South East Montana - Custer National Forest

[The Hedgehog]

When you consider the Hunt SE MT infomercials are being blasted to Randy's near 50,000 facebook "fans", 22,000 instagram "followers", 27,000 youtube subscribers, you might realize this is more than a slip of the tongue at lunch with a buddy about a hunting spot, or even a noticeable background in a hunting TV episode.

And the hashtags are a nice touch.. #visitsoutheastmontana #MYsemt #HUNTsemt

It's too much Randy. Your plan to continue doing this everywhere you go, is truly a shitty one.

 

[Festus]

I get what you all are saying, and I feel the pain too, but this has been going on long before Randy... Eastman's - 340,000 FB fans, Huntin' Fool - 150,000 FB fans, for example. That's just a 2 min facebook search - not counting Instagram, the magazines, and weekly emails, etc...I don't know how many times I've heard "unit X is ruined this year, Eastman's wrote an article about it. Made it a Blue Chip unit". We got Gritty Bowmen, Full draw film tour, Elk 101, and 2 dozen others that do podcasts and videos and elk hunting schools and seminars, and online courses or whatever scenario you find the most helpful.

The tight-lipped hunter is not Montana specific by any means, either. My family and friends and everyone I know would give you a kidney easier than telling where they killed that 'big 130" buck' last year. Of course, there aren't a million hunters coming from out of state looking for a spot, it's worse - it's 1 million resident hunters (in PA) all looking for that new spot! These are friends and neighbors! All my life, I have found, lost, and moved on from hunting spots. Even private land (heck, mostly private land) where I've helped all summer with cattle and fence and hay for permission to hunt, just to have the neighbor guy and his 2 sons get permission cause his wife carpools with the farmer's wife.

I've been hunting out west for several years now, and it's the same thing. Just when you think you 'found a honey hole' the next year is over run with guys. Happened to us again this past archery season in Montana. 4-5 miles from the trailhead, saw over 40 bulls and only 2 guys in 11 days of archery hunting 2 years ago. This year, people and camps crawling all through it. Saw more people than elk. It reminded me of opening day of buck season back in PA (minus the orange).

Short story long, this is not a 'new issue' and it is way bigger than Randy (no offense, Randy). I look at it this way, I know 2 places that I won't be this year...

I personally love what Randy does because I feel like I can relate to him more than the Huntin' Fool crowd, or the Eastman's articles, or the Camo twitterer guy.

 

[grandejuan]

I 'm troubled by the idea that Randy is some sort of evil overlord whose grand plan is to destroy all hunting in SE Montana. Its obviously not true. What is true is a very significant number of hunters feel the management "scheme" used by FWP is at the least not working for their benefit or that of the wildlife. If Montana is like most states, FWP is funded mainly by license revenue with no general fund income (may be incorrect, please tell me if so). FWP needs hunters to keep its employees employed. It seems to me that Montana resident hunters have some tough choices here, substantially raise the fees they pay and severely restrict NR hunters by draconian rate increases and far fewer tags, or do both and go to a draw system for both residents as well as the "damned foreigner". FWP, to me, has crossed the tipping point where more/most of its revenue comes from NR licenses. I may be wrong again so feel free to flame me. The resident licenses need the same kind of draconian increases that the NR will see. Without loads of hunters blanketing the state under the present system FWP can't exist. Money talks and bullshit walks. You folks have to decide! FWIW from a pesky outsider. GJ

 

[8andcounting]

The Fwp won't do a thing about it . They manage for "opportunity" and ��

 

[8andcounting]

Money

 

[Addicting]

Just as easterner heading west again after a 20 year break, I thought this needed a "newbie point of view"

As far as Randy"s videos I greatly appreciate that help, it led me to this site where I gained a lot of knowledge on doing a DIY hunt. But as far as giving a way the "spot" by sharing too much information, that wasn't the case for me. I made own my decision on where to hunt by first calling each biologist and warden. Second, I put out feelers on this Forum. Third I studied google earth hunt maps. That led me to contacting ranger stations and land owners. Then I sought advice thru PM's on here before I chose 3 spots to focus on. By the looks of it I have a pretty decent shot of hunting some great private, not because of Randy, but because I did homework, made a lot of phone calls, and got great advice from this forums members. To me that is the message he is putting out. Not hunt area 3 or 7 because he did.

Thanks to everyone who helped me along the way, Tony

 

[grandejuan]

My question is "Why don't you do something about it?" I saw the video of the crowd at the capitol over public lands. Perhaps its to much to hope that the resident hunters would rise up and demand any significant increases in their tag fees or even to separate them and charge for each species tag individually. Probably kidding myself. GJ

 

[Oak]

It would suck to have one of my favorite spots pumped up to the masses. Has happened with the hunting consulting magazines in the past. Randy's public lands advocacy far outweighs in importance any negative impacts he might have on one of my hunting areas.

If I had a problem with something Randy was doing, I'd pick up the phone and talk to him rather than slinging mud on his website.

 

[Big Fin]

Hmmmm....

My observation here might be completely out in the weeds, but I'll provide it anyhow. I find it ironic that when we promoted the unlimited OTC deer opportunity and dove/quail hunting in southern Arizona, even showing signs of Yuma and Patagonia, during August of 2016 and January/February of 2017, in the same manner we did about SE MT deer hunting, I never heard a negative peep from the Montana crowd. Not a single negative comment from the MT crowd on all those YouTube videos, FB posts, IG posts, and Hunt Talk thread. I did hear a few positive comments from the MT crowd and it was more like, "That's cool, I need to try that someday" or a derivative thereof. I find it peculiar that the Montana folks were all ears about the additional opportunities that could be had in January when it is cold and frozen here, yet, when we promote a very large general area of a deer hunt in a state that is already capped for NRs, the world is coming to and end. But, me finding peculiarity to that contrasting response might just be in how I perceive it.

