Straight Arrow
Well-known member
Excellent comments. Please submit.
MT Shoulder Season Public Comment
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BuzzH
Well-known member
Ben,
Its a done deal, try all you want. I sent my comments in too, total trivia to the FWP.
Good luck tapping the brakes on the MFWP's fast-track to 90K elk.
Its pure fantasy to think the FWP and Legislature are ever going to take hunters seriously on reversing course on the EMP or sb42...we couldn't even stop the elk B-tags from happening.
Montana has lost all control of their wildlife...and I don't think there's any going back. No support from the Department, Legislature, Governor, or Commission...you're dead in the water.
Its a done deal, try all you want. I sent my comments in too, total trivia to the FWP.
Good luck tapping the brakes on the MFWP's fast-track to 90K elk.
Its pure fantasy to think the FWP and Legislature are ever going to take hunters seriously on reversing course on the EMP or sb42...we couldn't even stop the elk B-tags from happening.
Montana has lost all control of their wildlife...and I don't think there's any going back. No support from the Department, Legislature, Governor, or Commission...you're dead in the water.
brendog84cj8
Active member
I am planning on attending the meeting in Missoula tonight. I am pretty much in agreement with the comments above from John Nasset/airlocksniffer.
Question for those who have already attended a meeting..... Are they really saying they are going to allow cow hunting with rifles during the normal existing archery season?
Question for those who have already attended a meeting..... Are they really saying they are going to allow cow hunting with rifles during the normal existing archery season?
Straight Arrow
Well-known member
Presenters will be representing your region. Ask them directly and express your concerns.
Take notes and names, something I neglected to do in Bozeman. You may want to recall for future discussions.
Nameless Range
Well-known member
I think airlocksniffer's comments are excellent.
Yes, they are not allowing the shoulder seasons to take place on National Forest, but people still archery hunt private, DNRC, and BLM lands don't they? Leave your decoys at home.
Yes, they are not allowing the shoulder seasons to take place on National Forest, but people still archery hunt private, DNRC, and BLM lands don't they? Leave your decoys at home.
Big Foot
Active member
Per the Bozeman meeting region 3 will not have any rifle hunting during archery season but stated other regions are proposing allowing rifle hunting during the archery season. Which regions where not disclosed per my memory. Not limited to cows either, my understanding was that bulls will be huntable as well in some areas.
Thanks in advance for attending the meeting tonight.
brendog84cj8
Active member
Thanks for the feedback guys. I hunt mostly in region 2 and 4, bow and rifle. I really hope they don't allow rifle hunting at all during the archery season.
Saying that, I know that this whole situation is a way bigger deal than the rifle in archery season and I will be sure to express many of the points already laid out in this thread tonight at the meeting.
Saying that, I know that this whole situation is a way bigger deal than the rifle in archery season and I will be sure to express many of the points already laid out in this thread tonight at the meeting.
katqanna
Well-known member
I was in Conrad, western Region 4 and cows with rifles during archery were discussed. I pulled out my digital recorder at the beginning of the meeting, recorded the whole thing so there would be no misunderstandings of how it was being presented, as well as the mule deer either sex discussion.
You guys that have gone to meetings where shoulder seasons have been discussed, has there been pretty vocal opposition to them?
I'm really clueless as to what the general public wants on these. RMEF thinks the majority of their membership is in support.
I've gone to some meetings, but they haven't been in areas with shoulder seasons so the discussion hasn't came up. Now whether or not it's safe to eat wolf shit, I can discuss.
I'm really clueless as to what the general public wants on these. RMEF thinks the majority of their membership is in support.
I've gone to some meetings, but they haven't been in areas with shoulder seasons so the discussion hasn't came up. Now whether or not it's safe to eat wolf shit, I can discuss.
Helena was overwhelmingly against the SS as proposed.
airlocksniffer
Member
FYI, I tried to send my comment to this address and got a bounce back. Had to submit via the web portal.
http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/publicComments/2015/2016-17huntingSeasonChangesProposed.html
It happens once you get over 40. Extra P all over the place.
Straight Arrow
Well-known member
LOL .... and a few decades later, more frequently.
Spartan_Eric
Active member
It was 10 to 1 against the shoulder season in Billings last night. However, who knows how FWP will actually record and relay the comment information. Also, FWP has been very frank that rifle hunting will occur in archery seasons (supposedly with no hunter orange requirements) according to their proposal -- I was told that archery hunting was ineffective in producing the desired result of "dead elk" so rifle hunting during the archery season was needed.
At the a Billings meeting last night there was not one comment supporting the proposed shoulder season. 100 % against. Buzz is nuts on - this is gonna happen, it's going to be a mess and G&F are going to be good soldiers and get them elk numbers down to objective, the hell with biology and scientific data. Program to run for 4 years unless something drastic happens.
I don't think the general public knows enough to have any reasonable opinion. Most just figure it to be a season to get an easy cow and figure there are too many elk and if they don't whack 'em somebody else will.
I was kind of disappointed in the turnout. Probably 40 (give or take) John Q. Public and a dozen G&F personnel. G&F pretty much tried to answer all questions by steering them to
" Here in region 5 etc.". Region 5 is not much public land elk compared to private overall.
Every G&F answer had a comment about anything on private land will be controlled by the land owner. Some opinions I formed that I had not thought about previously were:
1) Big blocks of land or ranches that do not participate, let's just say Turner's or Wilk's as example will gain elk - the elk are going to go where they are safe.
2) Outfitters operating on private land will be able to book clients from Aug 15 thru Feb 15, non resident included.
3)I think this may alleinate some ranchers that do allow public hunting and are willing to participate in any shoulder season - 6 months of non stop phone calls.
I pretty much came away that "Shoulder Seasons" should be renamed to something like
"Cheek Seasons" (And I'm not referring to the set by your teeth".)
The Hedgehog
Well-known member
In the Bozeman meeting, there was one individual, who stood up, introduced himself as a landowner, stated he supported shoulder seasons, then walked out right after his comment. Every single other person that made comment was not in support, or did not speak up, other than asking questions regarding the obvious terrible points associated with the proposal.
Maybe I'm weird but full-on decimation and year round pounding with rifles doesn't seem like a good idea.
Maybe I'm weird but full-on decimation and year round pounding with rifles doesn't seem like a good idea.
Gerald Martin
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2009
- Messages
- 8,637
I submitted my comments to FWP and said I don't support shoulder seasons in any way shape or form. Not only that but that FWP needs to manage for more elk in Montana, not less.
Sorry for the guys that have genuine problems with elk, but I'm sure not going to support decimation and reduction of our herds just to help a few ranchers.
I'll be happy to go help them out next Sept., Oct., and Nov. though.
Sorry for the guys that have genuine problems with elk, but I'm sure not going to support decimation and reduction of our herds just to help a few ranchers.
I'll be happy to go help them out next Sept., Oct., and Nov. though.
BuzzH
Well-known member
The FWP is to blame for this. Its their recommendation.
All that the average hunter is hearing from the FWP is that elk are over-objective and here is your opportunity to kill a cow.
The FWP is charged with managing the publics wildlife resources and sadly the average Montana hunter trusts the FWP.
Big mistake on the part of the public.
All that the average hunter is hearing from the FWP is that elk are over-objective and here is your opportunity to kill a cow.
The FWP is charged with managing the publics wildlife resources and sadly the average Montana hunter trusts the FWP.
Big mistake on the part of the public.
