The Mont. Stockgrowers Ass. wants FWP to allow them to sell elk tags to hunt the elk on their land. What do you think this will do to Elk hunting here? Personally i don't like the idea and have e-mailed my representatives telling them so!

What are the particulars of their proposal?

Are they depredation permits, or for use during regular hunting seasons or at the landowners' discretion?

Are these elk tags for cows and spikes, or are they for branch-antelered bulls?

Would the landowners pay for the tags, then sell them to outfitters and hunters?

We don't have enough info to base an opinion on.

George

Here's the proposal.

Use your noggin and read between the lines.

http://animalrangeextension.montana.edu/Articles/Wildlife/Mt-wildlife-partner.htm

Believe me! The MT FWP will NEVER allow this to pass.
FN in MT

I'm know New Mexico has land owner tags. The outfitters purchase them & use them on those high dollar hunts. Lots of greed !!!

Colorado has ranching for wildlife--in a nut shell--the rancher gets special tags for his hunters & he lets limited public access on his ranch. Seems to work ok from what I hear.

FN,

I hope you are right. Thing that worries me is the fact that this stuff comes from our legislators ultimately. You know who they are........................

Are you all for this or against it and why.

The Stockgrower's had their convention a week or so ago, and while they didn't bag this proposal altogether I'd say they realize it's dead in the water. FWP came out against it, which is kind of unusual IMO (for a public agency to publicly condemn something that might have some support in the legislature). Even the Great Falls Tribune had a lengthy article that put the proposal in a very less than favorable light.
So, hopefully the powers that be in the Stockgrowers realize that if they push ahead with this, they're gonna look like even bigger buffoons than they do now.

It is no more that Colorado's Ranching for Wildlife program which has been very successful. It is one way to keep some of the tags for the public, even on private land. The alternative is 100% private high dollar hunts on private lands. It is not all that bad.