MT ELK, Changing it up?

[Treeshark]

I can totally understand why a Montana resident would be against this, but as a non-res it is kind of tough to get very worked up over it (aside from making my already useless bonus points even more useless).

 

[rogerthat]

I can totally understand why a Montana resident would be against this, but as a non-res it is kind of tough to get very worked up over it.

Other than if this passes your draw odds may have just went further down the toilet if you ever wanted to diy public. If you want to pay $10k to an outfitter than your spot on.

 

[Schaaf]

I can totally understand why a Montana resident would be against this, but as a non-res it is kind of tough to get very worked up over it (aside from making my already useless bonus points even more useless).

Sir, Thank you for your service.

 

[Schaaf]

Rod's not just on a different page...he's in a whole different book.

 

[Treeshark]

Other than if this passes your draw odds may have just went further down the toilet if you ever wanted to diy public.

True, but realistically that ship kind of sailed a while ago (90/10, etc).

 

[Blacktailbc]

 

[Ben Lamb]

True, but realistically that ship kind of sailed a while ago (90/10, etc).

It will affect your ability to harvest a mature animal when you do draw, and it will reduce the amount of private land available either through frustration as @antlerradar has pointed, our from leasing situations that take lands out of Block Management, etc.

 

[Treeshark]

I’m just going to stop getting bonus points and hunt general (or pay).

I would think a lot of people will drop out of buying BPs, it wasn’t a great investment in Montana to begin with.

 

[rogerthat]

This is the part of the thread where rage fatigue sets in and the clueless OTC's roll in not realizing if they say the wrong thing things could go really badly for them.

 

[Gerald Martin]

This is the part of the thread where rage fatigue sets in and the clueless OTC's roll in not realizing if they say the wrong thing things could go really badly for them.

This is the part of the thread where if I were a NR applying for a general tag and thinking about hiring an outfitter, I would be setting aside that money for a private land lease in one of these 14 units next year.

 

[Treeshark]

If you mean me Roger, fire away. I have thick enough skin to withstand the onslaught of internet strangers

I’m not trying to throw a grenade into this thread, I’m just being honest about how I view this as a non-res. I know “opportunity” is a dirty word on this section of Hunt-Talk in particular, but for a non-resident who sees it vanishing at an alarming rate pretty much everywhere, it seems inevitable that it’s going to involve $$ soon.

I’ve come to the realization that I’m just going to have to learn to live with that as a new reality at this point if I want to keep hunting western states. Residents will have that moment soon enough too.

 

[rogerthat]

This is the part of the thread where if I were a NR applying for a general tag and thinking about hiring an outfitter, I would be setting aside that money for a private land lease in one of these 14 units next year.

Yeah no kidding. Maybe I should do that.

 

[Ben Lamb]

If you mean me Roger, fire away. I have thick enough skin to withstand the onslaught of internet strangers

I’m not trying to throw a grenade into this thread, I’m just being honest about how I view this as a non-res. I know “opportunity” is a dirty word on this section of Hunt-Talk in particular, but for a non-resident who sees it vanishing at an alarming rate pretty much everywhere, it seems inevitable that it’s going to involve $$ soon.

I’ve come to the realization that I’m just going to have to learn to live with that as a new reality at this point if I want to keep hunting western states. Residents will have that moment soon enough too.

There's a lot of importance to this post. Folks should think it through. He's not wrong.

 

[Gerald Martin]

If you mean me Roger, fire away. I have thick enough skin to withstand the onslaught of internet strangers

I’m not trying to throw a grenade into this thread, I’m just being honest about how I view this as a non-res. I know “opportunity” is a dirty word on this section of Hunt-Talk in particular, but for a non-resident who sees it vanishing at an alarming rate pretty much everywhere, it seems inevitable that it’s going to involve $$ soon.

I’ve come to the realization that I’m just going to have to learn to live with that as a new reality at this point if I want to keep hunting western states. Residents will have that moment soon enough too.

There's a lot of importance to this post. Folks should think it through. He's not wrong.

I’m thinking that if the FWP proposal is intended to be an extreme “shoot for the moon” bargaining chip to end up with transferable landowner tags as the end result, a Citizen’s Initiative may be the most durable defense to solidly establish that Montana residents don’t want our wildlife to become the property of large landowners to be distributed to the wealthy.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Yeah no kidding. Maybe I should do that.

In fact, I am pretty sure that I could broker access for six folks on a ranch big enough for everyone to shoot bulls if there were five NR’s willing to pay as much as they would an outfitter. Of course I’d get to hunt too and instead of payment my portion would be distributed among the other five guys.

$7500 per person should get us a decent lease.


This is the way it’s going to go down, if this passes.

 

[sacountry]

In fact, I am pretty sure that I could broker access for six folks on a ranch big enough for everyone to shoot bulls if there were five NR’s willing to pay as much as they would an outfitter. Of course I’d get to hunt too and instead of payment my portion would be distributed among the other five guys.

$7500 per person should get us a decent lease.


This is the way it’s going to go down, if this passes.

Why not 6 resident hunters? Crypto has been doing well. I'll pick up your portion as the broker.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Why not 6 resident hunters? Crypto has been doing well. I'll pick up your portion as the broker.

To the moon!!! I will start shopping.

 

[BirdManMike]

I cant imagine it would cost $37500/year for a lease on the vast, vast majority of ranches. Anyone know for sure going rates?

 

[Kiwi]

First, our property is far from wide open, and if someone bugs me about hunting their chances decrease the more they bug. That being said we had hunters just about every day from the first of Sept to the end of Nov. and somewhat north of 200 hunter days.
I am not interested in BM and it is likely I never will be.
I take your question as, What can we do to may landowners like me more interested in BM

Better law enforcement. Game wardens are underpaid and spread too thin in Montana. Last year the game warden near me moved on last spring and he still has not been replaced. Hard for FWP to convince landowners that they will take care of the slobs, trespassers and out right poachers when law enforcement is so lacking. On the other had the outfitter promises to handle all the unethical people and they are on your property almost every day.

Better management on public land. I take one look at what has happened to the deer herd and the damage to the roads on the Custer and say there is no way in hell that is happening on my place. I firmly believe that if hunters want better access to private land they are going to have to give up some opportunity.
I have had several outfitters solicit me for a lease, besides the the promise of better management is a selling point. If they are trying to sign me up with the promise of better management it has likely been a winner with other landowners.

Well I for one wouldn't bug you for access (even though I plan to hunt SW MT in Nov 22), but i can take you hunting in New Zealand if you want

 

[SAJ-99]

In fact, I am pretty sure that I could broker access for six folks on a ranch big enough for everyone to shoot bulls if there were five NR’s willing to pay as much as they would an outfitter. Of course I’d get to hunt too and instead of payment my portion would be distributed among the other five guys.

$7500 per person should get us a decent lease.


This is the way it’s going to go down, if this passes.

There is a large group of hunters (majority or minority) that are silent on this topic and think they are fine because they already do what you described. They better have a damn good relationship with the landowner or inflation is going to be serious problem.