Eggeman counted 1139 elk on the Game Range the day after hunting season closed this fall. This was higher than the past three years. There were 23 calves per 100 cows which was lower than expected.
SEELEY LAKE – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is proposing changes to the 2018-2019 hunting regulations that, due to increasing numbers, will allow more elk and deer to be harvested in Region 2. Region 2 Wildlife Manager Mike Thompson and Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Biologist Scott Eggeman met with the public Jan. 10 and discussed the proposed changes to the 2018 and 2019 hunting regulations.
Some of the statewide changes that affect this area include increasing the youth-only deer season from two days to four except when the youth-only deer season immediately precedes the opening of general big game season. Then it would be limited to two days. It would also change the definition of youth eligibility from 10-15 to 10-17.
FWP also wants to allow the Fish and Wildlife Commission to make exemptions to Senate Bill 173 that prohibits the sale of deer or elk urine if the urine originated in a state or province with documented occurrence of chronic wasting disease. The Commission could make exceptions to this prohibition if the deer or elk urine is produced in a facility that the Commission determines meets acceptable requirements like the Archery Trade Association's certification program.
In Region 2, FWP proposes to offer an over-the-counter antlerless elk B-license. Because it will be a regional license, it will cover the entire region except special hunting districts.
The license will go on sale in August. Hunters can apply for the district-specific B-licenses and if they aren't drawn they can get the B-license over the counter until the day before the general season starts. Hunters must also have their general tag.
Eggeman highlighted that B-licenses are for private land only. Members of the public said hunters are not reading their regulations and are hunting public land with the B-license in HD 285. It was suggested to write "Private land only" on the tag.
Thompson said that by condensing the regulations into a few words on the tags, there will always be something left out and they don't want to mislead hunters with anything on the tag.
"Now they put practically nothing on the tag," said Thompson. "The message we keep trying to get out to people is to read your regulations."
In addition to the regional increase in available antlerless elk B-license, Eggeman is proposing an increase for the number of antlerless elk B-licenses on the game range (HD 282) from 25 to 50 tags. The recommended increase comes after reaching their objective for numbers elk on the Game Range.
"This is a modest increase because adjacent to that we are introducing that B license so we have gone from 25 private land tags in 285 to an over-the-counter B-license. We could kill quite a few more on private land. That is the reason I'm not increasing this a lot," said Eggeman. "We do have enough elk that we can up that number."
Eggeman highlighted that if the number of B-licenses issued for the game range is increased, this also increases the number of bucks that can be harvested since the tag also allows for harvesting a white-tailed or mule deer buck.
Eggeman asked those in attendance if he should propose separating the two tags and making it into a limited white-tailed, mule deer buck option. This would give FWP more freedom to move the elk harvest up and down without directly affecting the numbers of the bucks that can be harvested.
The public said the elk and buck tags have always been combined and people are still seeing nice bucks up there. It is also a hard time to hunt trophy bucks so they don't think it would have the impact that would be seen if it was open during the rut.
"From what I have heard here I will [propose increasing] the number of tags from 25 to 50," said Eggeman.
While there are no changes proposed for mule deer, Eggeman discussed a few proposals for white-tailed deer.
There is a regional proposal to add a general license opportunity to harvest either sex white-tailed deer the first nine days of the season. This includes all Blackfoot districts except HD's 280, 282, 284 and 290. Eggeman said this has been done in the past in the area and is still done in some areas.
"This proposal, I think, would be a modest increase in doe harvest but looking back, the deer can handle it," said Eggeman.
In HD 290, they are proposing increasing the quota to 50 for white-tailed does and the white-tail B-license from two to five per hunter for private land only. Also, during the five-week general season, a white-tailed doe could be harvested with a rifle.
No one in attendance had any suggestions or took issue with the proposed changes for white-tailed deer.
Eggeman also said turkey will be changed to a general license opportunity in all of Region 2.
Other Comments/Questions:
• Mountain Lion Quota Discussion: Eggeman said they estimate there are three to five lions per 100 square kilometers in the Blackfoot. Currently the quota is 34 annually and the quota has been met each year.
Thompson said that FWP is currently working on the second draft of the Mountain Lion Management plan. He expects it will be released later this summer or fall.
Once it is available to the public, he welcomes the discussion and decisions will be based on the objectives identified in the plan.
"We can't hurt anything with the way we are doing it now and once we get that plan out in front of everybody and work through it then," said Thompson.
• It was asked that FWP would consider developing a plan to allow harvest for cow elk for archery hunters on HD285.
• The way the drawings work, a hunter may have a cow tag but not get drawn making it useless without public hunting opportunities. Eggeman said FWP is considering changing the drawing to a call-in reservation system. While this would change the method, he is unsure if that will change the availability for someone to get drawn.
Thompson said that FWP's hope is that someone would line up permission to hunt on private land before purchasing the B-license.
• Since the numbers are up, they questioned why more opportunities couldn't be available on public land.
Eggeman said the antlerless permits are the tool that allows for hunting public land and they have been trying to increase those throughout the region.
"But the reality is probably 60-70 percent of our elk are on private land and 30-40 percent are on public land," said Eggeman. "I don't want to go mining a bunch of elk, especially the reproductive portion of the herd, off public land and reducing those migratory elk to the point where we start to lose that behavior."
For more information and to comment visit http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting and click on "Opportunity for Public Comment," call the Wildlife Division office at 406-444-2612 or email fwpwold@mt.gov. Comments will be accepted until Jan. 24 at 5 p.m. with final adoption at the February Commission meeting.
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