There's a state program here called "ranching for wildlife." The ranches sign up to the program, and get to host their paying hunters during the elk rut, using rifles. You can't do that on public land, the rifle seasons are after the rut.
In exchange, they have to allow a certain number of cows (set by CP&W) to be taken off their ranches by the general public, who get the tags through the draw.
That could work. Lots of cows are taken with those tags, on some places they're almost a sure thing.
This is the last thing Montana needs. If there are too many elk, the land owner should allow access during the ten weeks of hunting season. I would like to see damage hunts done away with all together.
