Schweitzer to talk with FWP over hunting regs

By SUSAN GALLAGHER - Associated Press - 03/07/08

Some of the disputed hunting regulations that state wildlife commissioners adopted in February will be reconsidered, Gov. Brian Schweitzer said Thursday after sportsmen requested he intervene.

‘‘Myself and my staff will have a conversation with the commission’’ about the regulation of archery hunting, Schweitzer, who appointed the five-member panel, told The Associated Press. Reconsideration is likely next week at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission, according to an aide.

A Conrad group, the Region 4 Sportsmen’s Association, contacted Schweitzer’s office Thursday and requested he get involved.

‘‘We got the response we were looking for, and we’re glad the governor took notice,’’ member Bill McKinley Jr. said.

New restrictions on archery hunting of big game went too far, he said. Among other things, they restrict access to part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness in western Montana by requiring that archers have special permits to hunt even though riflemen may hunt there without permits, McKinley said.

‘‘There will not be any sportsmen that have a decrease in their access,’’ Schweitzer said.

The Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ regional manager in Great Falls, Gary Bertellotti, suggested Thursday that the Bob Marshall archery regulation was inadvertent. Commissioners have been examining whether ‘‘that is truly what they wanted to do,’’ Bertellotti said.

Schweitzer said his talk with them will be about regulation of archery hunting in areas other than the Missouri Breaks of central Montana. Commissioners last month drew distinctions between the Breaks, known for trophy elk, and other locations when setting the 2008-09 regulations.

Goals of those regulations included controlling hunter crowding and reducing inequality in the hunting opportunities of archers versus rifle hunters, they said.

Not all sportsmen had criticized the regulations.

The Montana Wildlife Federation, which counts many hunters among its members, largely supported the package adopted last month, spokesman Stan Frasier said.

Commission autonomy is important, Frasier said.

‘‘In years past we’ve seen way too much meddling by governors in the operations of the department,’’ he said.

Commissioner Dan Vermillion, appointed in January 2007, said Thursday that a query about the governor’s role as the commission goes about its work ‘‘may be a bigger question than I’m prepared to answer.’’

‘‘To say he doesn’t have a seat at the table would be incorrect,’’ said Vermillion, but he added that in his time on the commission, ‘‘nobody’s ever told me how I should vote or what I should do.’’

As for the regulations in dispute, Vermillion said that ‘‘to the extent that people feel we need to revisit it, we’re willing to listen.’’

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Reader Comments:

mtnative54 wrote on Mar 8, 2008 7:37 AM:

" "The FWP sold the regulation changes to the public based on predictions from their little crystal ball (but don’t you dare make any based on your crystal ball!). Fact, there is no definitive data available to determine how much land is leased and how much leasing has increased. Fact, there is nothing in place to track any changes in leasing these new regulations may cause. Fact, many land owners say their property is leased when it is not (just an easy way to deal with the public and the FWP). My point is the FWP can not give us a true and honest answer when asked will the regulation changes (or when asked in the future, “HAVE the regulation changes had an effect?”) have an effect on leasing of land." I believe if you search all the articles that have been written about these regulation changes MOGA actually reported a decrease in leased lands in the subject 23 districts. "

Chuck Feney wrote on Mar 7, 2008 6:58 AM:

" These regulations are not about "hunter crowding and reducing inequality". They are designed to prevent the boom in leasing of land for private non-resident preserves for archery hunting. There was an extensive public comment period and for the Conrad group to say they weren't heard is crazy. Why have a Commission is it's carefully crafted decisions can be overridden by political pressure and favors? Who is really behind this intervention by the Governor? I smell outfitters and large lease holders, the Turner hunting wannabe monopoly. "


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