Montana HB 242 Muzzleloader Heritage Season

[hobbes]

Just an FYI. I wasn't even aware that this was out there.

Unless I'm looking at it wrong, it looks like it made it through first reading in Committee. Season dates to be second Saturday following end of General Season and running 9 days. Limitations on weapon similar to Colorado.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

They should take the last two seasons of rifle away and put this there... MT is trying to kill every animal they have left.

 

[hobbes]

They should take the last two seasons of rifle away and put this there... MT is trying to kill every animal they have left.

I'm assuming that you mean the last two weekends.

Regardless if I lean one way or the other, that's pretty unlikely.

 

[Wapiti1]

Well, the season dates make it hard to find anything not on protected winter range or private ground.

I don't see the point since anything goes in the general season.

Jeremy

 

[hobbes]

I'm not really opposed to it but I'd speculate that it wouldn't end there. Get the season established, get folks interested to develop a "voice", then make an attempt to adjust the season dates to a more productive time and push some general season aside or jump into the archery season like Colorado. Still just speculation on my part. I must be in a "sky is falling" kind of mood right now. However, it would be a good excuse to buy a flintlock.

 

[bsnedeker]

Totally unnecessary. It seems crazy for me to say this, but we have enough opportunity to hunt in MT right now, adding another season on top of what we already have is just too much. Also, if I'm reading this correctly this season is proposed to start after the general rifle season, which in many parts of the state is when shoulder season gets started so there would be an overlap of dudes running around with muzzleloaders and dudes running around with modern rifles. I see a lot of potential for abuse of that system.

 

[hobbes]

I don't think it's necessary but a lot of rifle hunters may think a six week archery season isn't necessary. (I do think a 6 week archery season is necessary.) The success rates will definitely be low as proposed.
I also wouldn't oppose it because there is potential for abuse. There is always potential for abuse in most everything.

 

[mtnkid85]

Totally unnecessary. It seems crazy for me to say this, but we have enough opportunity to hunt in MT right now, adding another season on top of what we already have is just too much. Also, if I'm reading this correctly this season is proposed to start after the general rifle season, which in many parts of the state is when shoulder season gets started so there would be an overlap of dudes running around with muzzleloaders and dudes running around with modern rifles. I see a lot of potential for abuse of that system.

I couldn't agree more. Furthermore its redundant, you can hunt with a muzzle loader during the gen season if you want. Call the switch board (406-444-4800) and leave a message for the house Fish, Wildlife and Parks committee telling them no.

 

[BuzzH]

I've hunted Montana every year since 1979. From 1979-2000 as a Resident, and the last 20 as a NR.

What Montana needs to do is give the wildlife a break. If it were up to me, I'd make archery season run from Sept. 1-30...done. I would make rifle season the month of November and leave wildlife alone in October.

This would allow the animals to settle down a bit and keep them on public land. The way it is now, those animals are pounded flat from early September, clear through November. Now with the shoulder seasons it extends from Aug. 15-mid February.

People wonder why there's not much wildlife on public lands? Or why wildlife harbors on places that allow no hunting? Yeah, shocking I tell you. Oh, I forgot, its all the wolves fault.

Hey at this point, why not throw another couple weeks at them and hunt them even more. Its funny to listen to people that have 11 weeks of "brown its down", shoulder seasons from Aug.-Feb, and youth deer seasons sandwiched between archery and general....make the claim that another 9 days is "just too much".

Let me be the first to say, its been "too much" for a long time and all I've seen change in regard to seasons in Montana since 1979 is the addition of one day to start the season on Saturday, instead of the traditional Sunday, increase in shoulder seasons, and a youth deer season.

Give the muzzleloaders their season, you've given everyone else theirs.