Wapiti Talk | Elk Hunting Forum | Elk Hunting Tips
 

Montana bill 143

Moderators: Swede, Tigger, Lefty, Indian Summer, WapitiTalk1

Montana bill 143

Postby steviek » 02 19, 2021 •  [Post 1]

Since we are talking about out of state licenses sales.

A new bill in the Montana legislature would guarantee up to 60% of all non-resident deer and elk tags to hunters sponsored by an outfitter. On Jan. 25 State Senator Jason Ellsworth of Hamilton introduced SB 143 and it was heard in the fish and game committee on Feb. 2.

This should take you to the bill.

https://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billpdf/SB0143.pdf

I don't hunt Montana...... So just informing. It might not mean much but figured it should be discussed here
User avatar
steviek
Rank: New User
 
Posts: 45
Joined: 09 18, 2013
Location: pa
First Name: Steve
Last Name: K

Re: Montana bill 143

Postby Indian Summer » 02 20, 2021 •  [Post 2]

60% was shooting for the stars. As the bill made it’s way through the system it’s already down to 39%. That’s already in tje neighborhood of the % of outfitted hunters so in reality while those hunters are getting a guarantee DIY hunters aren’t losing much.

The whole point of the proposal is so that outfitters can sign big property leases and know for sure that any hunters they book will be guaranteed to come hunt. It certainly helps public land outfitters too but MOGA caters to those private land guys and Montana is a ranch based state and government so you can always ask yourself what’s in it for those guys and you’ll probably find the answer.
User avatar
Indian Summer
Wapiti Hunting Consultant
 
Posts: 5247
Joined: 06 14, 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
First Name: Joe
Last Name: Ferraro

Re: Montana bill 143

Postby saddlesore » 02 20, 2021 •  [Post 3]

How does it help public land hunters?.

Colorado has no such law and outfitters get along fine.You book your hunt along with a deposit and if you don't draw, you either get your deposit back or the outfitter holds it until next season. The goverment is catering to private enterrprise and should be catering to the entire populace of hunters.Colorado caters to the ag community also, but only because much of the wintering range of elk and deer is on private land.
User avatar
saddlesore
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2162
Joined: 11 07, 2015
Location: Colorado Springs,CO

Re: Montana bill 143

Postby Lefty » 02 21, 2021 •  [Post 4]

saddlesore wrote:How does it help public land hunters?.
Colorado has no such law and outfitters get along fine.You book your hunt along with a deposit and if you don't draw, you either get your deposit back or the outfitter holds it until next season. The goverment is catering to private enterrprise and should be catering to the entire populace of hunters.Colorado caters to the ag community also, but only because much of the wintering range of elk and deer is on private land.

Squeaky wheel Alll too often


Kind of a side note, Utah has the Cooperative Wildlife Management units CWMU hunts, I think overall a good system,.. It has it's Pros and cons. Good management, serves large landowners well, guides on their property Units , and I think the little guy. I had a buddies dad kill a 393 bull their last family hunt on Deseret Land and Livestock
Montanas bill doesnt seem to hold much benifit for the public.


Cooperative Wildlife Management Units
Information about the CWMU program
The Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit (CWMU) program has opened more than two million acres of private land to the public. The program provides an abundance of benefits to the state's economy and its wildlife.
Cooperative Wildlife Management Units reference map
Landowners have incentive to keep their private range and forest lands as wildlife habitat instead of developing them, while sportsmen have more opportunities to take an animal, with fewer hunters to compete with..


I drew an antelope and cow elk management hunts. just incredible

Hunt# EB3514 - CWMU Bull Elk (2021)
Deseret
Weapon Type
Any Legal Weapon
Season Dates
Contact Operator
Draw Odds Report
Drawing odds report page
Waiting Period
5
Special Instructions
The Wildlife Board establishes timeframes for hunting on CWMUs. Hunters should expect to hunt at least five days within these timeframes.
Harvest Reporting
REQUIRED: click here or call 1-800-221-0659 to report your harvest. You must report your harvest, even if you did not take an animal, within 30 days of the season end date that is printed on your permit; failure to do so may result in you not being able to apply for big game species in subsequent years. Submitting teeth or other biological samples from your animal, or having your animal checked by a DWR representative or CWMU operator does NOT fulfill your mandatory harvest reporting requirement.
Population and Harvest Statistics
Percent Harvest Success (previous hunting season)
93.8
Big Game Annual Report
For more detailed information on population and objective data please see the Big Game Annual Report Page.
Hunt specific information
Biologist Notes
The Deseret Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit (CWMU) takes up parts of Weber, Morgan and Rich counties, with Rich county having the most area. The higher points on the Deseret CWMU are along Horse Ridge (8500 feet). On the west the Unit drops away to about 6400 feet in the south and 8000 feet in the north. On the eastside of Horse Ridge the Unit makes a less steep drop, dropping down to around 6400 feet in the north and 6800 feet in the south along the Utah - Wyoming state border. The most common elevation is 6400 feet but ranges from 6000 feet to 8700 feet with an elevation difference of 2700 feet. Fifty-two percent (52%) of the CWMU elevation ranges between 6800 feet and 7800 feet an elevation difference of 1000 feet.

