MT Legislature - Week 5

[Ben Lamb]

HB 309 is the anti-access bill

Lawnboy, one of our biggest concerns on this is that once you start having the legislature deciding season setting structures, you will always get away from the science and social aspects from the folks on the ground. This really is an end run around the Commission, and the North American Model.

There's plenty of opportunity to harvest cows in those areas, but it was presented as a "biological issue" from those in support. Killing bulls while being outfitted (the supporters were all outfitters) doesn't do much to help the reduction in herd size. People may not like the way FWP handled the situation, but they already have recourse. They can petition the commission to look at the issue again, as well as work with their local biologists to get a more suitable hunt instituted.

Going to the legislature to fix season structure is a really bad precedent to start.

 

[Drake4]

HB 309 is the anti-access bill

Got that...I was asking about the preference point bill that you referred to as HB 373..just wondering if that was the right number?

 

[wingman1]

What's the problem lawnboy ? Are you all worked up because its likely you won't draw an archery permit this year. If the trends for our Hd stay on the exponential path they have been on, the numbers should be at 3000 applicants this year. Time to move on to other places that have not been discovered.

I think preference points is the fair way to go.

 

[wingman1]

What's the problem lawnboy ? Are you all worked up because its likely you won't draw an archery permit this year. If the trends for our Hd stay on the exponential path they have been on, the numbers should be at 3000 applicants this year. Time to move on to other places that have not been discovered.

I think preference points is the fair way to go.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Sorry, late night. HB 372 is the preference points bill.

 

[Drake4]

Thanks Ben.

 

[Lawnboy]

What's the problem lawnboy ? Are you all worked up because its likely you won't draw an archery permit this year. If the trends for our Hd stay on the exponential path they have been on, the numbers should be at 3000 applicants this year. Time to move on to other places that have not been discovered.

I think preference points is the fair way to go.

No we are still pretty much a guarantee on our first choice if we put that as archery. I just don't see the rationalization of limiting tags when elk numbers are through the roof. I like to put in for the rifle as my first choice and archery second. I would just like for someone to explain why the other units had to fall under this nonsense of tag limitation when it obviously has nothing to do with over crowding in our district.

 

[BuzzH]

I think one way that the commission could handle the over-objective units is to ONLY allow bull hunting every other year...the years in between bull hunts...cow only.

There would be no reason for a landowner to lock people out if controlling cows and reducing the herd was really what they want.

 

[Lawnboy]

I don't think most landowners are concerned about herd numbers as much as they are concerned about damages and reimbersment. It does seem logical to think that if you're going to complain about numbers then you need to be willing to allow someone to come in and reduce them (cows).
I always thought that this tag limitation was due to over crowding of hunters(in the Breaks oringinally) and not herd reduction. As a non landowner I'm mad because FwP has reduced opportunity for no apparent reason in certain districts. Like I said before it seems the two groups are trying to strong arm each other and the one that loses is Joe hunter.

 

[Ben Lamb]

HB 309 is coming up shortly on the Floor of the House. Listen here

 

[Ben Lamb]

House votes 55-44 on second reading to weaken stream access

 

[EasternMTHunter]

Truthfully I don't have a problem with controlling the numbers up in the Breaks. I do think its helped make the experience more positive. The only confusing thing I would say about it is that I see way more non-resident tags than Montana tags when we are up there. Since we are there several weeks all the way from the beginning of the season until the end (archery) I'm not sure as to why there are way more than 10% of the people from out of state. I do agree that the outfitters are truely only concerned with the bulls and their pockets and not with controlling the population.

I also agree with not liking the fact that they restricted the other distrcits out here. If I don't draw my Breaks tag, my only other choice to hunt elk with a bow is on the other end of the state.

 

[wingman1]

House votes 55-44 on second reading to weaken stream access

What does this vote mean? Not looking good for stream access?

 

[Ben Lamb]

It means the bill advances to 3rd reading, after passing second reading. Not good for stream access. Not good for sportsmen and sportswomen.

Bitterrooters stood up and supported stream access today. Send a note of thanks for voting no, and ask them to keep it up!

 

[tjones]

Listening to the second reading of HB 309 you can sure get a good feel for just how heavily controlled the House is by the Ag. industry.

We need to keep hammering!

 

[RockyDog]

thanks to you guys that are fighting HB309.

this is exactly what i expected on election night last November Montanans voted for republicans, many of them extreme, to take over the legislature and now we watch as our rights and freedoms are handed over to the land barons.

As a person who enjoyed accessing many sections of public land via stream channels, i truly think HB309 sucks the big one. When you cant access a certain stream or chunk of public land after HB 309 passes, you can thank Jeff Wellborn (R-Dillon).

Maybe i wouldnt be so bitter about this if all i cared about was sitting home playing with my automatic weapon.

 

[drahthaar]

I see my legislator Mark Blasdel voted yes as well. Hmmmmm. So did Reichner, and Regier.

 

[shoots-straight]

thanks to you guys that are fighting HB309.

this is exactly what i expected on election night last November Montanans voted for republicans, many of them extreme, to take over the legislature and now we watch as our rights and freedoms are handed over to the land barons.

As a person who enjoyed accessing many sections of public land via stream channels, i truly think HB309 sucks the big one. When you cant access a certain stream or chunk of public land after HB 309 passes, you can thank Jeff Wellborn (R-Dillon).

Maybe i wouldnt be so bitter about this if all i cared about was sitting home playing with my automatic weapon.

Make sure you sent that message to all the reps in the Root. Everyone on here needs to notify their reps and let them know you'll vote down anyone who voted for this bill.

 

[shoots-straight]

Lawnboy, I'll add this for you to think about. The FW&Ps commission voted this in, to address the outfitter's leasing all the good private lands around the CMR. If you don't limit residents then you can't limit NR, by Montana Law. The fact that they picked high enough numbers to give all residents a tags speaks volumes. Why would you be for anything that helps to mitigate some of the leasing problems, and gives Resident hunters less competition from the NR, and outfitters?

The objective numbers were set to socially acceptable numbers from the Ag community. They picked 2000 head, when there was 4000. There was 2700 at last count. I don't think I would use those numbers to support my position.

I don't have much of a dog in this fight, because I hunt the Western part of the state. It actually hurt us a bit, because some of the NR hunters that didn't draw, came west last year.

 

[wingman1]

thanks to you guys that are fighting HB309.

this is exactly what i expected on election night last November Montanans voted for republicans, many of them extreme, to take over the legislature and now we watch as our rights and freedoms are handed over to the land barons.

As a person who enjoyed accessing many sections of public land via stream channels, i truly think HB309 sucks the big one. When you cant access a certain stream or chunk of public land after HB 309 passes, you can thank Jeff Wellborn (R-Dillon).

Maybe i wouldnt be so bitter about this if all i cared about was sitting home playing with my automatic weapon.

Your always playing with your automatic weapon! LOL