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Editor:
Every sportsman should be aware of Senate Bill 247. It deals with the closure of one of our hunting seasons in Montana, specifically the closure of all sage grouse hunting in the state. It is an attack on hunting plain and simple. Anti-hunters applaud the bill. It takes the process of season setting away from our Fish, Wildlife and Parks and puts it into the hands of politicians.
Our sage grouse are managed under a plan that took years to develop. It is called the Adaptive Management System. In Montana, sage grouse numbers are down in some areas, up in others. In 2014 seasons and bag limits were adjusted accordingly. This system is based on science that comes from unbiased sources. They don’t care about hunting, but about sound management of a resource.
Sportsmen of Montana gave up two-thirds of their state and 75 percent of the season in 2014. Now special interests want it all. The reason given by the sponsor of the bill was: “close it and let’s see what happens.” That is hardly a scientific approach to the problem.
Hunting of sage grouse has been determined to have zero effect on their populations. In the list of 20 causes for decline, hunting was number 19.
Habitat loss and human encroachment are the main causes of the decline. And as long as these things continue, we will continue to see the decline. All species respond to habitat loss in this
What is next for Montana’s sportsmen? Legislative control of fishing? Deer hunting? Our Fish, Wildlife and Parks does a good job for us. Matters should be left in their hands, not in the hands of out of state special interests in the legislature. This bill has already passed the Senate, and is now in the House. Check to see how you’re senators voted on SB 247, and urge your House representatives to vote no on it.
Gerald Geiger
Havre
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