# Montana Groups spar over access issues



## ScottJM (Jun 19, 2007)

I'm curious as to why you chose to wonder 'what the archery community *entering* Montana is thinking about this'

I have to wonder if that wording is revealing your position on this subject and if you are perhaps a member of the UPOM, Outfitter in Montana or nonresident hunter?

Also couldn't help but notice you just joined this forum and that this was your first post. Kind of looks like you may have come here with an agenda.


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## BigBirdVA (Nov 5, 2002)

ScottJM said:


> I'm curious as to why you chose to wonder 'what the archery community *entering* Montana is thinking about this'
> 
> I have to wonder if that wording is revealing your position on this subject and if you are perhaps a member of the UPOM, Outfitter in Montana or nonresident hunter?
> 
> Also couldn't help but notice you just joined this forum and that this was your first post. Kind of looks like you may have come here with an agenda.


Montana's version of Hokieman?


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## BreaksHunter (Apr 15, 2008)

No sir I have definitely not come here with an agenda. Actually to the contrary I am a MT native, my family has a place there. I am not a member of the UPOM, actually I am a firm believer that it is the public who owns the wildlife and no one person should prosper or gain financially from wildlife on their property. To the contrary of what you might be thinking from me being a landowner in MT, I have hunted 90% on public land all of my life and have harvested elk, deer, antelope, pheasants, ducks, and geese, all on public land. My style of hunting just works better for game on public land. 
As for the rookie status, I am just getting more interested in these issues because I am getting older and realizing that the way the rest of the world views these issues is going to have an effect on what my future family is going to be able to hunt. I do not want my family to have to pay $2000 to harvest an elk, and that doesn’t include the trophy fees or guiding fees. It should be their God give, albeit taxed, right to hunt, fish, and trap wherever they would like, within reason (fair and courteous to other hunters and landowners). 
This is a forum my only intent is to found out the other views of the archery community, my opinion is just one. I was looking forward to a positive discussion about the future of hunting rights in MT. I realize this is a hot button issue and people will sling mud when they can, but let me know why you voted the way you did, not personally attack my character. Thank you.


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## holepuncher (Jan 3, 2005)

good luck to the public Peeps!


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## ScottJM (Jun 19, 2007)

Breakshunter - No personal attack was intended. I posed questions based on my observations of your post. I am just very suspicious of a persons motives when it comes to issues such as this. Based on the last sentence of your post, I think you can understand how I came to question what yours were. Again, it struck me that you asked what archers entering the state thought and showed no interest in the thoughts of resident archers or resident landowners. Now that you have provided your location I can more clearly understand your interest in this issue.

I voted for Public Wildlife because I share many of the views that you do. I believe that Montana wildlife belongs to the public but more specifically the residents of Montana and that the wishes and rights of the individual resident citizen takes priority over the wishes or privilege of private business entities or non-resident sportsman. That is not to say that business entities, specifically those of the Outfitting Industry, have no say in the matter. The same applies for non-resident sportsman. I understand and appreciate they're interest in the matter but they're voice should be secondary to the Montana resident citizen which again points to why I questioned the last sentence of your initial post. 

I too do not want to see the day when my children have to choose between paying thousands of dollars to hunt on private lands or be forced into overcrowded accessible public lands. This appears to be a reality already in many parts of the country and I do not want to see it happen here. In my opinion the commercialization of hunting and fishing is dissapointing and destructive to the future of these sports. It is my concern that we may be heading down a road where we may once again come to understand the meaning of the term, "The King's deer."

I have to point out that I personally know two of the people mentioned in relation to the UPOM in your initial post and know of the third. It is my understanding that they are all outfitters and/or leased to outfitters. For Deanna Robbins to say, 'this is not about outfitters, this is about property rights,' is either a flat out lie or reflects a complete state of denial. I believe that for them, this is totally about outfitting and more specifically about money and beyond that, their money, their profits. The FWP licensing changes allow for a significant reduction in allotted elk archery tags in areas that have previously been unlimited. This no longer guarantees an archery elk tag for prospective non-resident archery clients which, as you can guess, does impact the outfitter's bottom line. 

Again I understand and respect your interest in this issue but wish that you had been more concerned with the thoughts of Montanans.


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## BreaksHunter (Apr 15, 2008)

WELL SAID!!
I think that MT as a state is unique. I think that when it gets right down to it MT and only MT and it' residents should make decisions about what it should do with it's wildlife. I understand your questioning of “entering”, I could have stated that better, perhaps just “hunting in” would have sufficed.
:cheers:


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## ScottJM (Jun 19, 2007)

Thanks for the understanding and I'm glad that we have found common ground. As you can tell I don't have alot of posts myself even though I've been around for a little while. I try to refrain from providing input unless I think I can honestly be of help to someone or like this, feel compelled to comment. As you pointed out, this is a "hot button issue" and I also look forward to a positive discussion in this thread. 

Welcome to AT, :smile:
Scott


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