Guaranteed Elk Tags for Large Absentee Landowners?

*** For the greatest effect, please customize the subject line and content of your message; use your own words. *** Rep. Joshua Kassmier (R-Fort Benton) is sponsoring HB 635 (https://leg.mt.gov/bills/2023/billpdf/HB0635.pdf), which would award 15% of nonresident elk licenses to large absentee landowners, up to five elk licenses per landowner. While some in our community support this idea, Montana BHA does not. Here's why: 1) The bill attempts to encourage public access but fails to do so in a majority of the state (because the access incentive is a bonus point, which is only applicable in permitted areas). 2) This cuts opportunity for both nonresident DIY and guided hunters. Taking 15% from the pot will lead to greater competition for these and - most likely - pressure to raise caps even higher, or other interest groups demanding similar guarantees. 3) For absentee landowners who do own property in permitted areas, the ones most frustrated they can’t hunt each year, this bonus point incentive offers no guarantee that they’ll be able to draw, even if they do enroll in public access. We fear this access incentive will have little impact, and landowners in these areas will not enroll in public access programs and will continue to push for guaranteed permits or for FWP to change these to OTC units rather than permitted. In other words, this bill won't satisfy them. 4) And finally, compared side-by-side, the controversial 454 program is more attractive. Because under that program, the public at least benefits from limited public opportunity (at least 3 members of the public are allowed for every landowner license). Whereas this bill, HB 635, gives large absentee landowners up to five elk tags with the public getting nothing in return, and is likely to lead to less participation in the 454s. In summary, HB 635 fails to meaningfully incentivize public access participation, and once we go down this road with guarantees, it will be very hard to come back from it, and even harder to stop other interests from wanting guaranteed tags as well. Don't believe us? Take a look at what's happening with the other landowner preference bills this session: HB 146, HB 522 and HB 600. The common theme to these three bills is making it easier for landowners - even out-of-state ones! - to get licenses, often valid district-wide, on public and/or private lands, for deer, elk, antelope and even wild bison. Once we establish nonresident landowner guarantees it's only a matter of time til nonresident landowners to push for district-wide permits and/or reductions in the acreage requirements to get these guaranteed tags. This is a door we don't want to open. The bill passed Committee yesterday (Feb. 28th) by a vote of 12-7. We'd like to thank Reps. Hinkle, Duram, Karlen, Matthews, France, Baum, and Marler for voting against this. It now faces two quick votes on the full House Floor, meaning we need you to reach out to your state representative ASAP and ask them to SAY NO TO HB 635. *** For the greatest effect, please customize the subject line and content of your message; use your own words. ***