# FWP settles on archery elk hunting seasons



## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Story available at http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles ... 28-fwp.txt

Published on Thursday, February 21, 2008.
Last modified on 2/21/2008 at 1:03 am

*FWP settles on archery elk hunting seasons *
By MARK HENCKEL
Gazette Outdoor Editor

HELENA - Few people got exactly what they wanted when the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission made its final decision on the 2008 archery elk hunting seasons on Wednesday.

Call it a compromise decision that will keep things for 2008 much as they were in 2007. But change in the form of reduced permit numbers will come in 2009.

Here's what the commission decided on the contentious proposals to go from an unlimited number of elk archery permits to limited numbers:

• For Missouri Breaks elk districts, in 2008, either-sex permits will be set at 100 percent of the three-year average with a yet-to-be-set limited number of antlerless archery permits. In 2009, the either-sex permit numbers will drop to 75 percent of the three-year-average.

• For 24 non-Breaks districts in central and Eastern Montana, in 2008 there will be an unlimited number of permits issued to hunters who apply for them as their first choice on their applications. In 2009, either-sex permits will be limited to 100 percent of the number who apply in 2008. Antlerless archery elk hunting will be a general season.

The final decision wasn't what outfitters or landowners wanted. They backed the status quo and wanted no changes from current seasons.

Resident sportsmen largely wanted cutbacks in archery elk permit numbers. They didn't get that, either.

"I think this option is a phased-in approach," said Shane Colton, FWP commissioner from Billings. "I think it's a balanced approach so that we can see what this does and gives people 2008 to adjust to the new season structure."

Based on comments made at the commission meeting, organizations including the Montana Bowhunters Association, Montana Outfitters and

Guides Association and Montana Stockgrowers Association all opposed the option.

But commissioners pointed out that their comments Wednesday in Helena had to be balanced against the wishes of those who attended the 44 public meetings across the state in January and those who took the time to e-mail or mail in comments.

Surprisingly, the number of comments was beyond what the department had received on any other hunting regulation issue in memory.

Ken McDonald, FWP Wildlife Division administrator, said the department received 2,160 comments at the public meetings and got 1,052 more by mail or e-mail.

"We never had this much comment before on any hunting regulation," McDonald said. "Not even close."

The 900-00 antelope archery license also went through a compromise as passed by the commission. The tentative regulation sought to limit the number of permits to 4,500. But a revised proposal from FWP set the number at 5,600 - slightly more than the 5,523 that received the license in 2007.

In its final form, the commission voted 4-1 to set the number at 5,600 but to allow hunters to apply for the 900-00 license as either their first, second or third choice.

In other action on the hunting regulations, the commission:

• Established a youth pheasant weekend to run concurrently with the youth waterfowl weekend in September. The hunt will be open to youngsters age 12-15 accompanied by a licensed adult.

• Voted to keep traditional hunting season opening dates rather than go to fixed dates for opening and closing.

• Approved a season structure and final season regulations for wolves in Montana, pending federal approval to be able to hold a season in 2008. The season would be for hunting only, with a trapping quota of zero for 2008 and 2009. A total of 950 comments were received on the wolf regulations.

Contact Mark Henckel at 633-2598 or at [email protected].


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