When we talked about Central Wyoming elk hunting, Central Montana elk hunting, SW Montana mule deer, Eastern NV mule deer, West Slop Colorado OTC elk, Southeast Alaska bear, Western ND mule deer, and a huge list of other places where we've hunted and given general locations, none of the Montana crowd had a problem with that. Or if there ever was negative feedback, it didn't get to me.

What is confirmed to me is that being on the receiving end of new ideas/opportunities seems to create a far different response by the consumer of the content we produce compared to their response when we share information that someone might have already been aware of.

Time to disinherit the Federal Treasury. Carry on ...

 

[mtguy]

If you want to complain about NR tags being to expensive in MT - Don't Come
If you want to complain about how the FWP manages MT's wildlife - Don't Come
Funny thing - Montana was doing just fine before you read "The Big Sky" or watched some tv hunting personality touting how great MT is.

 

[grandejuan]

mtguy,

They aren't expensive enough. Your resident tags are ridiculously cheap. Have the balls to stand up and support FWP and really pay for it instead of letting NRs cover for you. You want control, then be willing to pay the price. GJ

 

[teamhoyt]

If you want to complain about how the FWP manages MT's wildlife - Don't come

I'm Already here! And I'm going to complain about the Fwp management when its deserved. In my opinion when it comes to deer and elk and antelope in most cases it's deserved. The Only reason that there is any tiny bit of sustainability on deer is the locked up land. Without these sanctuary areas we would shoot every single deer and then wonder what happened. I Love the long seasons and liberal tag structure however I could damn sure get behind limited quota, pick your sex/species. A free reign that can potentially put every single tag holder in the state in one unit is NOT management

 

[8andcounting]

If you want to complain about NR tags being to expensive in MT - Don't Come
If you want to complain about how the FWP manages MT's wildlife - Don't Come
Funny thing - Montana was doing just fine before you read "The Big Sky" or watched some tv hunting personality touting how great MT is.

1. Montana needs NRs to come for several reasons. 2. The problem is the Residents, not the NRs . 3. Tags are too cheap for residents. 4. residents are the ones over running "your spots" .

 

[double_a85]

I find it ironic that when we promoted the unlimited OTC deer opportunity and dove/quail hunting in southern Arizona, even showing signs of Yuma and Patagonia, during August of 2016 and January/February of 2017, in the same manner we did about SE MT deer hunting, I never heard a negative peep from the Montana crowd. Not a single negative comment from the MT crowd on all those YouTube videos, FB posts, IG posts, and Hunt Talk thread. I did hear a few positive comments from the MT crowd and it was more like, "That's cool, I need to try that someday" or a derivative thereof. I find it peculiar that the Montana folks were all ears about the additional opportunities that could be had in January when it is cold and frozen here, yet, when we promote a very large general area of a deer hunt in a state that is already capped for NRs, the world is coming to and end. But, me finding peculiarity to that contrasting response might just be in how I perceive it.
.

I was one of those MT guys inquiring about hunting Arizona in January. As a MT hunter that has never hunted out of state, the thought of heading down there is quite intriguing, and planning on doing it in 2018. I would have never thought of it without Randy's videos. I am sure there are out of staters who feel the same with Randy's videos about MT. I see no problem with Randy promoting each state the way he does.

It seems this site has went from people helping each other and sharing stories to constant whining and bickering back and forth.

 

[8andcounting]

quote (It seems this site has went from people helping each other and sharing stories to constant whining and bickering back and forth. )

Bingo, cuz trophy hunters like greenhorn and his poor son who didn't get "HIS" deer because another guy (ON PUBLIC LAND) shot the deer. get over it . People have gotten so competitive , they have to have a bigger buck or bull then the other guy. Its unreal how obsurd some people act during hunting season . That's why they call it the silly season people simply lose their minds over a critter . Its "their" deer. Unreal. Randy is a great help and I appreciate everything he does.

 

[jmcd]

When you consider the Hunt SE MT infomercials are being blasted to Randy's near 50,000 facebook "fans", 22,000 instagram "followers", 27,000 youtube subscribers, you might realize this is more than a slip of the tongue at lunch with a buddy about a hunting spot, or even a noticeable background in a hunting TV episode.

And the hashtags are a nice touch.. #visitsoutheastmontana #MYsemt #HUNTsemt

It's too much Randy. Your plan to continue doing this everywhere you go, is truly a shitty one.

^^^^This. Can't believe Greenhorn is the only one smart enough to see it. Eastman's, Huntin Fool, and yes Good ol Randy are just sellouts willing to pimp your hunting spots for a few bucks/free Howas/Leupold Glass. Mt Public land hunting is a shitshow and only going to get worse. Better all hurry out and get while you can.....

 

[mtguy]

mtguy,

They aren't expensive enough. Your resident tags are ridiculously cheap. Have the balls to stand up and support FWP and really pay for it instead of letting NRs cover for you. You want control, then be willing to pay the price. GJ

GJ - let me get this straight. If the NR tags went from 10% to 1% of total, you feel us whining, sniveling, Montana's wouldn't willingly pay more for our resident tags? Laughable! I can't speak for everybody, but i know I would and almost everybody I associate with, would as well.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I'd pay $37 to lock this thread.

 

[grandejuan]

jmcd,

I wish I had your gift of looking into people's souls and reading their motivations. I await your evaluation of mine. If hunting in Montana is "a shitshow" you live in Montana, why don't you do something about it. its really easy to throw rocks not so easy to solve the problem. Fight for it. GJ

 

[tjones]

I'd pay $37 to lock this thread.

Save your money and just don't click on it.