Population Growth and Hunting in Rocky Mountain States

[DouglasR]

I don't ski a lot but another dentist here in our office says that bridger bowl is already a Zoo. Says you have to wait in line and all that. Have you skied there before? I have a couple of times a quite a while ago but don't remember really

How you gonna try to hold down Mt then dis bridger tho?

 

[SAJ-99]

I am half Native. My mother's side is Crow. My father's side were the original loggers that I was referring to. My Dad was in Logging for 25 years until too many tree huggers moved here and shut that down. The whole economy of the town that I grew up in tanked. Therefore the people there had to adapt to these people moving here.

I just had to puke out what I know a lot of people in MT are feeling. I wouldn't say I'm "pissed". I can just see what is on the horizon. MT is headed towards what Utah and Colorado have become as far as cost and hunting opportunity for resident's.

You have a very self-centered view of the problem and a myopic perspective of the solution. I guess everyone is entitled to an opinion. If your idea had been in place, you would have had to drive to WY to make that post.

 

[DouglasR]

This is how I felt when I was in Montana.
This is Montana.

 

[DouglasR]

@BlazerBeam
Do you ever boulder at the spire?

 

[The Hedgehog]

@BlazerBeam
Do you ever boulder at the spire?

He used to crossfit at bigsky barbell, but now does a rip at the pit.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

@BlazerBeam

MT... welcome to 2021 in America?

Montana has been a bit above the national average home price since 08' but it's trended with the national average.

So yeah screw the outsiders... who are apparently moving to... everywhere?

@MTGomer how's the CA invasion down south... apparently it's even worse than MT. You don't complain enough, please contribute enough to the angst... free loafer.

 

[MTGomer]

@BlazerBeam



@MTGomer how's the CA invasion down south... apparently it's even worse than MT. You don't complain enough, please contribute enough to the angst... free loafer.

View attachment 180484

They're thick as thieves, but it keeps me busy with work.
It's less noticeable, atleast to me, in Arizona than it is in Montana. 20 Californians in Philipsburg is noticeable. 20,000 of them in Phoenix isn't. I'm as much of a fan of the transplants that hit the ground bitching and trying to change the place they just moved to as Blazer is, but I think most people that move to places like Montana aren't like that. It's just that we notice the ones that are.
There's a lot of idiot Montanans that were born in Montana. I know alot. Share some DNA with a few.

If you think complaining more would be advantageous, I'll give'er my best.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Greenhorn and DouglasR I don't follow? I see that those places are in Bozeman, which I am never in Bozeman. Are you two transplants to Montana? Live in Bozeman?

I transplanted to Bozeman in '86, from Froid, where i grew up. My grandfather was born in the bedroom I grew up in. I really like Bozeman. I mean, it kicks the absolute shit out of living in Billings.

 

[SAJ-99]

I don't follow you? why would I drive to Wyoming to make a post about rapid influx of people into MT?

Growth of population means economic growth. You may not like the side effect of more people in you outdoor spot, but without growth you don't get the benefits of the advancement that society makes. You want cell service and high speed internet, and high quality healthcare, and all those things you probably utilize in your daily life. You only get those if it is economic for companies to do it. Which is why isolated parts of MT don't have them. You can try to live in the mountains like a hermit, but there are costs.

 

[RobertD]

I think most people that move to places like Montana aren't like that

I think this point gets way overlooked. People are quick to assume that every immigrant is a California colonizer looking to ruin new territory. A ton of people leave Cali because they dislike it as much as anyone else does...

 

[Pucky Freak]

A couple of things for people who are thinking about flocking here to remember:
1. Just because you also like elk hunting does not mean you and I and other native Montanans are alike.
2. You are probably more like the people from the state you're coming from than you are like someone from My state, even if you think you're not.
3. Because you are more like the people from you're current state, native Montanans often have to be the ones to adapt to you and not the other way around. I've seen this so much over the years
4. We don't want you here

I’ll save my “welcome” for in person when I move in to your neighborhood.

 

[SAJ-99]

Look, I understand that there are benefits of growth. It has just been accelerating too fast in the past few months, in my opinion. I apologize for being so harsh in my original post.
I met my wife in MT, who is a transplant from the East Coast, so I guess I better watch what I'm saying. But my frustrations still remain that I used to be able drive to a trailhead and be the only one there, now there are 20 rigs everywhere.

I think a lot of us share the frustration. The way I look at is is like the economics of a Gym membership. I want everyone to join and become a member, but would prefer they not actually go to the gym. Maybe the last year is like a January in my gym membership analogy?

It gets hard to define who "we" is in your comment about not wanting people. Who has better perspective on MT? Big Fin as a transplant because he moved to MT 30yrs ago or the 20yr old guy who is a "native Montanan" because he born here? Where is the line drawn?
Like I said, I think a lot of us who live here share your frustration at times, but so do those who live in CO and UT and AZ and CA and see people moving there. We need to work together to make the pie bigger.

 

[mtmuley]

I transplanted to Bozeman in '86, from Froid, where i grew up. My grandfather was born in the bedroom I grew up in. I really like Bozeman. I mean, it kicks the absolute shit out of living in Billings.

