Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Free range buff in MT?

Oh, and you guys fed the buff mineral in their cake. Common practice.

Cattle really like it as well. About $300/ton.

take it you havent tried to get back behind the Burke Ranch while they were out in the yard.....while not breaking the law they get real grumpy at you just following their fence line all the way back....or atleast they did several years ago when Darla and i were looking for a cow elk......

One of the Burke brothers made the paper the other day. It was a funny story.

Burke was surprised to be found by Search and Rescue because he thought the plan was for his family to not report him as missing unless he was out a few more days.

Burke was skiing when searchers found him and said it took him longer to make the trip than expected.

About 20 search and rescue crew members and helicopter were involved with the search efforts Saturday. Crews that night found Burke�s vehicle at the trailhead of the north fork of the Blackfoot River.

Non profit with deep out of state pockets and plans.

Bad idea for MT.

Sam,

Corner crossing will happen long before there are bison back in the breaks. You can take that to the fuggin' bank. Corner crossing will be a ballot initiative next session, and the citizens will pass it, no doubt.

Right now, the reason there arent more elk in the breaks, is due to political reasons and an elk management plan that sucks. It needs to be revisited, and herd objectives need to based on biological things like carrying capacity, herd health, etc. rather than landowner tolerance.

The MTFWP and the elk in the breaks are victims of a crap plan and an out-of-control legislature that is pi$$ing on every elk and every sportsmen in the state of Montana.

Payback is a real bit ch...and there will be one.

I find nothing I like in having to be a negative arsehole and unwilling to compromise on these issues. But I hate it even more that Sportsmen have taken an absolute beating the last 25 years in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, etc. As much as I'd like to compromise, I've found that sportsmen, wildlife, public lands, and public access have been "compromised" right into the dirt via those that arent willing to compromise chit on their end...I'm over it.

I do feel badly for the landowners, outfitters, sportsmen, and associated groups that really are willing to find some middle ground.

Its all or nothing anymore...and thats sad. If thats how the game has to be played, I'll play it all day long.

There is certainly plenty to eat out there, not at all sure what you're talking about. I have never once heard talk about too many elk. If anything I think the bow hunters wound a few more elk than anyone will ever acknowledge. Ranchers certainly aren't concerned with elk/deer competing for grass.



Payback for what?


I am honestly confused by your reply.


And as a side-note who hauled the elk back out to the north side of the lake way back when?

I've seen the pics out at an old place in those hills.

Sam,

Are you aware of the elk management plan?

Do you know the history of how and who had the influence over said plan?

Are you aware of the last 3 legislative sessions?

Its been a literal blood-bath for elk and a figurative one for sportsmen.

Sportsmen arent going to take that chit anymore...

to be fair Buzz where Sam's family runs cows is on the very east end of the Breaks where elk are a lil thinner on the ground.....guessing we arent having the beotching by ranchers bout elk as some places more west....

Buzz must be talking about landowners over in the mountains?

Which makes perfect sense for a liberal.
Payback/punish the Breaks ranchers with buff because landowners hundreds of miles away pissed Buzz off.


I just looked at cow elk tags for 631 and 632(where they want to put the buff....).

I have saved all the old regs from 2005-2012.

2005 cow tags for 632 was 30.

2012 cow tags for 632 was 30.

Same number....

2005 cow tags for 631 was 120.

2012 cow tags for 631 was 100.

Way less cow tags now!

Where are the big landowner pushed increases?

Not here and this is why I'm confused.


Buzz, what hunting districts saw the big increase in tags?



It kinda reminds me of gun control. Some kook in NH goes nuts so the libs use it as an excuse to screw with everybody else.


Using buff as a threat/payback, whatever you want to call it, is extremely childish. Hard to imagine a grown adult would even think like that.

Elk management plan
I-151
Landowners shutting down block management to protest FWP
MOGA trying to nix Newberg's RMEF board position
Legislature killing corner crossing bill
Test and slaughter bill for elk

How many times do you think landowners can kick MT sportsman in the face without expecting reprecussions?

I'm all for any bison relocation. Much rather run in to them while out and about than angus.

But yeah, we're being childish about it.

I�m not sure why the fencing thing is even an issue. If someone doesn�t want the Buff on their place THEY should build a fence to keep them out.

You going to pay for it?

Why do I have to pay for it? If the neighbors dog is chitting on my yard and I put up a fence to stop it, does the neighbor pay for it? Does the town? No.

I would rather see free-range corner crossings.

I would rather corner cross to go kill my free ranging buff

What do you think the price difference is between fencing your 1/4 acre to keep fido out VS miles of buff proof fence is?

Montana, like many western states, is a "fence out" state. Most of the state is "free range" with the exceptions of some urban and special use areas. If you don't want livestock on your land, whether they are privately or publicly owned, it is your responsibility to fence them out. If you don't have a fence and livestock wanders onto your property, you have no recourse in law against the owner(s).

A fair number of folks purchase land in these western states not realizing this. They often become indignant or even disbelieving when they find out that keeping the neighbor's livestock off their property is their responsibility. In New Mexico, where I live, if you harm an animal that wanders onto your property either intentionally or inadvertently, you are liable for damages. This applies to livestock that you may hit on the highway, too.

Pertinent read-

http://www.mtbullypulpit.org/2013/02/broke-down-buffalo.html

Exactly my point.

I do not know anything about the Montana plan but if they were looking at putting buffalo next to ground I owned I would be fighting it.