If you ran the show what would be your goals/restrictions?



I'd manage for probably 50 bulls/100 cows, maybe more...

Bulls would be required to have at least 5pts on at least 1 side. (perhaps allow some clause to harvest non-typicals or management type elk)

Meat hunters could harvest cows.

Non-residents elk tags would be divided by season/weapon, ie a non-res would draw either an archery tag or a rifle tag, not an entire season long tag. I feel probably 95% of non-residents hunt one season or the other, not both. So manage the tags like New Mexico, etc...not like WY/MT.

Your thoughts, ideas??

25-35 Bulls per 100 head of cows can give you some quality bulls while still maintaining opportunity to hunt.

I would only issue cow tags during archery season and limited draw in one late rifle season. Only as a management tool not an opportunity to hunt.

I would give the archery hunters their wish and take muzzleloader out of archery season but cut archery season one week shorter.

I would leave the first rifle season Bull only for those that like to go after a decent sized elk.

50/50 on all draws non resident vs resident.

Only have three rifle seasons 7 days each.
Archery Season the first three weeks of September
Muzzleloader the last week of September.

All season's start on a Monday to eliminate the rush of the weekend warriors. Sounds harsh but would create better hunting opportunity's.

Oh and shut down ATV's Trails during hunting season. I'm sure that created a debate right there.

I would shorten Montana's rifle season to 3-weeks instead of the normal 5-week season.
I would also shorten Montana's archery season to 3-weeks instead of the normal 6-week season.

I would give cow hunters a longer cow only by permit only season, this would be a special late season hunt.

For NV, I like the way it is now.

We are in the area of 30 or so bulls per 100 cows, maybe a few more in areas.

Our season structure is like this

Aug 1 - 20 - Cow archery
Aug 25 - Sept 15 - Bull Archery
Sept 16 - 30 - Cow ML (some areas have a bull rifle season the 23-30 in areas with a lot of wilderness)
Oct 1 - 19 - Cow Rifle early (all areas with cow hunts)
Oct 20 - Nov - 4- Bull ML
Nov 6 - 20 - Bull Rifle (early in some areas, late in ares with the Sept. rifle hunt)
Nov 22- Dec 5 ( I think) - Late rifle hunt in conjunction with the Nov hunt in areas with a lot of congestion
Nov 20 - Jan 1 - Late cow hunts in certain areas where there are also a lot of early tags, helps reduce congestion I think is the main reason for this.
There are also a few areas which are depredation areas which have different season dates to take care of whats needed.

I like the way it is now because -

Still quality bulls - 60% average 6 pt or better harvested every year (about 5 years old average)

Kill the cows when they are the most vulnerable to hunters to keep the herds in check, and limit the amount of super late hunts to limit the stress on the animals when they need to be building fat reserves.

We have been in this season stucture with only a couple of minor changes for the last 5 seasons. I think it works well, and the quality is still out there, and there is opportunity for the meat hunters to have a fair shot at a cow in a reasonable time frame.

If you draw a bull tag, you have to wait 5 years, and 10 years if you kill one before you can apply again. Cow tags can be obtained every year, if you are lucky enough to draw two years in a row.

IMO - 50 bulls/100 cows would be very difficult to obtain in the first place, and more bulls would die of old age rather than get taken by hunters every year.