Montana Scrub's Link
Region 1 Hunters it is very apparent that the FWP does not want to make any effort to increase the elk and deer population that has fallen to record lows. Current success rates are an average 8% for deer hunters and .03% for elk hunters. Yet Fish and Game continues to increase OTC tags for deer instead of reducing doe tags and in my opinion much needed antler restrictions for adults.
While the only changes for the region is regarding CWD I highly suggest voicing your opinion through the online survey or the meetings that Fish in Game needs to take action on falling deer numbers.
I personally rejected the CWD district and OTC tags because while this may help the spread of CWD it is not going to stop it. A study by the DoA shows that carrion birds and scavengers (most likely will eventually include wolves) can and are spreading CWD through their digestive tract. Yet the FWP is doing nothing to prevent this and therefore has no real interest in slowing CWD but rather increase tag sales to stem their ever decreasing budget.
http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/publicComments/2019/biennialSeasonSetting.html
Montana Scrub's Link
Region 1 Hunters it is very apparent that the FWP does not want to make any effort to increase the elk and deer population that has fallen to record lows. Current success rates are an average 8% for deer hunters and .03% for elk hunters. Yet Fish and Game continues to increase OTC tags for deer instead of reducing doe tags and in my opinion much needed antler restrictions for adults.
While the only changes for the region is regarding CWD I highly suggest voicing your opinion through the online survey or the meetings that Fish in Game needs to take action on falling deer numbers.
I personally rejected the CWD district and OTC tags because while this may help the spread of CWD it is not going to stop it. A study by the DoA shows that carrion birds and scavengers (most likely will eventually include wolves) can and are spreading CWD through their digestive tract. Yet the FWP is doing nothing to prevent this and therefore has no real interest in slowing CWD but rather increase tag sales to stem their ever decreasing budget.
http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/publicComments/2019/biennialSeasonSetting.html
To be fair they propose reducing some antlerless elk tags in Region 1, but I know nothing about those districts. Big changes for shoulder seasons in Region 2, and a lot of districts going to more traditional cow tags instead of shoulder seasons. I think I agree with that change, wish they would manage by district anyway instead of these multi-district shoulder season tags.
