Goosemaster
Well-known member
I saw a lot of out of state hunters in 2022. Way too many.
MT Non Residents Bill
- Thread starter Robertp
- Start date
I have seen an increase in hunters in the last couple of years. People brag on the internet and telling everyone how to hunt MT. One guy does an internet show and goes through every step on camera of a MT bird hunt. This bill will do nothing. The only thing to do is lower bag limits 1 pheasant a day, 2 sharptails a day, 2 Huns a day. Protect the birds or in 5 years it wont matter they will be gone. Just look at every other state.
AKSkeeter
Well-known member
If only roosters are legal, increased hunting pressure would not impact the pheasant population.
Hunter success is impacted by hunting pressure as huns and roosters learn to flush at 100 yards, sharptails learn to flush at 200 yards.
By mandating a 28-day non-resident license, would not substantially impact hunting pressure.
Delaying the season for non-residents by 2 weeks after the opener for residents would reduce hunting pressure.
Having a weekday-only 5 day non-resident license ($100 for each week) would reduce hunting pressure.,
with residents only hunting weekends.
Alaskan swamp collies
Well-known member
I agree. Right now I skip the first couple of weeks of pheasant season because of the crowds. I do know many professional trainers come for the early sharp tail and hun hunting and stay for the first few weeks of pheasant season. Give the residents some alone time will help with th crowding.
Goosemaster
Well-known member
I agree with that.2 per day, and raise the fees.Get rid of outfitters, and these pay hunting places!!
So many guys dont even eat the birds I have had lots of people trying to give me there birds at the campground. It makes me wonder how many wind up in the garbage in the end. The government should really approach this in a way to protect the birds for years to come. Better to make a little less for a lot longer that to kill the golden goose for short term profits.
MABELS BIRD
New member
Some of you people don't understand, hunting has no or very little impact on Pheasant population. Lowering the limit does nothing, one tough winter, like their having now can really effect population, but one spring with perfect conditions can give a huge boost. As we have seen lately letting the government..... I will just leave that one alone... I have a cabin in eastern MT, and with the decisions to eliminate the Russian olive trees that the feds have been doing, who by the way planted them with our tax dollars, has done more to change the landscape of Pheasant populations than anything. This is a major food and cover source for winter, and the birds I shoot in November and December have crops full of these berries. Wyoming and Idaho both have season licenses, North and South Dakota have 5-14 day licenses no cap, means you can buy as many as you like. Raise the license fees, give residents first 2 weeks, have grouse and hun separate license, break it up into zones like Wyoming does. I primarily hunt November and December, I see very few if anybody late season. This bill will not solve anything, and I for one will never submit any info to their phone surveys again. I do wonder if they are including the big game combos as effective bird licenses or is the info from strictly stand alone non res bird license.
If you increase the number of hunters you will increase the number of birds killed I think this matters. I have heard people say that hunting has no effect on the population I just dont buy it. A lot of birds killed and then a bad winter or two and a loss of crp and other habitat and Montana will be like the east coast. The goverment will tell us there are lots of birds but there wont be. In NY for example the DEC says there are wild pheasants in some areas but no one has seen them they also say Quail are abundant I think they have an 8 bird limit but no one has seen a quail in years. I just hate to see MT go this way. A lot of people are making money off the birds, license fees, hotels, camping, food , gas etc. Thats the reason they dont want it to change. Look at the states that use to have a lot of birds.
MABELS BIRD
New member
mmmm, what states are you referencing? When I think of great Pheasant hunting, I'm sorry but NY state doesn't enter my time zone. Have you ever lived in a small town before ? Those towns need the economic boost that hunting and fishing brings in. Do you know that 50% of the roosters are killed in the 1st 2 weeks of the season? You want great Pheasant numbers you better have good habitat, low predator numbers and good weather during hatching season. Hunting pressure is so cyclic in Montana, when numbers increase, pressure increases, same when numbers drop, pressure drops, and this reflects all species. I remember in the 90s in eastern MT you could literally kill, between antelope and deer, I think 7, there were hunters everywhere. A couple of bad winters and poof game was gone and so did the pressure and as the game came back so did the hunters. I have been hunting eastern MT for 35 years, lived in Malta for 10, it would be absolutely impossible to wipe out the Pheasants by hunting. My point from the beginning is that this bill will do nothing to solve the problem of to many non res hunters vs residents, btw the guy who is orchestrating the bill is from western MT.....
