This story is featured in montana outdoors septemberoctober 2016 issue. This week, montana fish, wildlife and parks mfwp approved a new set of guidelines for an elk shoulder season that will be held before and after the general rifle season. The new shoulder seasons are in response to concerns from governor steve bullock, lawmakers, hunters, landowners and others about overabundant elk in some hunting districts. Harvested elk numbers are up over last year for opening weekend of hunting season in southwest montana.
The seasons focus on antlerless elk harvest on private land and are not. Like last year, 43 hunting districts statewide are open in six fish, wildlife and parks regions. Specific dates for the shoulder season have not yet been announced. It has also slated shoulder seasons for dozens more hunting districts throughout the state starting in august and running as long as february 2017. A shoulder season occurs outside the 5week general firearms season. According to charts provided by fwp, 21,635 is the elk population objective for the 43 hunting districts discussed with the commission.
Know the regulations 2017 2018 elk shoulder seasons always check individual hunting district regulations title. Montanas game managers try to outsmart elk gaming the. First hunt of the year montana elk shoulder season i wasnt ale to go out with my father in. The shoulder season in hunting district 410 will begin jan. Shoulder seasons will take place in 44 hunting districts. Elk shoulder seasons would be created in 43 hunting districts, or portions thereof, under fish, wildlife and parks proposals that go to the fish and wildlife commission on thursday. These hunts focus on antlerless elk harvest on private land and are not intended to replace or reduce harvest during the existing general. Montana s cow elk shoulder hunts, which were extended to 43 hunting districts this season, seem to be popular although final tallies wont be. In hunting districts hd 445, 446, 452 and 449, there is an antlerless elk shoulder season nov. Hunters raise concerns about shoulder seasons for elk. Montana is home to a lot of elk4,557 to be more precise. Shoulder season launches for montana hunters youtube.
Fwp created additional hunting seasons called elk shoulder seasons esss. There are still opportunities to fill a general elk license in montana this winter, as elk shoulder seasons continue in some hunting districts around the state. The hunting districts in montana where elk are over set population objectives tend to be in eastern montana. First hunt of continue reading montana shoulder season. We thought we were done for the season with hunting and we received a call about a cow elk hunting opportunity on a private and very lucrative ranch. With that, vermillion asked if the galt ranch would qualify for damage or management hunts in place of a shoulder season. The nbar shoulder hunt was one of the most incredible hunts i have ever been on.
In 2015 i wasnt able to take advantage continue reading 2016 fall shoulder season. Montana approves guidelines for elk shoulder season gohunt. Two members of the montana fish and wildlife commission indicated at the boards thursday meeting in missoula that they were uncomfortable with allowing late season elk hunts this winter in. The purpose of the extended season is to help manage elk populations in overpopulated areas across the state. Shoulder seasons will vary in timing and function from hunting district to hunting district. In montana the past two seasons, the state has opened up a shoulder rifle season for cow elk in certain hunting districts. The proposed walkin hunt will replace mfwps initial suggestion of holding a limited late season elk hunt. Montana elk shoulder season set to start again outdoor. This winter marks the second year of montana s statewide antlerless elk shoulder season primarily on private land after the end of the general elk season. First approved by the montana fish and wildlife commission in october 2015, shoulder seasons are an opportunity for hunters in hunting districts where elk populations are over objective. Receiving a yes, the commission voted against a shoulder season in 391. Elk shoulder seasons will occur in northeast montana from dec.
Hunters interested in participating in this hunting season will have had to already drawn a shoulder season license license 69600 or 69900 to hunt during this shoulder season. In addition to the 10week general season in the fall, montana hunters can now hunt elk into february with the acceptance of the new shoulder season. Really happy but now i need to find private land to hunt. Cow elk shoulder season hunt september 2017 duration. Elk shoulder season begins, opportunities limited local. Landowners speak out against shoulder seasons montana on. First of all, sorry it has been awhile, but im ready to tell some great stories of the fun which was had during the 2017 hunting season. There are lots of districts, and some have different hunting season dates and regulations for whitetail deer and mule deer. Shoulder seasons will be offered in 43 hunting districts. The comment deadline is sunday, july 16, 2017 at 5 pm. August 29, 2017 elk hunters will have opportunities to fill their tags beginning aug. Hunting season quota change supporting information 801 kb. Montana fwp reveals big game hunting forecast gohunt. First hunt of the year montana elk shoulder season i wasnt able to go out with my father in law in lewistown the 15th of august as i was out of town on vacation with family.
