Lots of tags left

bowedark

bowedark

Active Member
Messages
254
I was looking on Montana website they have close to 4500 tags available. That does include 850 big game combo tags 1900 elk combo and over 2100 dear combo. It looks like the their pricing themselves out for a lot of people. It doesn't make much sense to me to put for point in for the general draw. I think they will sell most of those tag before hunting season approaches. Hopefully maybe we will see reduce and nonresident general tag.
 
Last season was tough on many out of state elk hunters,most of the guys I know who come out every year had very poor luck with the DIY elk during rifle season.That combined with the price increase probably has alot to do with the poor sales this year.
 
Just a couple years ago the general deer combo was a hard draw for NR's.
Last year I hunted Mule Deer in the North Missouri Breaks area. Deer numbers were so low I felt guilty about killing one.

Do you guys think it's the $$$ thing or poor opportunities and smallish bucks. Quality of the hunt.
I know elk and deer in the Mountain West have gotten hard to come by. In the East some bad Winters played a part.
 
I applied for the big game combo Mar 15 deadline like I have done every year. This year there was an option, if not successful in a special elk permit you could get a refund on the elk part. So I did.
General Elk hunting in the West is not good and the central general areas have tons of hunters. Quality of Elk hunting in MT has dropped way off.

The NR licenses price has gotten way out of hand to.
 
I'm curious where all the deer tags came from. If I apply for a tag, I don't plan on sending it back. I was sure the deer tags were undersubscribed this year.
 
Yeah Im not sure what happened with the deer tags this year. One of my buddies from Utah wanted to go up there with me this year so he applied for the deer combo and was unsuccessful.... got his refund with no notification that he did anything wrong then it pops up online that there are 2100 surplus tags??? Haha... I knew he had horrible luck drawing tags but that is ridiculous to not even be able to draw when there are extras!! He bought a tag but is pretty peeved and going to call the FWP because now he had to pay an extra convenience fee because they messed up somewhere... oh well... he gets to hunt now so he cant be too upset.
 
I think thee were so many elk and big came combos returned and are NOT going to be sold that $$$$$ are going to be so short for the FW&P they are desperate. Then the landowners sponsored deer tags never sell out how about the "return to MT program" probably didn't have much interest either.
The deer combos did sell out originally? I have friends that got their money back from the Mar draw.
mtmuley I been going out there for 40 some years. You locals have your honey holes and private land to go on and you wait on the weather. General public land hunts for NR's on forest land is purty tough going post Canadian Wolves.
 
I see your point. As far as wolves, I don't think they are the only factor. The good news is, in my area the cow-calf ratio is the highest since 1976. If I were a NR (and I did hunt Montana as a NR one time) I would try to schedule my hunt during the last 2 weeks of our season. mtmuley
 
My brother put in earlier this spring and got unsuccessful. Now there are 2k tags out there. Why didn't they take his money and send him a tag when they had the chance? I don't get it. If they want money that bad let us residents buy a second tag at the nr price. I would do it.

Either way I still don't know how or why they have tags for sale right now online when people were turned away from those same tags a few months ago????????

"That's a special feeling, Lloyd"
 
4-5 million alone in lost revenue in
NR license sales. With all those NR's missing it's going to cost the state a whole lot more! Fewer doe permits, fewer antelope permits. Going to be a huge! budget shortfall. The deer combination was sold out in the march drawing. I can see the MT,F,W& Parks wanting to at least sell the "deer"part of the Combo license. F,W&P is looking to get a little more revenue.

I. 2011 I hunted either sex rifle elk in 620, 621, and 622. Hunted 18 days and saw elk every day. Kinda spoiled me for National Forest Hunting with the low elk numbers and smalish bulls. :)
 
Had to turn my deer/ elk combo tag in this year. Also turned in a 410-15 elk permit. Sucks. Bought a new house and the hunting funds are low this year. First time in 5 years not hunting MT .
 
I was lucky enough to draw the 621-20 rifle tag for this Fall. Hunted deer on the CMR for the first time last year and saw some decent bulls. Really looking forward to my two weeks in Montana with family. Any advice from the guys that have had this tag in the past? Thanks!

Couldn't agree more on the gumbo mud comments. That stuff is crazy!
 
