Non resident Landowner incentive.

[Ben Lamb]

It was, but sadly the damage was done. We'll be back at it again, Ben, and I look forward to working more closely with you and the MCEMC on it.

Any day Jake. Happy to be in the mix w/ you!

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Is it unsustainable for the resource? The B10 and B11 are capped. The B1 is capped at 10,000 and doesn't hit that mark. the NR Waterfowl subscription is larger than the others, but there is no shortage of ducks and geese, right?
It all goes back to season structure, as many have pointed out. The bills that have advanced this session are about measured cuts, with the understanding that the ensuing regulations around the next season have to comport. For example:

SB 281 directs the agency to sell no more than 2 B licenses to combo tag holders, or 1 to those w/o a combo tag. Follow this up with a quota of B tags in Regions 5,6,7 and you hit not only 90/10 split, but you keep those licenses lower by disallowing multiples being purchased from leftovers.

If we want to limit deer hunters entirely, then we get rid of the orphaned deer licenses that are turned in from the B10 and resold as B11's. That's led to a large increase in NR antlered deer hunters to the current level, which is roughly double the 6600 cap (4600 general B11, 2000 Landowner sponsored). But that's an almost $3 million hit to the general license account. Where does that get made up if it doesn't come from those licenses?

I'm glad I don't live in Montana anymore. My brain is thinking about exploding. If I lived there it would most definitely explode. Haha

 

[Ben Lamb]

I'm glad I don't live in Montana anymore. My brain is thinking about exploding. If I lived there it would most definitely explode. Haha

Real footage of Montanans figuring out how to untangle licensing:

 

[antlerradar]

Do you wear a cape?

I am thinking a flack jacket.

 

[cgasner1]

I think choking the non residents down like that is a great start would also like to see them have to draw that tag by region while we are playing this game. I believe doing something of that nature and a mandatory harvest report is a great place to start. We all feel like some serious changes need to take place and the state missed a huge opportunity to gather a lot of great information by not having the e tags set to do your harvest report while tagging out. I don’t know who you being to manage a resource that’s you’re not even sure how much is being taken. Guys that don’t wanna use e tags should have to sign into myfwp within 72 hours and report

 

[rogerthat]

I think choking the non residents down like that is a great start would also like to see them have to draw that tag by region while we are playing this game. I believe doing something of that nature and a mandatory harvest report is a great place to start. We all feel like some serious changes need to take place and the state missed a huge opportunity to gather a lot of great information by not having the e tags set to do your harvest report while tagging out. I don’t know who you being to manage a resource that’s you’re not even sure how much is being taken. Guys that don’t wanna use e tags should have to sign into myfwp within 72 hours and report

I would consider using the app if it reported harvests. I would like to see “harvested an old warrior troll” as one of the options for reporting my deer each year as well.

 

[cgasner1]

I would consider using the app if it reported harvests. I would like to see “harvested an old warrior troll” as one of the options for reporting my deer each year as well.

Then it doesn’t let you select a tine number that’s over 3 thought

 

[BuzzH]

I too prefer to make multiple cuts before measuring.

Let me know when you get that 10% License fee increase for Residents.

I want to walk in to the FWP office with my Resident family when the go to buy their deer and elk tags, sipping a $5 Venti Starbucks Mocha and say, "Wow, the Residents are going all out, the fee increase for deer and elk will almost pay for a Mocha".

 

[SwaggyD]

I would like to see “forkie with HUGE neck roasts” as one of the options for reporting my deer each year as well.

FIFY

 

[MTelkHuntress]

After reading multiple discussions here about raising resident license fees and the pushback that people talk about, I was still not prepared for what I've seen at some of the hearings. It is really amazing to see how quickly the idea of raising resident fees gets squashed at the legislative hearings (at least the ones I've watched).
I don't really understand it, to me it just seems like an investment in the resource and habitat that we should all care about.
As much as people hated the idea of pick your weapon, I do think it got more people talking about how to restructure our seasons and at least think about what we should do better.

