Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Montana guide hunting licenses permits ?

so is Montana going back to the slippery slope by allowing guides so many big game licenses again for their client`s and rancher`s want these guides to be allowed to have them again. so now the public land hunter will get ripped off again ? WTF if this true

They’re tryin Pete, see if passes

boy i sure hope it don`t ! not good for the public hunter , glad for your answer too ! thank you much,Pete53

I'm watching how this turns out as well. Apparently some states seem to think giving more tags to the outfitters is going to "force" the DIY hunter to use a guide. I know of at least 1 DIY hunter that won't be doing that. I'd speculate there will be leftover tags and total revenue will drop if this passes.

I would like to see it not pass. I doubt there will be any leftover tags, the current demand is at an all time high.

I’d speculate there will be leftovers also from the guide pool. This is purely a bunch of BS. Montana residents already voted this out some years ago and now the outfitters are trying to bring it back. I have no problem with someone using/hiring an outfitter/guide but they shouldn’t get handouts because of it. Draw a tag like everyone else and then if you choose to hire someone so be it.

^^^^ THIS ^^^^ so true

In many of my years hunting, I could barely afford NR licenses much less an outfitter. By the time I had the resources to use an outfitter, I had heard so much BS and tales of woeful performance of outfitters that I would not even consider it. I have no problem with those who do nor have issues paying trespass fees. If that’s the way Montanans want it, have at it....

Well looks like it passed the committee with an addendum to 39% of the tags. Hope it dies on the senate floor.

Hi, I have about 45 years in Montana and the outfitters rule with the license issue. And the impact or outfitters applies the resident hunter too.

Looks like they did away with the quota, looks like wanna raise non resident combos $300.

Article from the Billings Gazette. I know the guy who is President of the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association. He seems like a stand up kind of guy.
https://billingsgazette.com/outdoor...08e4364-b398-51bd-bc32-a45c389e94e2.html

Be curious to see how many folks will pony up the scratch. I’ll be in.

Yah, me too. I haven’t been hunting in Montana since 2003. The land I had access to hunt then has been sold and was not allowing hunting last I checked. A friend who owned a large piece along the Yellowstone east of Big Timber passed away a few years ago and I haven’t been back out there. In all honesty, I don’t know where to go anymore or have good contacts in MT, so I guess it’s Colorado and Washington for me. Happy Trails

Hunted around big timber a few times, great country

Newberg interviewed the president of MOGA on this bill. I listened to the whole podcast with an open mind. I left the podcast with the following:

1) MOGA pres kept insisting there was "instability" in the outfitter business. Randy tried a couple times to clarify what that meant but MOGA pres saw through Randy's attempt to clarify what instability was. I left thinking "instability" was a clever way of framing an issue to make it seem like a problem existed that needed solved. I was not convinced there was an issue or problem to solve.

2) People with money and inclined to elk hunt every year could do so if the bill passed as proposed. Basically, the bill guaranteed licenses to outfitters, people so inclined could elk hunt MT every year. Newberg tactfully explained that several times.

3) MOGA pres kept stating that guided hunters have a 5:1 return, meaning each dollar they spend generates $5 in peripheral revenue. I don't understand that math. Why would a guided hunter ROI be 5 and a non-guided hunter be less? It would seem the driving math is # butts in seats in restaurants, gals of gas bought, etc. This is independent of the type of hunter.

At the end of the day, MOGA pres came across as a nice enough guy but the clear intent of the bill is to give outfitters an advantage, and by default, all those willing to hunt with an outfitter. It was also apparent MOGA pres hadn't looked at the numbers beside the talking pints. Randy did an excellent job of number crunching and professionally and tactfully provided counter points.

At the end of the day, I have nothing against guides/outfitters. What rankles me is creating a system where money gets to play the game at the expense of everyone else. I can't see how residents thought this a good idea either.

I would assume that non-guided hunters might spend more money directly in local businesses during a hunt since they are more likely to be in town or passing through town more often than hunters in the back country or on ranches with outfitters. But on the other hand, the cash flow from hunters to Outfitters is much greater and that money does not disappear but ends up in the hands of the landowners, guides, cooks, outfitters, etc who in turn spend that money in the local economy also. Outfitters for the most part are small businesses that are just trying to make a living. The obvious solution is to hold the drawing much earlier in the year so Outfitters can plan better. The people spoke a few years ago regarding outfitter preference for licenses. Special interests always want it their way. I don’t have a preference either way, just a couple of comments from the peanut gallery. Happy Trails

If you live in Montana and you are against SB143 contact your representatives and senators.
That being said, I contacted Mark Blasdel (a sponsor) and John Fuller and expressed my feelings.

Here's my email:
Already citizens of Montana are seeing more and more restrictions on access to land in our state. Senate Bill 143 will only increase those restrictions.
One of the effects of SB 143 will be to effectively reduce the land available to resident hunters.
Guides will lease land for their exclusive use and the exclusive use of their non-resident clients.
This is contrary to one of the basic tenets of our representative government. Look out for your constituents .
It will also undermine the state's own Block Management Program.
Please use your influence and your vote to deny this legislation.
Thank you for your consideration.

My response from Mr. Fuller:

Dear Mr _____
Thank you for your input on SB143. The sponsors assure me that your assessment of the bill will not occur. I will be studying the bill more thoroughly before it comes to the House floor and asking some penetrating questions before I vote.
I appreciate you bringing this bill to my attention and encourage you keep me posted.

Sincerely,
John Fuller

We obviously don't need to worry because the sponsors have assured Mr. Fuller, and I'm sure others, that things will be OK.

I've received no response from Mr. Blasdel. I wonder why.

I've forwarded a copy of my email to the Director of Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks asking for his reaction. I've received no response
yet.