Letter regarding increasing hunter elk harvest without increasing hunting opportunity

Jeff Herbert, Asst. Administrator
Wildlife Division, MDFWP
1420 East Sixth Avenue
Helena, MT 59620-0701

July 14, 2003

Dear Jeff:

The Montana Bowhunters Association recognizes the need for the Fish Wildlife and Parks Department to increase the harvest of elk in some areas without increasing the number of hunters. We support the decisions of the Department’s biologists in controlling the size of Montana’s elk herds. Our concern comes from the potential loss of hunting opportunity for the remainder of Montana’s hunters. If the herd can be reduced to the desired carrying level with half the normal number of hunters, the remaining hunters will be forced to utilize the remaining habitat.

One of Montana’s greatest treasures is the fact that everyone has an opportunity to hunt. Requiring the hunter to secure written access permission prior to the issuing of the second permit puts control of who will receive the permits in the hands of the landowners. There has been a movement toward privatization of our public wildlife resources resulting in lost hunting opportunity the past few years and this could be another step in that direction. The next step could be issuing the cow permits to the landowners and allowing them to distribute them. Soon they would have the bull tags as well. With incentives like that, we would soon be overrun with out of state interests purchasing large tracts of land.

The preservation of Montana’s hunting heritage is of vital interest to the Montana Bowhunters Association. It is important that we all work together to preserve the opportunity for all of Montana’s hunters.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Sincerely,

Charlie Johnson

President
Montana Bowhunters Association