carptom1
Well-known member
Unfortunately with the internet overcrowding will continue to be an issue when a state is up and others are down it doesn’t matter how far you have to drive. It is a sickness that only knows one cure. I will agree to a point that pressure has little to do with long term populations as long as the other positives are there. I remember watching caravans of SUV’s and dog trailers in Western Kansas when things were hot. Opening weekend you needed traffic lights on some gravel roads. The locals hated it ( unless they were spending money at their business). It all sounds like bureaucratic crap to me. A couple slow years and they will move on to a new state. Maybe back to Kansas 
really doubtful
really doubtful
carptom1
Well-known member
I think they are going to kill him soon
remy3424
Well-known member
I think it might be time to end their saga. It will be interesting to see how they end it. They could have a forward spin-off with that one. I did enjoy the 1883 series, for singers, I thought Tim did great and Faith, with little experience acting other that music videos, to my knowledge, was fine too. The next one 1923 or whatever, with Harrison Ford....I just had a hard time with him in that role.
Goosemaster
Well-known member
It wouldn't bother me if it went to two.Im not greedy. This past season, there were out of state hunters in remote places.
gimruis
Well-known member
Strictly in terms of roosters, no, it doesn't. Harvesting roosters has no effect on the population. Hens are what keeps the population going year after year. Some even argue that roosters crowd out hens in the winter for the best available cover.
If you have hens and habitat, the population will survive. And if you get good nesting and mild winters, numbers will thrive. That is regardless of how many resident or non-resident hunters you have.
AKSkeeter
Well-known member
Looks like the 14-day non resident license made it through committee
as well as eliminating the provision for non-resident college students.
This reverses the bill the governor signed in 2021;
HB 467 “f the state the student is a resident of does not offer a discount to a Montana resident attending college there, the rate remains at half the normal rate. But if that state offers a resident rate to nonresident college students, a student from that state may purchase a hunting or fishing license at Montana resident rates.”
I wonder how this will effect non-residents military stationed in MT.
Will this change?Active-duty military members who are stationed in Montana for at least 30 days may purchase a resident hunting license. In addition, active-duty military members who are Montana residents but stationed elsewhere may purchase a resident hunting license.
as well as eliminating the provision for non-resident college students.
This reverses the bill the governor signed in 2021;
HB 467 “f the state the student is a resident of does not offer a discount to a Montana resident attending college there, the rate remains at half the normal rate. But if that state offers a resident rate to nonresident college students, a student from that state may purchase a hunting or fishing license at Montana resident rates.”
I wonder how this will effect non-residents military stationed in MT.
Will this change?Active-duty military members who are stationed in Montana for at least 30 days may purchase a resident hunting license. In addition, active-duty military members who are Montana residents but stationed elsewhere may purchase a resident hunting license.
Golden Hour
Well-known member
When I first read the article, the 50% increase in hunters over the past few years was noticeable. Then I see that the total number of non-residents is still less than 10,000.
A state and her citizens have to do what they feel is best when it comes to management of their wildlife.
A state and her citizens have to do what they feel is best when it comes to management of their wildlife.
Alaskan swamp collies
Well-known member
Personally I am surprised it took this long. Many of us have run into nonresident hunters that have spent 6 weeks or more in the fall in eastern MT. I'm told that the professional trainers bring large dog trailers to take advantage of the early season and large amounts of land. The locals have a right to be upset. Now that I am retired I can spend more time hunting than just 2 weeks so it is only fair for me to pay more. I already do that in ND and SD. It will probably happen in the other pheasant states eventually. It is a limited resource and the residents should have priority.
Bob Peters
Well-known member
Hey come to MN, there's no time limit on non-resident licenses.