https://billingsgazette.com/ou...5a-07aeb7ead7ee.html


FWP accidentally issues too many moose, bighorn sheep licenses; recall ordered

Brett French 12 hrs ago

Moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat are Montana's hardest to draw and most coveted hunting tags.


Four Montana moose hunters and 60 bighorn sheep tag applicants are in for some very bad news.

Fish, Wildlife & Parks over-allocated these highly prized tags in seven different hunting districts in its recent drawing. Realizing the mistake, the agency is issuing a recall.

Operator error inputting incorrect quotas was to blame, said Greg Lemon, FWP spokesman. Although the data is double-checked, the errors weren’t caught. The bureau’s staff realized the error on May 16 and put a block on the ability for successful applicants in the affected districts to purchase their license.

The way the drawings are held, the Licensing Bureau can see the order in which hunters drew their tag and make the necessary correction to match the quotas.

“It’s a travesty,” said Doug Krings, board member for the Central Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. “I can’t imagine finally drawing a permit like that just to have it pulled back.”


Krings was one of almost 2,500 applicants kicked out of last year’s drawings for elk tags due to a Licensing Bureau error. In that case, FWP Director Hank Worsech decided to hold a second drawing, noting that he had the discretion to issue 10% more tags above the original quota. The error also resulted in awarding more licenses than usual to nonresident elk hunters.


What?

Here’s an example of the latest error. In bighorn sheep Hunting District 482-30 north of Lewistown, the wildlife biologist set a quota of five bighorn sheep. Instead, a quota of 40 was mistakenly entered, meaning an additional 35 people drew one of the coveted permits.

Before the drawings are ever held, quota ranges are approved by the Fish and Wildlife Commission. FWP biologists then set annual quotas for species within the ranges approved by the commission. For instance, the commission might approve a quota range for a moose license of one to 10. FWP biologists look at numbers on the landscape, as well as other factors, and set a quota of two for that license, FWP explained.



“We know this is disappointing for the people affected by this mistake, and we’re very sorry,” said FWP Deputy Director Dustin Temple in a statement. “We are putting the resource first, and here that means following the science for population management and ensuring that we meet hunters’ expectations for a quality hunt. In this circumstance, that means pulling back some of the licenses drawn to ensure the health of the sheep and moose populations in these areas.”


The other affected hunting districts for sheep included: 482-20: 20 applicants were awarded tags, but the quota was 15; 622-30: 20 applicants drew, but the quota was 10; 680-31: drew 40 applicants, but the quota was 30.

For the moose drawings, the numbers were less out of line. In HD 270-5, three applicants were drawn, but the quota was two; 332-00: drew eight applicants, but the quota was six; 341-50: drew three applicants, but the quota was two.

FWP released the results of the moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and bison drawings on May 11.

Adding up

The news comes only days after the Legislative Audit Division released its report praising Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ bonus point system used in drawing special hunting licenses. The report came out after the Billings Gazette published a story that the agency had changed how it used bonus points during drawings this year without notifying the public. The audit noted FWP had to do a better job of communicating with the public regarding the bonus point system.


Other recent FWP licensing errors have included incorrectly listing the opening day of the turkey season a week earlier than the actual date in the 2022 state regulations. Some archery-only permits were issued with incorrect dates making them appear to be valid only during the rifle season. Then the agency accidentally mailed out 1,200 additional nonresident elk and deer combination tags. The hunters were asked to voluntarily return them.

FWP said it would resolve the most-recent error as soon as possible. Once the system completes the corrections, the affected hunters will be notified by phone and email and their online MyFWP accounts will be updated. After that, successful applicants will be able to purchase their licenses.

Due to the difficulty of drawing some hard-to-get licenses, hunters may put in for decades before drawing a bighorn sheep or moose tag. On FWP’s Facebook page, one hunter complained he had unsuccessfully applied for 41 years, another said he had been applying unsuccessfully for 48 years. A hunter called the recent errors a "complete and unmitigated disaster. You just can't make this stuff up. Wow."

I am glad I am not the one who has to contact the applicants, wow!

quote:

Originally posted by Jason P:
I am glad I am not the one who has to contact the applicants, wow!

Amen brother!

This is as bad of a drawing error as I've ever heard. What a horrific disappointment for those unlucky souls.

This makes me sick for them!

Zeke

they ain't got 4 moose??

They called me Friday. Sorry, you really didn't draw that Bighorn tag. Issued 40 instead of 5. I was between the 6th and the 40th recipient. And the celebratory champagne (well, really bourbon) was gone before I discovered it was a mistake.

quote:

Originally posted by dr_dog_guy:
They called me Friday. Sorry, you really didn't draw that Bighorn tag. Issued 40 instead of 5. I was between the 6th and the 40th recipient. And the celebratory champagne (well, really bourbon) was gone before I discovered it was a mistake.

I hope you draw next year and hope that they get it right!

Thanks, Jason! The last couple years MT FWP has had plenty of issues with getting licensing right. Probably not completely their fault. The last 2 legislative sessions, the legislature has messed with long standing allocations of licenses creating some flux in the system.

Incompetence aplenty!

Yes!