Montana Senate Bill 136

[npaden]

I know several of you had this listed on your "bad" list, but I've been checking on it and it is now showing "Became Law" as the current bill progress.

Looks like I will need to start making plans for a hunting trip back home in 2012. Of course this is coming on the heels of a very bad winter so not sure what kind of quality hunting would be available by then.

The final version ended up with the price set at 4 times the resident price so it would be a considerable savings over the $900+ deer/elk combo tag.

I wonder if anyone has actually worked up any kind of reasonable numbers to know how many folks this will affect. If there are several thousand folks who can buy the deer and elk tags over the counter at 4 times the resident price who otherwise may have been buying the combo tag that will make it even more likely that the combo tag will end up a 100% draw for many years to come and maybe even jeapordize it selling out after the draw.

From a 100% selfish perspective I'm happy about the posibility of doing some more hunting in Montana, but there sure are a LOT of unknowns on how this is going to affect things.

Looks like it just applies to Deer A tag, Elk General Tag, Upland Game and Fishing. Too bad you can't buy a bear tag or maybe a wolf tag for 4 times the resident price. That might help the resource withstand the additional pressure that is going to come from all the folks like me that moved off but are too cheap to pay the $900 for the combo tag.

I haven't heard much about this yet, seems to be a WAY better deal than the "Come Home to Hunt" version and it seemed to get quite a bit of press. Of course it had limits on number of licenses sold and the resident actually had to go out in the field with you. With this, as long as my brother stays in Montana I'm golden. Or until they change this law.

Not trying to stir the pot, but I'm curious what some of you guys think.

Nathan

 

[Bambistew]

I think it will be a pretty sweet deal. I don't think all the "Come Home to Hunt" tags sold out last year, so I'm not sure how many were affected. What will make it nice is if I have spur of the moment trip to MT during the season I can pick up a tag and have at it.

 

[Ben Lamb]

The final version ended up with the price set at 4 times the resident price so it would be a considerable savings over the $900+ deer/elk combo tag.

I wonder if anyone has actually worked up any kind of reasonable numbers to know how many folks this will affect. If there are several thousand folks who can buy the deer and elk tags over the counter at 4 times the resident price who otherwise may have been buying the combo tag that will make it even more likely that the combo tag will end up a 100% draw for many years to come and maybe even jeapordize it selling out after the draw.

From a 100% selfish perspective I'm happy about the posibility of doing some more hunting in Montana, but there sure are a LOT of unknowns on how this is going to affect things.



I haven't heard much about this yet, seems to be a WAY better deal than the "Come Home to Hunt" version and it seemed to get quite a bit of press. Of course it had limits on number of licenses sold and the resident actually had to go out in the field with you. With this, as long as my brother stays in Montana I'm golden. Or until they change this law.

Not trying to stir the pot, but I'm curious what some of you guys think.

Nathan

Nathan,

FWP's fiscal note indicated that they thought it would to approximately 6,000 new hunters to MT. What that does to the NR Combo, or anything else, no one is sure. No one is even sure how many folks will take advantage of this new tag either.

If folks flock to the state using this license, then I would imagine that an effort to place a cap on it will come forward. If it turns out only a few hundred use this, then I'm not sure what will happen.

We shall see, I guess.

 

[BuzzH]

Even though I'd feel guilty, and dont like it...I'll be taking advantage of this one.

 

[shoots-straight]

I would love to hold duel residency status. If I move to Alaska, I'll have 2 of the best states to hunt each year.

 

[DavidKeenan]

That would be a good deal if I was born in Montana. Oh well keep in the drawing.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Theoretically, it could increase your odds of drawing a NR tag.

 

[Goldtip]

I'm with Buzz, although I understand the dislike for the bill, it will benefit me and I will take use of it.

 

[Big Fin]

As more people learn about this program, I suspect MT will undersell by a bigger number next year than what was the undersell level this year.

 

[Bambistew]

I would love to hold duel residency status. If I move to Alaska, I'll have 2 of the best states to hunt each year.

Alaska sucks. Its dark all the time, the winter starts in September and ends in June. Its expensive to hunt anything, uh... very few animals, fishing is over rated. Don't waste your time or money with this place, one you move up here its too expensive to leave, thats the only reason I'm here.

Looks to me like if you weren't born there you're SOL. Got to love the Montana 'natives' for this part of the bill. Now if they'd just allow me to be included in the resident pool for the big 3 draws I could die happy.

"a birth certificate verifying the applicant's birth in Montana or documentation that the applicant was born to parents who were residents at the time of birth"