This morning, I called FWP Region Supervisor Beck, officially, the meeting on the 17th was cancelled by Comm. Stuker. It has not been rescheduled for another time, date, or location.
"While the meeting wasn’t officially noticed, it was open to the public and Commission Stuker had planned to take public comment."
To those of you who planned on attending, as I was planning, thank you for your concern and intended public participation.
But, we still need to address the issue of way over objective elk concentrations in HD 580, partly due to public access issues and outfitting. Comm. Vermillion's suggestion of going antlerless in HD 580, has been brought up by others as part of the season setting changes for HD 580 before. This is a public process, FWP needs to hear your voice on the matter.
Also, there is another season setting issue with Region 2's HD 215, near Elliston, at the Spotted Dog Wildlife Management Area (WMA). This WMA was purchased for winter range for the wildlife. We should not be having a shoulder season hunt on public lands, especially on a WMA for winter habitat. The shoulder seasons were "sold" as a means to drive off elk, from private lands, to public lands, where they would be publicly accessible, not harbored, in areas that were over objective.
So here is the ask...
Please participate in the public process, take a few moments,
- Send your public comment email to FWP ( fwpwld@mt.gov )or fill out the form on their page (link above)
- The comment deadline is Wednesday, January 24 at 5 PM.
- Please also request HD 580 go antlerless and no shoulder season hunt on HD 215.
- And it would be a great help, if the public would demand FWP
update their woefully outdated Statewide Elk Management Plan (2004),
instead of continually kicking the can down the bloody road!
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