Montana needs a course in business management... I applied for a deer tag along with my gf and we were not drawn! Our money is now in ID..good job MT..$1,000+ we were willing to pay in tags u refunded..clowns
 
"Ya clown. Montana doesn't need or want your stinkin money. They magically came up with 2000 tags because they want to see if people are dumb enough to come hunt this state two years after the worst winter in decades, the largest blue tongue outbreak in the lower 48, and one of the worst fire seasons on recent memory.......duh!!!!!!!!!!!"

Yours truly, mtshedz, nonya, the only 7th generation Montanan who knows anything. "


I'm being sarcastic for those of you new to the mt forum.

"That's a special feeling, Lloyd"
 
LAST EDITED ON Aug-29-12 AT 01:30PM (MST)[p]>LAST EDITED ON Aug-28-12
>AT 06:28?PM (MST)
>
>
>Yhe you should give them some
>lessons on business so we
>can figure our what we
>are going to do with
>out 496 MILLION dollar surplus...the
>ONLY state in the union
>with a budget surplus like
>this doesn't need your $1000
>I guess?Maybe you made an
>error on your application,clown.
>http://www.beartoothnbc.com/news/montana/25131-montana-records-second-highest-cash-surplus.html


I would point out the lunacy of your arguement in regards to our General Fund balance and the FWP budget but I learned a long time ago on these forums not to have a battle of wits with an unarmed man.

You may want to go check and see how much of the FWP budget comes from the sale of licenses vs from the General fund before you spout stupidity.

Nemont
 
LAST EDITED ON Aug-29-12 AT 07:22PM (MST)[p]


First of all if you bothered reading his post he said MT,not the MT F&G,dumbass.There have been a few,very few times when the F&G needed money for various things,where do you think the state took it from for these times of need?You got it,the fund.Do you think the state is going to let the F&G go without anything they need/want with a budget surplus like we have?Maybe you should do some research beyond the couple years you have lived here before you try to sound like a know it all.The F&g isnt hurting for money either,have you seen their budgets for various programs and projects?Wouldnt bother me at all if they refunded every dollar the out of staters sent in and charged us 4x the amount we pay now.I like your idea as well buttbaby,if they are stupid enough to buy them at these new inflated rates why not keep printing them?Fear not MT transplant know it all wanna Bs,they wont shut down hunting season because some crybaby screwed up his application and we didnt get his $1000 donation.If he realy wanted to hunt here he would man up and buy the damn tags and quit bitchin about it.
 
While I do understand the funding aspect and the value of NR licenses to the State, I guess I don't understand why some feel it is humorous or that they have done Montana a dis-service by not purchasing a license to hunt here. Montana will soldier on without the guys that don't, won't or can't hunt here. I've been braced for a significant increase in my cost to hunt my home state for awhile. Guess if it keeps out guys that think we are clowns I'm OK with it. mtmuley
 
>LAST EDITED ON Aug-29-12
>AT 07:22?PM (MST)
>
>
>
>
>First of all if you bothered
>reading his post he said
>MT,not the MT F&G,dumbass.There have
>been a few,very few times
>when the F&G needed money
>for various things,where do you
>think the state took it
>from for these times of
>need?You got it,the fund.Do you
>think the state is going
>to let the F&G go
>without anything they need/want with
>a budget surplus like we
>have?Maybe you should do some
>research beyond the couple years
>you have lived here before
>you try to sound like
>a know it all.The F&g
>isnt hurting for money either,have
>you seen their budgets for
>various programs and projects?Wouldnt bother
>me at all if they
>refunded every dollar the out
>of staters sent in and
>charged us 4x the amount
>we pay now.I like your
>idea as well buttbaby,if they
>are stupid enough to buy
>them at these new inflated
>rates why not keep printing
>them?Fear not MT transplant know
>it all wanna Bs,they wont
>shut down hunting season because
>some crybaby screwed up his
>application and we didnt get
>his $1000 donation.If he realy
>wanted to hunt here he
>would man up and buy
>the damn tags and quit
>bitchin about it.


First off I was born and raised on a ranch here by parents who were born and raised here just like you proclaim to be so stick that in throat and suck it..

I have read the FWP budget and they will indeed not have the money to continue doing what we ask of them if you had learned reading in school you to could comprehend the fact that the dept is under funded.


I don't care about whether you want to refund everyone license fees . I also don't give a crap about whether or not somebody does or does not come here. The facts are the general fund money does almost zero for wildlife management in this state. Before you show your total ignorance on the FWP budget do everyone a favor and go read it.

