Potsted 12/13/03
Elk limit might rise to 2
By Steve Moore of The Associated Press
HELENA — There is an increasing need to boost Montana's elk harvest, and game managers say one way would be to implement a two-elk quota for some hunters, especially in
western and southwestern areas.
‘‘We need to reduce the elk population numbers, and we
prefer doing it during the regular season,'' Jeff Herbert told the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Commission Thursday.
The goal is to use a combination of over-the-counter licenses for a second elk and changes in antlerless elk permits to result in a larger kill during the five-week season, generally from the last week of October through the Sunday following Thanksgiving Day.
In one scenario, a person who purchases a $16 general elk tag could purchase a second for another $16 and legally kill two elk, with certain restrictions.
Herbert, assistant administrator of the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks' wildlife
division, said there also would be an emphasis on expanding
additional either-sex elk hunting in many districts at the start of the general season.
Among other things, Herbert said the proposed changes might increase the success percentage of elk hunters and provide greater flexibility for landowners. He told commissioners the
current antlerless elk permit
system is ‘‘not being as effective as expected.''
In some cases, permits in
various hunting districts might be cut back and then offset with what might be called an ‘‘elk B tag,'' similar to the ‘‘B'' tags issued for a second deer.
‘‘The intent is to make the elk harvest go up,'' Herbert said, acknowledging there are still areas of uncertainty in the plan.
Commission Chairman Dan Walker of Billings said he was concerned about the cost of the second elk tag, at $16 for
residents, compared with the
$3 fee people now pay to enter the drawing for elk permits.
‘‘I don't want to be inundated by people complaining about the extra $16,'' he said.
Herbert said he was
uncomfortable drawing parallels, but many surrounding states charge as much or more for a single elk tag as Montana would for two.
Walker also said he was concerned about the perception the change to a two-elk system might lessen interest in applying for special elk permits through a drawing. Herbert said the drawing system would generally remain in place.
In an interview, Herbert said the proposed change ultimately might have a spinoff benefit of simplifying hunting regulations in some areas and spreading hunting pressure.
The discussion came during the department's presentation of its tentative big-game regulations for the 2004 seasons.
The approved tentative proposals will now be opened to public comment, including meetings throughout the state's seven hunting regions. They will be completed at the commission's February meeting.
Commissioners split 3-2 in approving a tentative proposal to impose a five-year waiting period on successful hunters who received special elk permits in districts where the application rate greatly surpasses the number of permits available.
Herbert said 42 individual hunting districts fall into that category, the bulk of them east of the Continental Divide. The success rate of permit holders also would be a factor.
Walker said he supported a statewide five-year waiting period, not the three-year wait the department suggested.
Commissioner Michael Murphy of Wolf Creek said he opposed any waiting period. ‘‘It's just one more limitation to what we can and cannot do,'' he said.
Commissioner John Brenden said he also opposed the waiting period. ‘‘It's just more restrictions all the time,'' he said.
Commissioner Tim Mulligan of Whitehall said he would like to put the proposal before hunters. ‘‘I'd like to see what the public thinks,'' he said.
John Lane, a commissioner from Cascade, joined Walker and Mulligan in supporting the plan.
Commissioners on Friday also:
Gave final approval to a settlement between landowners for floating along a 60-mile stretch of the Smith River, Montana's most rigorously regulated river. Commissioners were told that only nine people attended November meetings in Helena, Great Falls and White Sulphur Springs, about equally divided between those supporting and opposing the plan;
Approved a Legislature-ordered plan to abandon entrance fees for Montana residents to all state parks, effective in January;
Tentatively approved overnight camping fees of $7 for any party including at least one person with a valid fishing license, $12 otherwise, at the Thompson Chain of Lakes, between Kalispell and Libby.
Elk limit might rise to 2
By Steve Moore of The Associated Press
HELENA — There is an increasing need to boost Montana's elk harvest, and game managers say one way would be to implement a two-elk quota for some hunters, especially in
western and southwestern areas.
‘‘We need to reduce the elk population numbers, and we
prefer doing it during the regular season,'' Jeff Herbert told the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Commission Thursday.
The goal is to use a combination of over-the-counter licenses for a second elk and changes in antlerless elk permits to result in a larger kill during the five-week season, generally from the last week of October through the Sunday following Thanksgiving Day.
In one scenario, a person who purchases a $16 general elk tag could purchase a second for another $16 and legally kill two elk, with certain restrictions.
Herbert, assistant administrator of the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks' wildlife
division, said there also would be an emphasis on expanding
additional either-sex elk hunting in many districts at the start of the general season.
Among other things, Herbert said the proposed changes might increase the success percentage of elk hunters and provide greater flexibility for landowners. He told commissioners the
current antlerless elk permit
system is ‘‘not being as effective as expected.''
In some cases, permits in
various hunting districts might be cut back and then offset with what might be called an ‘‘elk B tag,'' similar to the ‘‘B'' tags issued for a second deer.
‘‘The intent is to make the elk harvest go up,'' Herbert said, acknowledging there are still areas of uncertainty in the plan.
Commission Chairman Dan Walker of Billings said he was concerned about the cost of the second elk tag, at $16 for
residents, compared with the
$3 fee people now pay to enter the drawing for elk permits.
‘‘I don't want to be inundated by people complaining about the extra $16,'' he said.
Herbert said he was
uncomfortable drawing parallels, but many surrounding states charge as much or more for a single elk tag as Montana would for two.
Walker also said he was concerned about the perception the change to a two-elk system might lessen interest in applying for special elk permits through a drawing. Herbert said the drawing system would generally remain in place.
In an interview, Herbert said the proposed change ultimately might have a spinoff benefit of simplifying hunting regulations in some areas and spreading hunting pressure.
The discussion came during the department's presentation of its tentative big-game regulations for the 2004 seasons.
The approved tentative proposals will now be opened to public comment, including meetings throughout the state's seven hunting regions. They will be completed at the commission's February meeting.
Commissioners split 3-2 in approving a tentative proposal to impose a five-year waiting period on successful hunters who received special elk permits in districts where the application rate greatly surpasses the number of permits available.
Herbert said 42 individual hunting districts fall into that category, the bulk of them east of the Continental Divide. The success rate of permit holders also would be a factor.
Walker said he supported a statewide five-year waiting period, not the three-year wait the department suggested.
Commissioner Michael Murphy of Wolf Creek said he opposed any waiting period. ‘‘It's just one more limitation to what we can and cannot do,'' he said.
Commissioner John Brenden said he also opposed the waiting period. ‘‘It's just more restrictions all the time,'' he said.
Commissioner Tim Mulligan of Whitehall said he would like to put the proposal before hunters. ‘‘I'd like to see what the public thinks,'' he said.
John Lane, a commissioner from Cascade, joined Walker and Mulligan in supporting the plan.
Commissioners on Friday also:
Gave final approval to a settlement between landowners for floating along a 60-mile stretch of the Smith River, Montana's most rigorously regulated river. Commissioners were told that only nine people attended November meetings in Helena, Great Falls and White Sulphur Springs, about equally divided between those supporting and opposing the plan;
Approved a Legislature-ordered plan to abandon entrance fees for Montana residents to all state parks, effective in January;
Tentatively approved overnight camping fees of $7 for any party including at least one person with a valid fishing license, $12 otherwise, at the Thompson Chain of Lakes, between Kalispell and Libby.
