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Council Seeks Comment On Elk License Proposal
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Hunting
This news release was archived on Tuesday, December 31, 2002

The Private Land/Public Wildlife Council, a committee of landowners, hunters, and outfitters appointed by Governor Judy Martz to address hunting access issues, is seeking public comment on a proposal to create new nonresident elk licenses.

The council proposes to create 100 new landowner-sponsored, nonresident B-10 either-sex elk licenses, and 100 new landowner-sponsored, nonresident, A-7 antlerless elk licenses, to be made available to hunters sponsored by landowners under these conditions:

  • Sponsoring landowner must provide public elk-hunting access either under the terms of a contractual agreement, or as part of a "community habitat and access project;"
  • Sponsoring landowner must own and enroll occupied elk habitat that is large enough, in FWP's assessment, to accommodate successful public hunting;
  • Landowner-sponsored elk licenses are valid only on landowner’s land that is enrolled under the terms of a contractual agreement or a community habitat and access project;
  • Sponsoring landowner may not charge a fee, or authorize a person to a charge a fee, for hunting access provided to members of the public who gain access to enrolled land under the terms of a contractual agreement or community habitat and access project;
  • Sponsoring landowner may charge a fee for hunting access provided to a hunter- receiving a landowner-sponsored nonresident elk license;
  • The proposed landowner-sponsored nonresident elk licenses would not affect quotas of any licenses already established under current statutes;
  • No landowner may sponsor more than two hunters under this proposal.

    • Community habitat and access projects can be established between FWP and groups of landowners. Such projects generally seek specific elk-management options to reach elk-harvest, land-management and hunter-access goals based on the management objectives for the local elk-herd unit. In recent years, projects have been established in the Madison Valley, near the Bear Paw Mountains, and near the Big Belt Mountains.

    Ultimately, the council's proposal to create new nonresident elk licenses would be considered by the FWP Commission and the Montana Legislature.

    Written comments may be sent to: PL/PW, c/o Alan Charles, FWP – Field Services, PO Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620. Email comments may be sent to acharles@state.mt.us . Comment must be received by October 30, 2002. For further information, contact Alan Charles at 406-444-3798.