Nemont (life long 5 th generation Montanan)
 
Last I checked I've been paying lots of taxes to this state for the past 6 years, which entitles me to an opinion. Maybe if more "natives" were better qualified for all the jobs created in this state they wouldn't have to keep bringing dopes like me in. Also, of you read my last post it was all in quotes, meaning I was being sarcastic.

The dwr website stated all spring long...."make sure you put in for your hunt. We moved the dates up so that non residents have more time to plan thier hunts this fall". Then they tell many people who properly put in they were unsuccessfull.

Then in August they add(so it seems) 2000 more deer tags. Tell me it ain't about the money, and they don't Need it. Trust me, it's not that they need to remove 2000 deer from the state due to overpopulation.


"That's a special feeling, Lloyd"
 
Nemont,
If you have kids tell them to move out of MT now before they have kids. If you already have grandkids that are 7th generation from MT I hope there smarter than other 7th generations from MT that post on here.


"Go hunt for meat at Walmart."
 
Frankly, I love the Montana system, if I don't draw my LE unit I return my license and take that money and put it towards a NM land owner tag and chase bugling bulls, lots of them........ Montana is a great state in terms of my draw strategy as its one of the few states if not the only states that offers any degree of flexibility. The only thing I hate about Montana is that damn mud..............

Hope things improve in MT from the wolves, hard winters and blue tongue. Good luck this year and post some pics of your MT bucks and bulls. Love that Big Sky country and hope to return soon and bet I am the only maniac to hunt cowboy heaven in the madison range and then drive all night and begin hunting the breaks in the same 24-hours..............ahhhhh miss the good ole days even if there were 16,249 archers behind every sage bush in that breaks unit............... Again, good luck. I will be in NM on the 13th!

WP

"My only regret in life is setting my goals too low"
 
Yes Montana does have a NR friendly system. I think the residents should share more of the cost. Residents have the advantage or "being there" and choosing when to hunt weather wise and stuff.
NR is out there for a week in the breaks and it rains like heck.

This is the first year that We NR's could split up the Big Game Combo. That was very good of F,W&P

The reason there are deer combo's available is, F,W&P would at least like to sell the "deer" part of the Combo, Land Owner sponsored deer, and the home to MT hunts.
Certainly not because of excess deer!

Deer Combo's sold out in the draw. Several guys from town got money returned and sounds like others did also.
The application is VERY hard to make a mistake on, and most are doing it on line, don't see how anyone could goof up the on line version.

I'll be out there hunting deer opening week then again mid Nov. I never kill a deer that first week, Maybe twice in 40 some years. I simply love the hunt to much to be quick to fill a deer tag. Usually end up with 24-25 inch Muley.

Geez! write a book or what?
 
Montana isn't the only state that has taken a big loss recently. Idaho has seen a fairly substantial decrease in NR hunters also. I just don't get the "wolves killed all the game" hysteria. There's elk here, trust me. Maybe some guys don't want to work harder, or make the effort to find out where the elk are. Things are different for sure, but it isn't impossible to fill a tag here in Montana. One thing Montana needs to do is lower the NR wolf tag fee. Then the NR's that think wolves killed all the elk can come out here and help that situation out. mtmuley
 
The North Eastern 1/3 of Minnesota is mixed woods, excellent White Tail Deer country and habitat. There is at a minimum 4'000 Gray Wolves in this area.
So, yes there is deer hunting, antlered bucks only for about the last 20 years. There were always gray wolves all though this area, numbering about a 1,000 before full protection.
This NE MN was the destination of LOTS of hunters in the good old days, long seasons, extra antlerless tags and about a million deer killed per season.
Now those that live in that area go South and West to do the deer hunting. Yes there are still LOTS of deer up there but,just enough to keep the wolves going. MN also 20 years ago had the biggest moose population and best moose hunting South of Canada.
The Moose are virtually gone.
If your a big game hunter wolves are a BAD thing.
If your a wolf supporter, all is well.

Minnesota will also have a wolf season this Fall. And will be open season during the rifle deer season.
 
The last time the F&G needed 15 million to buy some land they didnt have the money,they took it out of our NRDP funds,didnt spend a dime of their permit money.When they need money the Gov will find it for them,whether it comes from the general fund ,NRDP funds or some other slush fund the state has stashed away they wont be left in need.
 
