I-161 in MT?

[BIG R]

Whats everybody think about it.IMO it's great to not have any gauranteed outfitter tags.Hopefully it will weed out these fly by night types

[MuleyMadness]

Tell me more about it please.

[BIG R]

Here it is
BALLOT LANGUAGE

INITIATIVE NO. 161

A LAW PROPOSED BY INITIATIVE PETITION

I-161 revises the laws related to nonresident big game and deer hunting licenses. It abolishes outfitter-sponsored nonresident big game and deer combination licenses, replacing the 5,500 outfitter-sponsored big game licenses with 5,500 additional general nonresident big game licenses. It also increases the nonresident big game combination license fee from $628 to $897 and the nonresident deer combination license fee from $328 to $527. It provides for future adjustments of these fees for inflation. The initiative allocates a share of the proceeds from these nonresident hunting license fees to provide hunting access and preserve and restore habitat.

I-161 increases state revenues over the next four years by an estimated $700,000 annually for hunting access and an estimated $1.5 million annually for habitat preservation and restoration, assuming that all nonresident hunting licenses are sold. It also increases general nonresident hunting license revenues by inflation.

[ ] FOR abolishing outfitter-sponsored hunting licenses, replacing outfitter-sponsored big game licenses with nonresident licenses, increasing nonresident license fees, and increasing funding for hunting access and habitat.

[ ] AGAINST abolishing outfitter-sponsored hunting licenses, replacing outfitter-sponsored big game licenses with nonresident licenses, increasing nonresident license fees, and increasing funding for hunting access and habitat.




COMPLETE TEXT

Section 1. Section 87-1-242, MCA, is amended to read:
"87-1-242. Funding for wildlife habitat. (1) The amount of money specified in this subsection from the sale of each hunting license or permit listed must be used exclusively by the commission to secure, develop, and maintain wildlife habitat, subject to appropriation by the legislature:
(a) Class B-10, nonresident combination, $77;
(b) Nonresident antelope, $20;
(c) Nonresident moose, $20;
(d) Nonresident mountain goat, $20;
(e) Nonresident mountain sheep, $20;
(f) Class D-1, nonresident mountain lion, $20;
(g) Nonresident black bear, $20;
(h) Nonresident wild turkey, $10;
(i) Class AAA, combination sports, $7;
(j) Class B-11 nonresident deer combination, $200.
(2) Twenty percent of any increase in the fee for the Class B-7 license or any license or permit listed in subsection (1), except outfitter-sponsored Class B-10 and Class B-11 licenses subject to variable pricing under 87-1-268, must be allocated for use as provided in subsection (1).
(3) Eighty percent of the money allocated by this section, together with the interest and income from the money, must be used to secure wildlife habitat pursuant to 87-1-209.
(4) Twenty percent of the money allocated by this section must be used as follows:
(a) up to 50% a year may be used for development and maintenance of real property used for wildlife habitat; and
(b) the remainder and any money not allocated for development and maintenance under subsection (4)(a) by the end of each odd-numbered fiscal year must be credited to the account created by 87-1-601(5) for use in the manner prescribed for the development and maintenance of real property used for wildlife habitat."

Section 2. Section 87-1-266, MCA, is amended to read:
"87-1-266. Hunter management program -- benefits for providing hunting access -- nonresident landowner limitation -- restriction on landowner liability. (1) As provided in 87-1-265, the department may establish a voluntary hunter management program to provide tangible benefits to private landowners enrolled in the block management program who grant access to their land for public hunting. The decision to enroll a landowner in the hunter management program is the responsibility of the department. Benefits may be granted as provided in this section and by rule.
(2) As a benefit for enrolling property in the hunter management program, a resident landowner who becomes a cooperator in the program and who agrees to provide public hunting access may receive one Class AAA combination sports license, without charge, if the landowner is the owner of record. The license may be used for the full hunting or fishing season in any district where it is valid. The license may not be transferred by gift or sale.
(3) As a benefit for enrolling property in the hunter management program, a nonresident landowner who becomes a cooperator in the program and who agrees to provide public hunting access may receive one Class B-10 nonresident big game combination license, without charge, if the landowner is the owner of record. The license may be used for the full hunting or fishing season in any district where it is valid. The license may not be transferred by gift or sale. The grant of a license under this subsection also qualifies the licensee to apply for a permit through the normal drawing process. The grant of a license under this subsection does not affect the limits established under 87-1-268 and 87-2-505.
(4) (a) Instead of receiving the benefits provided in subsection (2) or (3), a landowner of record who becomes a cooperator in the hunter management program and who agrees to provide public hunting access may designate an immediate family member to receive a Class AAA combination sports license, without charge, if the family member is a resident or a Class B-10 nonresident big game combination license, without charge, if the family member is a nonresident. An employee rather than a family member may be designated to receive a license.

