Free: Contests & Raffles.
What’s changed is the speed and availability of information on the bma’s and other public land, the internet and go hunt et al explaining every detail, Montana resident population booming, onx revealing all the public blocks big and small, everyone yacking about it to their buddies when they get home, podcasts and videos hyping it up detailing areas and habitats, most the good private (most of which is leased or family/friends only) being refugia for the herd, and a severe drought that further pushed animals into said prime habitat. The resource can’t sustain a 5 week rifle rut hunt with long range rifles, spotters, and cell phones. Still decent opportunity, especially for those used to hunting in Washington, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and every other state you see represented over there. But to those that have been going for more than a few years, the writing is on the wall as the decline is very apparent. Be sure to watch all this years u tube videos on people whacking animals, high fivin, making their buck and getting free swag off the back of the resource. We are our own worst enemy. In a few years when you can’t draw a tag, please don’t complain. Rant over
Plain and simple fact of the matter, their gonna have to “pick a weapon”, stop the cheap “Montana native tags”, for starters…
Quote from: 257 Wby Mag on November 24, 2021, 10:19:14 PMPlain and simple fact of the matter, their gonna have to “pick a weapon”, stop the cheap “Montana native tags”, for starters…. Agree! Your either a resident or your not. Steep non-resident license tag cost increases will be next. Massive increase in interest and applicants along with massive heavy inflation is an equation for non-res tag cost increases. And I believe they will be substantial. Might cut non-res quota and increase tag costs and not loose any revenue.
Quote from: 257 Wby Mag on November 24, 2021, 10:19:14 PMPlain and simple fact of the matter, their gonna have to “pick a weapon”, stop the cheap “Montana native tags”, for starters… You mean stop the non resident native tags and come home to hunt tags? What does that fix? Those are meant to keep family hunting camps and traditions alive and a lot of those hunters do have access to private family property and don’t add pressure to public. Getting rid of those tags to sell to other non residents just makes Montana more money it doesn’t help the deer or crowding. full disclosure My wife and I can get them but I have not bought one recently because my son and I have to go at random times and it’s hard to plan around other family. We also hunt a different place than family still living in Montana these days. I can see your point with some form of choosing a weapon but most non resident hunters go over once for rifle season already but it would spread out all the new resident hunters. For mule deer they should probably go with a shorter season ending 11-1? and draw for late season. I would personally hate that but it would really help the mule deer, I think the whitetail will bounce back quickly .I grew up in Montana hunting in the 80’s to early 90’s and it’s unreal how much it has changed but the regulations are exactly the same today as they were then. Montana does probably have some painful changes to make unfortunately but getting rid of non resident native tags is not one of them. That just seems like jealousy that someone born in the right state gets a better deal 😂😂 All the better western states have issues right now the first being WAY too many NEW RESIDENTS. The second is social media promoting western hunting and making it the thing to do. Now everyone from the Midwest and east want to hunt out west. Not a problem for the state but a problem in getting a tag
Quote from: idaho guy on November 25, 2021, 05:07:40 AMQuote from: 257 Wby Mag on November 24, 2021, 10:19:14 PMPlain and simple fact of the matter, their gonna have to “pick a weapon”, stop the cheap “Montana native tags”, for starters… You mean stop the non resident native tags and come home to hunt tags? What does that fix? Those are meant to keep family hunting camps and traditions alive and a lot of those hunters do have access to private family property and don’t add pressure to public. Getting rid of those tags to sell to other non residents just makes Montana more money it doesn’t help the deer or crowding. full disclosure My wife and I can get them but I have not bought one recently because my son and I have to go at random times and it’s hard to plan around other family. We also hunt a different place than family still living in Montana these days. I can see your point with some form of choosing a weapon but most non resident hunters go over once for rifle season already but it would spread out all the new resident hunters. For mule deer they should probably go with a shorter season ending 11-1? and draw for late season. I would personally hate that but it would really help the mule deer, I think the whitetail will bounce back quickly .I grew up in Montana hunting in the 80’s to early 90’s and it’s unreal how much it has changed but the regulations are exactly the same today as they were then. Montana does probably have some painful changes to make unfortunately but getting rid of non resident native tags is not one of them. That just seems like jealousy that someone born in the right state gets a better deal 😂😂 All the better western states have issues right now the first being WAY too many NEW RESIDENTS. The second is social media promoting western hunting and making it the thing to do. Now everyone from the Midwest and east want to hunt out west. Not a problem for the state but a problem in getting a tag1 word; Kansas and the Dakotas Sleeper states, only 50’ of elevation gain across two states and mule deer a plenty.
Quote from: cbond3318 on November 25, 2021, 05:49:12 AMQuote from: idaho guy on November 25, 2021, 05:07:40 AMQuote from: 257 Wby Mag on November 24, 2021, 10:19:14 PMPlain and simple fact of the matter, their gonna have to “pick a weapon”, stop the cheap “Montana native tags”, for starters… You mean stop the non resident native tags and come home to hunt tags? What does that fix? Those are meant to keep family hunting camps and traditions alive and a lot of those hunters do have access to private family property and don’t add pressure to public. Getting rid of those tags to sell to other non residents just makes Montana more money it doesn’t help the deer or crowding. full disclosure My wife and I can get them but I have not bought one recently because my son and I have to go at random times and it’s hard to plan around other family. We also hunt a different place than family still living in Montana these days. I can see your point with some form of choosing a weapon but most non resident hunters go over once for rifle season already but it would spread out all the new resident hunters. For mule deer they should probably go with a shorter season ending 11-1? and draw for late season. I would personally hate that but it would really help the mule deer, I think the whitetail will bounce back quickly .I grew up in Montana hunting in the 80’s to early 90’s and it’s unreal how much it has changed but the regulations are exactly the same today as they were then. Montana does probably have some painful changes to make unfortunately but getting rid of non resident native tags is not one of them. That just seems like jealousy that someone born in the right state gets a better deal 😂😂 All the better western states have issues right now the first being WAY too many NEW RESIDENTS. The second is social media promoting western hunting and making it the thing to do. Now everyone from the Midwest and east want to hunt out west. Not a problem for the state but a problem in getting a tag1 word; Kansas and the Dakotas Sleeper states, only 50’ of elevation gain across two states and mule deer a plenty. They are on my radar now! 😂
Feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't there a new law signed this year to benefit outfitters? As a result of the law the state created a 1 time only addition of 3000 nonresident tags for the 2021 season. Could be why so many nonresident vehicles were spotted.
