OPINION: Hunters and anglers, pay attention

While the legislature and Gov. Gianforte have been busy enacting laws like HB 635 from Rep. Kassmier (R-Fort Benton) — which guarantees deer and elk tags to large out-of-state landowners — and HB 637 from Rep. Berglee (R-Joliet) — which established tag giveaways for outfitters and sweetened the deal for landowners who want premium elk permits - resident hunters continue to express concerns over increasing hunter crowding and declining public access.

Sen. Flowers (D-Bozeman) attempted to corral the growing issue of non-resident hunting pressure with SB 525. This would have established caps on nonresidents but failed on party lines.

Sen. McGillvray (R-Billings) took the opposite approach by attempting to give even more deer and elk licenses to nonresidents with SB 305. Is this what Montanans want?

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