MT Non Residents Bill

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Robertp

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Doesn't really seem like that many hunters but I have never hunted there. Any state on opening weekend seems busy MN, ND, SD, IA and assuming MT.

According to Fish, Wildlife & Parks data, nonresident upland bird hunter numbers have increased 50% in the last five years, climbing from 6,300 to 9,800. Of these, 81% hunt one to seven days, 12% hunt eight to 14 days — so 93% under 14 days — 6% hunt 15 to 30 days and 1% hunt more than 30 days.
 
Hunt1GSP said:
Plan doesn’t make any sense to me. They want to limit it to 28 days but less than 1% hunt more than 30 days. So what am I missing??
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You, Sir, have discovered one of the keystones of "political action." They have acted decisively by enacting a law which changes nothing.. or certainly nothing that offends any political donors for their continually on-going solicitations for campaign funds.

And so it goes...


(K. Vonnegut)
 
Hunt1GSP said:
Plan doesn’t make any sense to me. They want to limit it to 28 days but less than 1% hunt more than 30 days. So what am I missing??
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It was changed after the first hearing. The original bill called for a 14-day limit for non-resident upland hunting.
 
Mt long has had a very generous upland season. A lot of professional trainers have taken advantage of that with the result being trailers of dogs showing up in September and staying through pheasant season. The loss of CRP has concentrated hunters in a smaller area. Fact where 25 years ago you could find areas all to yourself now it is much harder. The first couple weeks of pheasant season can be a zoo in the better areas. They are trying to address that without pissing off certain groups. This bill won’t accomplish much but it is only the start. Do all these big dog trailers get the attention of the locals with kids and one half trained dog oh yah and I can’t blame them. As a nonresident bird hunter in MT I fully expect to have further limitations on my hunting in MT and can’t say that I blame them.
 
A couple observations
I doubt the wealthy guys in their $500,000 motor homes are going to care about purchasing multi $100 licenses same for out of state folks with vacation homes in Montana and professional trainers who are out their training clients dogs.
It's shocking they would propose to exclude other Montana residents whom live in another region of the state
Especially with the ad at the bottom trying to recruit more hunters
 
Robertp said:
A couple observations
I doubt the wealthy guys in their $500,000 motor homes are going to care about purchasing multi $100 licenses same for out of state folks with vacation homes in Montana and professional trainers who are out their training clients dogs.
It's shocking they would propose to exclude other Montana residents whom live in another region of the state
Especially with the ad at the bottom trying to recruit more hunters
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Not sure what you mean about excluding Montana residents. This bill doesn’t affect residents, regardless of where they live in the state. I agree that it won’t have much of any impact on non-residents that have the time and money.
 
Just a proposal

"Rep. Rhonda Knudsen, R-Culbertson, spoke in opposition to the bill after residents in her region called opposing the measure. They cited possible economic loss if fewer hunters ate in cafes, bought groceries, stayed in hotels and purchased gasoline.

She later said residents visiting northeastern Montana should also be considered nonresidents since they don’t live in the area. She suggested limiting all hunters as a solution to crowding."
 
Robertp said:
Just a proposal

"Rep. Rhonda Knudsen, R-Culbertson, spoke in opposition to the bill after residents in her region called opposing the measure. They cited possible economic loss if fewer hunters ate in cafes, bought groceries, stayed in hotels and purchased gasoline.

She later said residents visiting northeastern Montana should also be considered nonresidents since they don’t live in the area. She suggested limiting all hunters as a solution to crowding."
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Oh yeah. I listened to the hearing and had to laugh when she made that remark. Her comment appeared to be off the cuff, and born out of frustration. She never offered it as an amendment to the bill, and it merely seemed to be a verbal lashing.
 
So, are they going to put a max days I can hunt or do like SD and make me buy multiple licenses per season.
 
Bill is a joke, I have been hunting MT for over 30 years, lived there and had to relocate for family purposes. I only see major non res hunting opening weekend. I agree the residents from the western part of state should also be put in this bill. I never even see residents in December hunting birds.....
 
Hunt1GSP said:
Plan doesn’t make any sense to me. They want to limit it to 28 days but less than 1% hunt more than 30 days. So what am I missing??
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Seems like the bill addresses a perceived human hunter crowding problem, not a bird population problem.
By allowing non-residents to hunt 28 straight days, would the bill substantially solve a perceived hunting pressure problem?

Why not delay openers for non-residents by 2 weeks?
Why not issue 5-day non-resident bird licenses that are valid only on weekdays?
If the problem is hunting pressure, reduce hunting pressure by having resident-only days or resident only-weeks.
 
I'm not sure if it is still this way but years ago if a nonresident drew a deer tag they got an upland license to go along with the deer license. I remember running into several people who deer hunted mornings and evenings and bird hunted during the day. It is crowded on block management land the first couple of weeks of pheasant season, has been for years. By the third or fourth week it settles down. Of course by then the birds have wised up and the hunting is much harder but much more fun.
 
You just might see a limited time line to hunt and a seasonal possession limit.(n) They will get creative to discourage non-residents.
 
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Wind River said:
You just might see a limited time line to hunt and a seasonal possession limit.(n) They will get creative to discourage non-residents.
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The seasonal limit on pheasants is 3 I believe. I do know some people spend several weeks hunting. Short term licenses like ND and SD are probably in the near future.
 
Last year I hunted from October thru mid January in Montana (renting for the winter)
I paid $407 for 2023 non-resident:
Service Fee $11.09
Total Amount Paid $407.09
Purchased items for License Year - 2023
1 CONSERVATION LIC W/ $0.25 SEARCH AND RESCUE DONATION $10.00
1 MIGRATORY BIRD $50.00
1 MBHIP - MIGRATORY BIRD HARVEST INFO $0.00
1 UPLAND BIRD SEASON $110.00
1 OUT OF STATE CONSERVATION PERMIT $100.00
1 OUT OF STATE BIRD STAMP $111.00
1 BASE HUNTING LICENSE $15.00
 
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