*Montana NR Tags - Pot being stirred by FWP*

Tater1973

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2017
Messages
414
Location
Stockton, NJ
This may open a can of worms but here it is... I was informed by an outfitter in MT (who will remain unnamed) that under the cover of darkness earlier this week the following was passed by MT FWP. Any NR who had a contract with an outfitter for this fall and did NOT draw a combo elk/deer tag will receive their tag under the disguise of COVID-19 relief for MT Outfitters. Once again the NR DIY hunters get screwed. Unbelievable!
 

jpalmer83

FNG
Joined
Mar 7, 2021
Messages
48
You’re correct. I heard the same from my outfitter that I booked with and I did not draw. I also DIY hunt. Whether I was going out or not I do think the outfitters should of had some tags to help with all the cancellations from last year. These are additional tags so doesn’t really affect the NR DIY hunter. I read it’s about 3,000 tags total.
 

vanish

WKR
Joined
May 26, 2016
Messages
550
Location
Colorado
There is no limit to the number of additional tags this year, they're just estimating it to be 3000. And yes, this is forrealz. There's a 100+ page thread on it in another forum.
 

MThuntr

WKR
Joined
Apr 10, 2015
Messages
1,021
Location
SW MT
It got pushed through a "clean up" bill the other day...there were like 50 comments for and 650 comments against on the original bill but they pushed it out last minute with amendments mostly along party lines.

Outfitter welfare disguised as COVID relief is total BS because they all qualified for the same COVID money that other business owners had access to.
 

Smfigari

FNG
Joined
Sep 25, 2018
Messages
29
Location
Texas
I haven't read anything about it yet, but is it for hunters who had to cancel due to Covid, or for hunters that did not get drawn period?

If it were for hunters that had to cancel due to Covid, that makes sense, but if it is for hunters that didn't get drawn in any form or fashion, I cannot say the same.
 

cgasner1

WKR
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Messages
893
Hunters that didn’t get drawn and they also will be getting 2 preference points to put them on the list in front you regular people


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ndmarine

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
172
Location
san diego
Do you have a number or email that we can take action on. Even if it’s too late, we need to make our voices heard and let them know this is unacceptable
 
Joined
Dec 30, 2014
Messages
8,376
what a joke... The legislature forgoing any logic based management and just giving a public resource to their donors.
 

Scoot

WKR
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Messages
1,535
WTF? The state of Montana has sent me, as a nonresident DIY hunter, a crystal clear message this year-- "F you! We don't give two shits about you or the quality of hunt you have in our state. In fact, if you're not going to hire an outfitter, we simply don't give two shits about you at all".

Are these 3K additional tags general licenses and will the people who hold them will be in general units on public ground? If yes, I was hit with a clear bait and switch. They should offer those of us who who they are screwing a full refund. What a total pile of shit.

Happy birthday to me! I thought MT was done Fing over DIY NRs this year, but instead I get this little gift.
 
OP
Tater1973

Tater1973

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2017
Messages
414
Location
Stockton, NJ
Scoot - YES to your ?. If an outfitter had a NR client who signed a contract to hire the outfitters services for the 2021 season (lets say NR General Deer Combo) and the NR client was unsuccessful in the General Draw, then that NR client is getting a license NOW after this B.S. Bill was passed. AND...if that outfitter hunts/outfits on PUBLIC LAND than yes you are having a great Birthday!!! The NR DIY hunter who saves $ to just afford the license and wasn't drawn gets nothing. Totally unfair...
 

Pacific_Fork

Well Known Rokslider
Joined
May 26, 2019
Messages
1,118
Location
North Idaho
You’d like to think outfitters are blue collar, hard working, red blooded Americans. But in Montana they are welfare bums, sorry to the very few that were against this bill. What a shit show this year has been for Montana!
 

Scoot

WKR
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Messages
1,535
You’d like to think outfitters are blue collar, hard working, red blooded Americans. But in Montana they are welfare bums, sorry to the very few that were against this bill. What a shit show this year has been for Montana!
It's not just the outfitters, it's the POS politicians who push this crap through. You want to chance this BS, vote and vote in an informed way.
 

Mt Al

WKR
Joined
Dec 16, 2017
Messages
1,220
Location
Montana
I hate to say this as a Montana resident, but it’s what we deserve when we vote in place a system of government controlled entirely by one party, whether it’s all D or all R. When we play stupid games, we win stupid prizes.

And PacificFork (I don't know how to do dual quotes in one reply)
"You’d like to think outfitters are blue collar, hard working, red blooded Americans. But in Montana they are welfare bums, sorry to the very few that were against this bill. What a shit show this year has been for Montana!"


Totally agree with both of you but have to admit I'm not familiar with the details of the bill - so I could be off base. If it reflects what people are writing in this string, I'm really embarrassed as a Montanan. I don't begrudge any outfitters the opportunity to be successful nor private land owners the right to make money off of their land. The reality is that both groups are tied to FWP and publicly managed wildlife. However, this type of guarantee is what is to be expected when we vote R across the board and they pay back those who donated to them. Hoping for some balance in the future and laws like this are how the R's lose seats the next go round.
 
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