 

[brockel]

After reading multiple discussions here about raising resident license fees and the pushback that people talk about, I was still not prepared for what I've seen at some of the hearings. It is really amazing to see how quickly the idea of raising resident fees gets squashed at the legislative hearings (at least the ones I've watched).
I don't really understand it, to me it just seems like an investment in the resource and habitat that we should all care about.
As much as people hated the idea of pick your weapon, I do think it got more people talking about how to restructure our seasons and at least think about what we should do better.

And usually those meetings aren’t your thanksgiving weekend hunter. Imagine the squealing from your Turkey day hunter if their deer tag went up even $10 more

 

[Elky Welky]

I don't really understand it, to me it just seems like an investment in the resource and habitat that we should all care about.

100% with you on this point. I have no objection to paying more into conservation as a MT resident, especially if it would help the department offset lost funding if they were to create limits elsewhere.

I'd be a bit of a hypocrite if I didn't support this idea.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Its wild to me that people actually bitch about raising resident tag prices.
Honestly if you can't afford $50 for a tag...u might want to evaluate your spending habits. That's 7.3 cents a day...I can find 7 pennies a day looking in gas station parking lots.

 

[TheJason]

Its wild to me that people actually bitch about raising resident tag prices.
Honestly if you can't afford $50 for a tag...u might want to evaluate your spending habits. That's 7.3 cents a day...I can find 7 pennies a day looking in gas station parking lots.

You’d be amazed at the vitriol that ensues when you suggest $20 elk tags, shooting mule deer in the rut with a rifle in a general tag, and 11 weeks of hunting for everyone isn’t a birthright.

 

[Ben Lamb]

You’d be amazed at the vitriol that ensues when you suggest $20 elk tags, shooting mule deer in the rut with a rifle in a general tag, and 11 weeks of hunting for everyone isn’t a birthright.

Been there. Done that. Got the sore sphincter.

 

[mtmuley]

Been there. Done that. Got the sore sphincter.

I don't think anything concerning Montana's wildlife is a "birthright". Anyway, Ben pardon my ignorance on the subject, but how does a license or tag fee increase become a reality? mtmuley

 

[DFS]

They might think it’s their birthright but when the wildlife are only on private it might not be an option.

 

[brockel]

They might think it’s their birthright but when the wildlife are only on private it might not be an option.

What’s bad is even the private is seeing the decline just not as quick as the public. Unless you’ve got a huge chunk of land that you can manage odds are those animals are hitting the public a couple times in our 12 weeks of hunting season and there’s plenty of people there just waiting

 

[BuzzH]

And usually those meetings aren’t your thanksgiving weekend hunter. Imagine the squealing from your Turkey day hunter if their deer tag went up even $10 more

That's the problem though, let them squeal all they want. If you double the license fees and half of the squealers drop out, how's that a bad thing?

Less crowded, same revenue, and better hunting....win-win-win.

 

[DFS]

I think there could be a lot of cuts to the department if nothing ever changes with conditions on the ground. In region 7 there are 4 biologists and 2 wildlife managers. They do a lot of flights and nothings changes off of counts. If wildlife management is static. Maybe we need to look to budget cuts to the department. Just trying to think outside the box. Other states are scrambling when populations go south ours just says everything looks good stay the course.

Is it unsustainable for the resource? The B10 and B11 are capped. The B1 is capped at 10,000 and doesn't hit that mark. the NR Waterfowl subscription is larger than the others, but there is no shortage of ducks and geese, right?
It all goes back to season structure, as many have pointed out. The bills that have advanced this session are about measured cuts, with the understanding that the ensuing regulations around the next season have to comport. For example:

SB 281 directs the agency to sell no more than 2 B licenses to combo tag holders, or 1 to those w/o a combo tag. Follow this up with a quota of B tags in Regions 5,6,7 and you hit not only 90/10 split, but you keep those licenses lower by disallowing multiples being purchased from leftovers.

If we want to limit deer hunters entirely, then we get rid of the orphaned deer licenses that are turned in from the B10 and resold as B11's. That's led to a large increase in NR antlered deer hunters to the current level, which is roughly double the 6600 cap (4600 general B11, 2000 Landowner sponsored). But that's an almost $3 million hit to the general license account. Where does that get made up if it doesn't come from those licenses?

Maybe we can make up that money other ways.