Satire, by Jim Robertson (with a nod to the late Cleveland Amory, author of Mankind?: Our Incredible War on Wildlife and founder of the Hunt the Hunters Hunt Club):

In a comment on one of the many tragic hunting accidents I’ve blogged about lately, a gentle reader mentioned there should be a hunt the hunters hunting season, to which another compassionate soul replied, “I’d contribute to that.”

We’ve all heard (ad nauseam) hunters boast that their license fees pay for wildlife programs, implying that it entitles them to kill the subjects of their alleged generosity—of course hunters don’t contribute out of the kindness of their hearts or their profound love for living animals. This got me to thinking we need a non-hunter license and tag system that emulates hunter tags, to finally put to rest this notion that hunters alone pay for wildlife through their consumptive use licenses. There have been some good ideas out there about this; people have floated the notion of a non-hunters duck stamp, for instance, but those have yet to really take off.

Perhaps it’s because non-hunters wouldn’t get anything tangible for their money. Sure, they could bring back a photo or wonderful memories of the amazing wildlife they saw at a quiet slice of heaven preserved for the wild non-human species of the Earth. But how does that really compare to the kind of meaty trophy a hunter takes home with him? (Sorry, or her; I keep forgetting that more and more women are now being lured into the blood sport.) Hunters can pet and fondle the bodies of their dead victims, and even ingest certain parts they don’t plan to mount on the wall.

The only way a non-hunter can have such a tactile experience is if they can actually bring their “harvests” home with them. Granted, a human carcass doesn’t have the popular appeal of say, a mounted deer, elk, moose, goose, sheep or bear, but to the one who made that good, clean kill shot, it’s a symbol of their prowess and their mighty-yet-selfless effort to thin the hunter herd.

Fortunately, state game departments have given us a model to go by. State residents’ licenses would be kept at an affordable price, while out of state hunter hunters would have to contribute more to the coffers. Logically, someone would have to be hired to insure there were plenty of hunters out there to harvest; and who better for that job than the experienced wildlife “managers.” After all, they’ve been doing their darnedest to recruit more hunters for years now.

Tags for different breeds of hunters could emulate hunting tags for specific non-human animal species. (For those unsure of which sub-species of hunter they’re aiming at, check the archives of the C.A.S.H. Courier for, “A Field Guide to North American Hunters”). Obviously a tag for the average Elmer would cost less than a tag for a globe-trotting trophy hunter.

Since they’re among the most sadistic, and are the least likely to lay down their weapons and make peace with the animals willingly, out-of-state hunting licenses to hunt wolf hunters will hereby be reduced from $250 to $50. And wolf hunter tags for residents will be similarly underpriced at around $15, since the goal is ultimately to eliminate that breed altogether.

• Dec 31, 2025
• https://www.choteauacantha.com/news/article_4cc5c69d-9c6e-4ee9-9cd9-97e50daa291e.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawPGaKBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe9_T2NUGkgLLToZ05JgiXewDT446MqqY1MrJWGNLtI3GM7jOQ0EbOciMkBGA_aem_VEXZyv6U_m0f8vo1N58SIQ

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On Dec. 4, the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission set the Montana hunting regulations for 2026 and 2027. In doing so, it made a variety of changes to address concerns about nonresident hunting pressure and mule deer numbers.

“The commission’s action were a culmination of a lengthy process that started this past summer with public meetings around the state,” said Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Director Christy Clark. “Both the commission and FWP heard a lot of input from hunters, landowners and the public. This input was critical in the final regulations that were approved.”

It’s important for hunters to be aware of the changes when planning for next hunting season.

“It’s true, some of these changes will reduce revenue coming to FWP from license sales, but when it comes down to it, this is about protecting the resource, not revenue,” Clark said.

Hunting pressure

During the past several hunting seasons, FWP staff and Fish and Wildlife Commissioners have heard growing concern and frustration with hunting pressure from nonresident hunters, particularly in eastern Montana.

The commission approved an amendment to the regulations that would cap the sale of a particular nonresident deer license. This cap would essentially cut the number of these licenses available to nonresidents by about 2,500.

“The reason that I brought this forward was to start discussion,” said Commission Chair Lesley Robinson during the Dec. 4 commission meeting. “And something has to be done. We have a lot of overcrowding.”

Mule deer

Mule deer declines, particularly in eastern Montana has been a concern for the public, the commission and FWP. During its meeting the commission made an effort to address some of these concerns. First, in 2026 and 2027 most mule deer B licenses will be valid only on private land. The commission also reduced the total number of deer licenses a resident can hold from eight to three.

These changes follows changes the 2023 Legislature made, which reduced the number of deer B licenses a nonresident could hold to one, although nonresident holding a combo license may possess two deer B licenses.

Additionally, in 2024 FWP reduced the mule deer B licenses down to the minimum number within the quota set by the Commission in Region 7, which was 1,000 tags. FWP has also reduced the number of deer B licenses available in other regions, especially Region 6.

The number of deer B license sold by FWP in 2024 were the lowest since 2016. This reduction in deer B licenses is a direct response to declining mule deer numbers.

Other commission actions

General: The archery regulations were changed to remove the let off for hunting bows. Prior to this, the let-off was a maximum of 80 percent.

Antelope: The quota of 900-20 licenses (archery antelope) was increase from the FWP proposal of 5,100 to 5,600, but Region 3 was removed from this bundle and placed in its own pool with 500 licenses.

Bighorn sheep

Three quotas were adopted for these licenses: 250-20 any ram: 1; 680-30 adult ewe: 1; 680-31 adult ewe: 1.

Adjustments to bighorn sheep hunting district 250 to remove the geographical boundary that was described as “valid in portion of HD south of Nez Perce Road and West Fork Road.” This change made the sheep license valid throughout the entire hunting district.

All bighorn sheep hunting districts that are currently designated as either-sex were changed to any ram for all limited opportunity drawings.

Black bear

The archery black bear fall sub-quota was retained in all black bear units with harvest quotes, but the archery sub-quota percentage allowed increased from 20 to 30 percent of the total fall quota.

Hunters may purchase and accrue bonus points for any limited black bear permits.

Hound hunting season was extended to June 15 to coincide with the end of hound training season.

In Region 2, the boundary where hound hunting is allowed was changed to mirror the occupied grizzly bear polygon.

Mountain lion

The winter season dates were changed to Dec. 1 to May 25. Mountain lion hunting with hounds is prohibited in occupied grizzly bear habitat after April 14. A single license is all that is required to hunt mountain lions in open areas and the special limited and unlimited licenses were eliminated as recommended by FWP. Quotas will be established in June.

Deer and Elk

The quota of the 799-20 elk license was increased from 280 to 325. A second antlerless elk B license will be available to any holder of an elk permit in hunting districts 702, 704, or 705, subject to the same restrictions in time, open areas, and limitations associated with the permit.

All Region 1 elk B licenses will only be valid on private land.

Eliminate all antlerless elk archery opportunity in Region 1.

All other hunting regulations were approved as proposed by FWP.

For more information please visit the Fish and Wildlife Commission page for the Dec. 4 meeting.