own stock in Sage or Winston, own a $500 landing net, look like a poster boy for abercombie and fitch, and use any fly bigger than a #16. Of course actally killing a fish for the frying pan will get you labeled as the Hannibal Lecter of the Blackfoot, Clark Fork, or Rock Creek.

Buzz,
You've said a few things in the past that I've disagreed with, but NOT this time. Your post is the absolute truth in my not so humble opinion. Too many people have lost touch with the real meaning of hunting and fishing.

 

[Lawnboy]

I went fishing with a guy once that had that mentality Buzz. I'm not much of a fly fisher but still think it's fun. Well we hike down to this stream and he quickly announces that he'll be fishing up stream and that I can go downstream. Seeing that he was so demanding I asked why? He said that he never fishes walking downstream because that doesn't present the fly in a natural/correct manner and because I didn't know what I was doing I should fish downstream. This is the same guy that when I said one of my favorite flies to use is a Renegade. He said that's horrible it doesn't even mimic a real bug and therefore shouldn't be used. I didn't care that he had a preference and it was interesting to learn his rationale but too make me feel inferior because I did it different turned me off.

It was that day that I realized that purists in any sport fishing,rifle,archery etc.. are what divide and turn people away from these great pursuits.

 

[Big Fin]

NWTF was alarmed by the incidence of hunting accidents related to spring turkey hunting and prepared the study in the link attached below. If you go to Page 6, you will see many of the ideas and concerns.

http://www.nwtf.org/images/Hunter_Safety_Task_Force.pdf

I have read another study, which I cannot locate at this time, talking about the increased rate of fatality where the hunting accident involved rifles versus shotguns.

Not hunting accident is a acceptable, but they happen. I think most who advocate shotguns only for safety concerns have a valid point. I would rather do what is possible to reduce the fatality rate of hunting accidents.

I am sure that some advocate shotguns only for their purist reasons. I am not one of those, having only killed two turkeys in my life. I am worried about the safety issue, and it seems the data supports that concern.

I see a big difference between plinking grouse off a stump with a .22 as compared to lobbing volleys at turkeys fro 200 yards, when there may be camo'd hunters in the background making a set up on the targeted bird.

As far as snob fishing. I love to observe the responses from those types as I dig through my coffee can of night crawlers that I gathered on the driveway the raining morning before. Live bait = dead fish in my cooler.

I subscribe to my wife's theory on fishing. "If you hook 'em, you cook 'em!"

 

[onpoint]

onpoint,

That post wasnt directed at you as far as the turkey snob statement. But, that absolutely IS the reason that rifle hunting spring turkeys was taken away. A MTFWP employee in Missoula was largely responsible for it.

Theres also a growing number of upland bird snobs that also find it almost tragic that a kid with a .22 can blast a blue grouse off a stump legally. You know, you should be shooting them when they "fly" off the stump with your pigeon grade, over-under, with either the interchangeable barrels in 20 or 28. Then its only appropriate we get some good field phots with the pure bred, shit eating dog that retrieved the grouse. Pardon me while I take the wrinkles out of my $300 bird hunting vest and adjust my necktie for the award winning photo...fuggin' ridiculous.

I'd rather see a picture of a 12 year old kid with a beat up .22 in one hand and a dead grouse in the other.

The same types ruined the fishing in Montana as well...you are the anti-christ if you dont own stock in Sage or Winston, own a $500 landing net, look like a poster boy for abercombie and fitch, and use any fly bigger than a #16. Of course actally killing a fish for the frying pan will get you labeled as the Hannibal Lecter of the Blackfoot, Clark Fork, or Rock Creek.

Agreed. Although the Sage, Winston.....deal is EVERYWHERE in sportsmen activities. Hell on site alone, how much time is spent discussing the wonders of Sitka Gear, Kennetrek Boots, which elk call to get, high end optics, and on and on ad nauseum. Industrialization and commercialization, which we all are a part of, is helping to subvert "the real" meaning. We can all look in the mirror and shake our heads. I plan on (hopefully) ordering a semi custom 12/16 gauge O/U. I'm sure an 870 would do just fine. SOB, I hate being hypocrite. Oh well. just as long as I don't lose sight of the "real meaning" completely and keep "onpoint"....there's still hope for me

 

[tjones]

onpoint you headed to Helena today? SS and a crew are leaving shortly.

 

[BuzzH]

onpoint,

Great post and I agree as well...we're all part of the problem and I find myself looking in the mirror as well. I have never claimed I'm not a hypocrite.

As strange as it sounds, one of the best hunts I've done lately was a few years ago. I walked out of our family hunting camp in the Blackfoot with my late grandfathers .243, a dragging rope, a knife, a deer b-tag, and a couple spare shells in my pocket. About an hour later I shot a whitetail doe at about 50 yards while still hunting through a doug-fir/Ponderosa stand. I drug it back to camp and it felt pretty good, and right, hunting old school...like I had done countless times in the same country when I was a kid.

 

[Nemont]

How many people are going to be pulling out a 30.06 and blasting Sharptails and huns along the road? What would be left of those birds? I spend all fall hunting birds of some sort and can't imagine a scenario where this will put me, my kids and dogs in harms way.

I have way closer calls hunting geese in the fields when Bubba pulls up and spots the "Geese" just standing there and rolls down the window to take a rifle shot at my deeks. That is already illegal but happens every year. This law wouldn't lead to a rash of new hunting accidents. It is already illegal to shoot from the roadway but it happens every year with shotguns and rifles.

This is a non issue for the most part.

Nemont

P.S. anyone shooting an O/U is already a snob upland bird hunter.

 

[onpoint]

onpoint you headed to Helena today? SS and a crew are leaving shortly.

If I can wrap up this AM, yup. That's why I'm on here right now wasting time. Had to get home for a bit between work crap....busy, busy. Gee, maybe too busy to do something about - wait, I don't want to hurt anyones feeling again