The Deseret Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit (CWMU) is much larger than other CWMUs in Utah, therefore land cover is more diversified. About half (50%) of the land cover on the Deseret CWMU is Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe (62). Towards the northeast and at lower elevation, there are large areas of Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe (66). Thet higher elevations on the west of the Unit, mixed with Sagebrush Steppe are extensive areas of Rocky Mountain Aspen Forest and Woodland (22). At lower elevations towards the northeast are several patches of Agriculture (114) land. At minor extents are Southern Rocky Mountain Montane-Subalpine Grassland (71), Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland (48), and Rocky Mountain Gambel Oak-Mixed Montane shrubland (41).

One of the Deseret Cooperative Wildlife Mangement Unit (CWMU) nearest weather stations, WOODRUFF (429595), is about 10.5 km north from the north edge of the CWMU. WOODRUFF has one hundred eleven (111) years of records, 1897 - 2008. During the FALL (September, October and November) the average precipitation is 2.64 inches, but it can be as high as 5.18 inches or as low as 0.64 inch. During the 91-day FALL period, 15 days will experience greater than or equal to 0.01 inch of precipitation, 8 days of greater than or equal to 0.10 inch, or 1 day of the greater than or equal to 0.50 inch of precipitation. Snowfall during the FALL averages 8.7 inches but can be as high as 29.2 inches. FALL temperature at WOODRUFF averages 40.8 degrees F. but can be as high as 111.0 degrees F. or as low as -26.0 degrees F. During the FALL, 73 days will be below freezing (32 degrees F.) and 6 days above 90 degrees F.
Area specific information
Acres
240587
Land Ownership (available as a map layer)
http://wildcountryoutfitters.com/statehunts/
Operator information
Name: Tom Land
Phone: 801-791-6551
Email: tland22@msn.com
Best time to contact: business hours

Location
Counties: Rich, Morgan, Weber, Summit

Property size
An estimate of the property size and the public/private composition.
Acres
Private 225228
Public 15359
Common questions
Question Answer
Can I bring a guest? Yes. contact operator for exceptions
Can I hunt on Sunday? No.
Can I scout the CWMU before the season? No.
Are horses allowed? No.
Are ATV's allowed? No.
Is a guide service available? Yes. Some hunts are guided free of charge, some are optional
Do you offer a packing service? Yes. for a fee
Is lodging or food available? Yes. for a fee
Can I camp on the CWMU? Yes. only for some hunts
Is the CWMU handicapped accessible? Yes.
Are maps available? Yes.
Are any other activities offered on the CWMU? Yes. Contact operator
Are there any closed areas on the property? Yes. Around buildings and some areas to pronghorn hunting due to no pronghorn in the area
Rules of conduct
Contact operator for ranch rules and policies
Wounding policy - once an animal is shot and wounded, no other animal may be pursued or shot
No alcohol
No off-road travel with vehicles
Hunters must check in with ranch prior to hunting
No picking up or hunting of shed antlers
No fires
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H

Re: Montana bill 143

Postby Tigger » 02 22, 2021 •  [Post 5]

This will absolutely hurt DIY hunters. It is simple math. If you take a subset of applicants out of the draw and give them 100% odds, the remaining applicants odds of drawing go down. As more people apply (we know the trend is more applicants) the guided clients get their 100% tags and the rest of us fight for what's left. I have seen some analysis that the DIYers would be down to 31% draw odds if this goes through (based on 2020 stats). Funny how the outfitters ignored this point.

It has been amended now to a better form where 40% of the licenses are in an earlier draw that anybody can apply for. It carries a $300 more expensive application fee.

I watched the testimony in the Senate subcommittee. The amended bill passed out of the subcommittee on a pure partly line vote 7-4 (republicans are in the majority). there is a committee hearing in the House I believe tomorrow.

It is likely this bill gets amended again.
User avatar
Tigger
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 2420
Joined: 01 12, 2015
Location: Minnesota

Re: Montana bill 143

Postby Lefty » 02 22, 2021 •  [Post 6]

Tigger wrote:there is a committee hearing in the House I believe tomorrow.
It is likely this bill gets amended again.

Nows the time to strike.
Idaho Trespass law , and waterfowl guiding are both messed up,.. just like this years NR elk fiasco.



Anyway get in there and squared away
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H