I transplanted from Shelby to the Root in 1975. But hey, everybody in the Root is a transplant. mtmuley

 

[D_Walt]

I've read every post of this thread and I just want to share what a lot of my friends, family, and work associates who are natives to my state are feeling:

My family has been in Montana as trappers and loggers, then teachers, and now various healthcare professionals since the late 1800's. I can say with all my heart, that we don't want you here from wherever you are coming from, no matter what your "values" or "political views" or "love of hunting and the outdoors" is. We don't care about what you think you will do for our economy or what business you will bring, etc. You (yes, YOU) are going to be one more piece of firewood (do they even have that where you come from?) thrown on the fire of increasing costs, reduced opportunities, and overcrowding of both rural communities as well as "cities" in Montana. My parents live in a very rural town in MT and people from out of state are buying properties there, site unseen, for twice what they were worth a year ago. I live in Billings, and am watching growth daily! My neighbor is a realtor and she tells me how many properties she is selling every day to people from out of state. WHY! More people coming here at the rate that they are will ruin our amazing state regardless of what their mindset or intentions are. You are better off enjoying Montana and other western states as a nonresident than you are flocking here like sheep and subsequently driving up costs, pressuring wildlife, limiting opportunities, crowding towns and cities, etc. All of which will lead to implementation of legislation that will make our state much less desirable to live. Many Montanans feel this way. Exceptions are perhaps those, who themselves are already transplants.
The only solution I would propose is to tax the hell out of people who want to move here. A one time entry tax to make them cover the increase in tax revenue that will be needed for such a rapid increase in population. This will both discourage such rapid growth as we are now having as well as provide some benefit to the people that already live here. It would also keep property prices from creeping up if, for example, Joe Blow who sells his 1200 sqft house for $800K in California and moves to Montana to "work" remotely has to spend a big chunk of that on his entry tax rather than offering 35% over an asking price on a property here. I also feel that people who live in Montana should be employed in Montana or provide some sort of good or service to Montanans. None of this working from home for a company in Silicon Valley B.S. because doing that, you're really only taking up space.

A couple of things for people who are thinking about flocking here to remember:
1. Just because you also like elk hunting does not mean you and I and other native Montanans are alike.
2. You are probably more like the people from the state you're coming from than you are like someone from My state, even if you think you're not.
3. Because you are more like the people from you're current state, native Montanans often have to be the ones to adapt to you and not the other way around. I've seen this so much over the years
4. We don't want you here

I certainly can understand your sentiment, Texas has been flooded with newcomers of all kinds the last 20 years, our population has increased 50% since 2000. We’ve been absorbing the nations refugees from California and other s@$tholes for a long time. Just the way it is...you can fight it (which you will lose) or try and get some of them to at least understand what the “native culture” is all about. No one responds well to being told “f-you, go away”. The history of the world is almost entirely made up of people moving to a perceived better place...

 

[hank4elk]

Folks here in my area are mentioning all the CA plates in the last year. Funny,I've seen 10x's as many TX plates.
Same folks will complain about newcomers and then take the cash for the land,truck or food. Guide them.
Cry about no jobs,when they would never show up in the 1st place.

Controlled growth has always been a topic for me as a former builder.
I left CA when I was overcome by newbies, with attitudes.

 

[HighDesertSage]

I certainly can understand your sentiment, Texas has been flooded with newcomers of all kinds the last 20 years, our population has increased 50% since 2000. We’ve been absorbing the nations refugees from California and other s@$tholes for a long time. Just the way it is...you can fight it (which you will lose) or try and get some of them to at least understand what the “native culture” is all about. No one responds well to being told “f-you, go away”. The history of the world is almost entirely made up of people moving to a perceived better place...

Lol, ever been to Ruidoso, NM? How bought Cloudcroft? Don't forget Montrose/Gunnison/Crested Butte.

 

[D_Walt]

Lol, ever been to Ruidoso, NM? How bought Cloudcroft? Don't forget Montrose/Gunnison/Crested Butte.

You misunderstand sir. When I go to recreate in another state and shoot their game animals on tags I am by God entitled to, that is just me living the American dream. When other a-holes come to my state they are interlopers bent on ruining me and mine (though my living is largely based on the newcomers $$). I spend 2 or 3 weeks/year in Crested Butte...the irony is not lost

 

[hogcarpy]

Hate to bring this up but sad.

I was meeting with an owner of a very very large construction company in Denver, Co in 2019. I mentioned that my father lived in Bozeman, I spent a lot of time there, and hoped to retire there one day. His exact comment was..."I hate to say it but in 5 years Denver will be San Francisco and Bozeman will be Denver in 20 years."

 

[jlmatthew]

Some folks should just be thankful they’re state has only grown by 400,000 (Montana) the last 50 years. California has grown by 20 million during that same period. I’m sure just about everyone who was born and raised in a western state, me included wants it to go back to the way it was 30-40 years ago, but it ain’t gonna happen.
Should we argue about who’s family has been in America longest now? My wife’s family on both sides have been in Pennsylvania since it was a British colony. I’m sure they could bitch about all the Ellis Island newbies using some folks logic?
When Mr “my family has been here in Montana since the late 1800’s” served in the military, did your uniform have a Montana name tape or US whatever service?
Just curious cause my uniform had US Army on it, and if my memory serves me right, Montana is a US state, correct me if I’m wrong?

 

[mtmuley]

I've learned not to mention being a native Montanan here, much less multi generational. The ones that aren't don't like it. mtmuley