Shoulder season elk montana cow elk organic freezer 2017. Montana fish, wildlife and parks will not extend big game hunting seasons following below average elk harvest across the state, but the agency is encouraging hunters to participate in shoulder. Elk shoulder season to be extended across montana posted on october 14, 2015 by dharrisadmin 0 comments with archery season coming to a close on october 18 and the general elk season beginning on october 24, hunters will be happy to hear that elk populations are above average in many areas of the state. Montana fish, wildlife and parks mfwp have proposed an elk shoulder season on the spotted dog wildlife management area wma to help manage the flourishing elk population within the 38,000acre wma. For hd 410, there is an antlerless elk shoulder season jan. A shoulder season is a firearm season that occurs outside the 5week general firearms season. General season elk licenses are not valid during the elk shoulder season in fwp region 6. Montana outdoorsman experiencing the outdoors with. He finds there tracks, misses the first shot, then manages to find their tracks. To reduce elk numbers, in 2016, montana wildlife managers instituted the longest and largest hunting season ever offered in the state shoulder seasons running from august 2016 to. Elk licenses general elk or blicenses valid during the archery and general seasons are not valid for the shoulder season in region 6. Elk shoulder season to be extended across montana fort.
Published on oct 11, 2017 cody goes on a shoulder hunt on a local ranch in montana looking for a cow elk to shoot. Montana shoulder season montana outdoorsman first of all, sorry it has been awhile, but im ready to tell some great stories of the fun which was had during the 2017 hunting season. For the 2017 season the commission approved shoulder seasons in 44 hunting districts, in six of fwps seven regions. Please be patient as the survey may take a few seconds to load. Shoulder season elk montana cow elk organic freezer 2017 hunting. A shoulder season is a firearms season that can occur as early as august 15 and run as late as february 15 depending on the hunting district. Basically, in some areas, dates may slightly change, or you may have to wait to take antlered deer, etc. The purpose of the extended season is to help manage elk populations in overpopulated areas across the. Montana marks the start of a shoulder season program intended to manage elk herds that harbor on private land during this years regular oct. All the bmas enrolled should say something on the printout page about the shoulder season or dates. For the second year, montana fish, wildlife and parks region 6 has a shoulder season that allows antlerless elk hunting from dec. Fwp signs off on 43 new shoulder season hunting districts.
These are all private land and qualify for the shoulder season, if the landowner has things setup on their end. Cow elk shoulder season hunt september 2017 youtube. In 2018 the elk population combined for those districts was 49,203. Amazing shed hunt big elk, big mule deer and coues deer. The primary purpose of elk shoulder seasons is to reduce elk populations in areas that are over population objective as outlined in the montana elk management plan. Montanans share concerns over elk shoulder seasons state. In some areas, the shoulder season will occur at the same time as the archery season, while in others it will not include the archery only season.
Me and a group just drew a shoulder elk hunt in montana 00400 wow. Bill gives landowners free elk tag for every 4 public hunters allowed on property. White sulphur springs still at center of elk shoulder. Elk hunters will have opportunities to fill their tags beginning aug.
Regulations differ among the hunting districts, and hunters need to know the difference. In some districts the shoulder seasons will start as early as aug. A shoulder season is a firearms season that occurs outside the 5week. Bill gives landowners free elk tag for every 4 public. I drew a shoulder elk hunt montana long range hunting. Shoulder season basics what hunters and landowners need to know about fwps unprecedented attempt to reduce extremely overabundant elk populations in 43 montana hunting districts.
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