[killerbee]

i see some pro's and cons.
cool- more tags to draw
NOT cool- when will states realize that in this economy, YOU CANT jack prices up like that and expect people to pay it

do they think the idaho price increase was a fluke and people wont do the same thing they did there?

they might as well left it alone if those 5500 tags just go unsold now, at least someone was using them before.

[halibutaddict]

No tags will go unsold in Mt because of this price change,those outfitter tags were going for 10X the price of the new tags and there were people lining up to get them.Odds of drawing just went up,and our prices are still comparative to other states who dont have anywhere near the public access MT has.Anyone who cant afford to hunt here already stopped applying a couple years ago,a couple hundred dollars isnt going to stop very many people from coming to MT,I would pay the extra money to increase my odds in the states I apply in!This will also eradicate many fly by night outfits that only had clients because of the guaranteed tags,many ranches will no longer be leased out to them and some of those will join the block management program,opening up yet more premium land to the public,its a win/win for the hunter who cant afford to pay an outfitter $3500+tag+travel to come hunt here.It will also get rid of these of pigs like Jakie Bushman and many other crews just like his who start outfitting rings here in MT just to guarantee themselves tags every year,they will now have to apply just like everyone else,many of them will go back to states where they can make their own rules because they have big dollars.

[killerbee]

i deffinatly see and agree with what your saying, BUT ( i guess just playing devils advocate here) it's not the best times for a price increase, there WILL be everyday joe's out there who will get priced out of their yearly hunt. people who can easily afford it have all the pro's of this change, but the guys who were on the edge of being able to afford their yearly hunt will get shafted and see more of the negative side. in one way, it's chalking another one up to it becomeing "a rich mans sport", although in another, it's taking alittle away from it as well.

I do think they'll feel it alittle, just look at idaho- VERY similer situation- lots of wilderness, lots of great hunting that has been hit pretty hard by wolves. Idaho realized it fast, i believe they lowered their prices 1 year later. Alot of guys are just tired of states haveing the "name your price" mindset, and just wont do it. Its great for residents, less guys they will have to compete with, but there is alot of residents who make an honest living off of non-resident hunters. they'll feel it too.....

[halibutaddict]

I guess MT got tired of spending more money on access for out of staters to hunt than any other state and still being the cheapest state to hunt in,its been a long time coming IMO.

[BIG R]

Even at our prices we are still way under that of Utah @ $1065.00 for an NR elk tag and $1500.00 for an LE elk tag and Nevadas $1200.00 per elk tag.Montanas $950.00 is for deer,elk, fishing,upland birds and state lands use permit,still a great deal IMO.

[northern]

I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!! ......IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED A LONG TIME AGO...And I dont care what people say. I have already seen the benifits to no more sponsored tags. I have asked ranchers that were outfitted to predator hunt and shed hunt on their places that in the last few years have told me NO....this year they tell me YES. It's opening property up not in just blockmanagement, but in private land also.

[catdogs]

I cannot believe there are Montana hunters that actually voted for this! First, raising prices by 40-60% in this state right now with wolves and the economy the way it is is STUPID! The excess money hunters paid for the guaranteed licenses is what funded Block mgmt. This state, the MT FWP and local economies are all going to lose money! Idaho and Wyoming raised prices by 10% hoping ot gain revenues and sold less and actually lost money. Do you think that now there are no more guaranteed licenses that these ranches are going to quit outiftting and put their land into Block that pays next to nothing???? They will now be leased by private hunt clubs and corporations like Realtree, etc. You think you just "stuck it to" the rich hunters that could afford the guaranteed tags but what you really did is just screwed the "average Joe" that used to pay about 600 and now has to pay 900 to come here and hunt. On top of that, those 5500 non-res hunters that came with outfitters were restricted to hunting within that outfitters area, but now he is unrestricted and will probably be hunting right next to you! You just added another 5500 hunters onto public lands or Black mgmt! Outfitters were not allowed to outfit on land in Block mgmt! I know of 2 huge ranches that used to lease to outfitters the first 4 weeks of the season and open it up to the public on the last week. They took out a full page add in the Bozeman paper saying they will no longer open any of their ground to the Montana public because I-161 passed! BTW, the guaranteed licenses were NOT 10x the price of a draw, they were $995 and now the general tag is $897 - do the math. There is no way Montana will sell out the licenses, they didn't sell out the 5500 guaranteed ones at $995!


A good article http://billingsgazette.com/news/opinion ... 03286.html