How come they didn't just take the funds out of the general fund surplus?

Those funds were not earmarked for the purchase of the Spotted Dog ranch, they were crammed down to that purchase by the govenor.

If the General fund money's are so easily accessed to fund the FWP as you claim why would they need to look for "slush funds" to fund the dept on an on going basis not on one time purchases.

Nemont
 
LAST EDITED ON Sep-04-12 AT 12:13PM (MST)[p]

They had a given amount of time to spend that money,if they didnt find a use for it they could loose it...keep fishing nemo,your ideas are interesting but BS none the less.The MT F&G is in self destruct mode,the problem is our Gov will bail them out to prevent their demise.Whether its the general fund or some other fund they wont let them go broke,unfortunately.When their house comes crashing down around them we will be able to get rid of the non hunting transplants that they have allowed to run the show,did you know the head of the show isnt even a hunter?Just another out of stater with a diploma and no idea whats going on here.Raising OOS tag prices was just another step in the process they began years ago.Their management programs are another,they have made it harder and harder for hunters to have a successful hunt,what they blame on poor game numbers is usually just a result of their poor management.They area we are in has almost no deer left,why?Because the bio that runs this region is a cat lover and does everything in her power to keep the cat quota from going up,the same bio that said "ohhh pooor bear!" when I took one in to let them pull a tooth,Another example of someone with no hunting experience being allowed to control MTs hunters. They are systematically driving away hunters from OOS and from within the state.Its going to get worse before it gets better but its the only way were going to clean house and get rid of the turds that have worked their way into the F&G.Read this article by Suzy Foss,you might find it interesting.
http://explorethebitterroot.com/mon...roke-dont-look-to-sportsmen-for-anymore-money
 
LAST EDITED ON Sep-04-12 AT 01:16PM (MST)[p]You never answer a direct question do you.

I don't care about whether or not you want the FWP to fail as an agency, totally different issue.

You said that general fund surplus would be used to prop up the funding shortfall in the FWP, that is patently false and that is a fact that is easily proven. The way the state budget is put together and how the FWP is funded are way more complicated than what you say here.

As a whole group we resident hunters are piss poor stewards of one of the greatest hunting legacy's in this nation and we are too cheap, self absorbed and childish to pay our own way.

Nemont
 
The only thing that is piss poor is your general attitude,if you dont like MT or the people here Ill come over and help you pack,you wont be missed.
 
Holy crap, every MT thread turns into nonya or whoever you are telling everybody else they are dumb, stupid, too rich, too poor, etc. Funny thing is, the only person to change thier handle more than bobcat bess is you. I wonder why? Hmm?

One minute you say that the hunting is great. Nothing needs changed. Leave everything the way it is because thats the way its always been and thats the way it should be.
Plus, anybody who doesn't have a great, great, great, great grand pappy that homesteaded here doesn't know anything and even of they did, they don't desrve an opinion about anything. Next minute the hunting sucks and it's all the politics fault and there should be a revolution, so break out the guillotine.

You act like there is a "good ol boys" club in this state and you are the only member of it. Anybody who doesn't agree with you should be ridiculed and told to leave because they(thier opinion, and money) aren't wanted or needed. Ironically it's those same people with thier wallets that keep your tags as cheap as they are.

Just say you don't agree with someone, state why and move on. Or just change your handle one more time and start off with the name calling.......For the love.

"That's a special feeling, Lloyd"
 
LAST EDITED ON Sep-04-12 AT 07:42PM (MST)[p]Nonya,
If you left it would be addition through subtraction, nobody would shed a tear and everyone would be better off.

Nemont
 
Just got back from 8 days in MT. Visited with quite a few Montana folks, hunters and ranchers.
Tell you what! EVERYBODY is friendly and fun to visit with.
 
NMN - I will second that! Have NEVER had a bad time hunting MT and punched only a few tags in a dozen or more trips. In fact, I'm contemplating an October trip to the Crazy's on leftover combo licenses... Gen Tags, public, camping. I know the area pretty good from some archery hunts, maybe see if I can turn it into a freezer-filler trip. MT folks are about the nicest people I've ever met. I'm leaving Monday for a NM Unit 15 elk hunt... which is absolutely a headgear hunt! Even with that tag in hand, |I'm missing not having flights or maps and fuel with MT as the destination!

edpre
 

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