Montana Nonres elk/deer $$$912.00

You can thank our voters for that, "we" decided that outfitter sponsored tags were putting a price on our wildlife and they shouldn't be bought. So since there are no sponsor tags, they had to find their revenue somewhere else. The great theory of this bill was that it would slow down outfitting and thus all outfitted ranches would allow access to anyone, and the voters approved it. I work with some very large ranches that were outfitted, and they are just gonna lock their gates. This could very well prove to be one of the worst bills for sportsmen in years in MT.

 

They are going to use the extra $$ to study the wolfs and grizz some more

 

This is all due to the last election in which there was a bill (I-161) here in Montana that passed. Historically there has always been 17,000 NR licenses given out. Out of that something like 5500 (not positive of the exact number) were outfitter sponsored. So 5500 went to outfitter sponsored and 11,500 went to general drawing. The general drawing prices have pretty much remained constant while the outfitter sponsored fluctuated up/down based on previous year demand. They have constantly increased over the years.

I-161 did away with outfitter sponsored portion and made all 17,000 general drawing. What this did was drive up the general drawing by 30% to get the same amount of money as having outfitter sponsored income.

In real life the average Joe working guy that came here just got his fee increased by 30% and the guys that went with outfitters now get a substantial reduction in their fee - however they no longer are guaranteed a license. Everyone has the same chance of drawing regardless of money.

Outfitters are upset because they no longer have 5500 guaranteed permits.

There are a lot of opinions from the locals on this issue. If they sell all 17,000 this year there will be adequate money as previous years and if they don't the Mt. Game & Fish are going to be in BIG S^#*. It s not the G&F Dept. fault as they never came out in support or against this bill. It all boiled down to the fact that it was a vote against the outfitters and a certain amount of guaranteed licenses.

Time will tell if the vote of the people was very smart.

 

The DIY nonres hunter now has better draw odds but it does come at a greater cost of coin. The old price was a bargain! That price 900.00 is about what it cost for a bull tag and a buck tag in most other states.
I think that the outfitters will now have to work harder to book their hunts and adjust their required deposit to reflect the uncertainty of drawing a tag. For example most outfitters in WY will accept a deposit of only 500.00 until the tag is drawn then collect the remaining balance of 50%.
anyway it will be interesting to see how it all works out.

 

The deer tag is 600$ upfront. I have a preference point but the area I would hunt is having a massive winterkill. The deer are starving. Deer quality is low also.

The area also has limited amounts of hunting without guides as the local guides bought all the hunting rights and of course now they aren't going to allow hunting because of this peeing match.

One rancher up by the Canadian border has lost going on 400 round bales to deer and the G&F just keeps giving him rolls of orange snowfence to put up which doesn't slow deer much. He lets about anyone hunt too.

Around here if the people don't let people hunt they get to feed the deer year round for it. No help from the state. No depredation hunts. Big fines for shooting them off the hay pile.

I have 18 tags for South Dakota and didn't spend 600$, I guess I'll just keep hunting here. Guides can't guide on public land here either so deer quality can be pretty good in areas.

 

Coyboy, Have you looked at Idahos prices? I elk hunted there a few years

 

Seems like this is an anti outfitter/business bill. Now outfitters will be going back to over booking clients in order to cover themselves on the draw odds.

I do feel that Fish and Game have some responsibilty in letting this happen and not supporting their outfitters .

 

I am from Mississippi, but in co-owner camp in NE Montana. Got first antelope last year. I have been trying to get a deer buck tag for past two years, so now I have two bonus points to apply for the upcoming year. At this point I have to pay whatever they want. Hopefully the higher prices will reduce the demand and maybe I can finally get a buck tag. We have been hunting the area for about 8 years and have made alot of friends that let us hunt their property. Keeping my fingers crossed for this year.

 

Hmmm, looks like Idaho is no bargain either:

Non-Resident Hunting License $154.75
Deer Tag $301.75
Elk Tag $416.75

Total NR Deer/Elk $873.25

 

I grew up in Glasgow, and we did most of our antelope hunting down near Jordan. Roughly where is your area? You are making me homesick.

 

Terry, our camp is near Nelson Resevoir near Malta. We hunt south of Sako, north of Hiway 2 and near Whitewater. Most of the antelope south of Sako and muleys at other places. We take advantage of the Block Management plus have some properties that friends let us hunt. As I stated on the deer hunting, I have been getting some doe tags but cannot seem to get that elusive Buck tag. We just started big game hunting a few years ago, mainly we hunted ducks and pheasants. Of course one of the guys put in last year for the buck tag, and got it first try. After several days hunting he settled for a medium muley. The next day we had some doe tags and of course we saw the BIG one at 200 yards.