State considers expanding elk hunting to help manage herds

By SCOTT McMILLION, Chronicle Staff Writer

HELENA -- Thousands of people would get a chance to kill an extra elk in southwest Montana next year, according to a new proposal unveiled here Thursday by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Under the new plan, hunters would apply through a lottery system for a "B tag," giving them the potential to kill a second elk.

A limited number of those tags became available in some areas this year, but the number would expand greatly under the new proposal.

The $16 B tags, officially called A9 permits, would be granted through drawings and would supplement over-the-counter statewide elk tags.

"That's where we want to go," said Jeff Herbert, FWP assistant administrator.

The A tag would still be good all over the state. The B tag would be valid only in specific districts.

Wapiti numbers are swelling across much of the state, and the goal is to let hunters kill more female elk, with the goal of controlling populations.

"We need to accomplish a reduction in elk numbers," Herbert told the FWP Commission, a group of political appointees that oversees the agency.

The commission gave the proposal its preliminary approval.

In addition to the B tags, the proposed new rules would boost the chances of killing an elk by opening most hunting districts in Region Three, which is southwest Montana, to either-sex hunting for as much as 17 days.

West of the Madison River, hunters would be able to shoot cow elk during the first eight days of the regular season.

East of the Madison River, and in the Bridger, Bangtail and Crazy mountains, cows and calves would be fair game during the first eight days plus the last nine days of the season.

For example, a hunter could buy an A tag over the counter and then draw a B tag in district 317, in the Absaroka Mountains.

That means the hunter could use the A tag to hunt elk anywhere in the state where it's legal to hunt. And he or she could kill one cow elk in the Absaroka Mountains any time during the season, using the B tag.

In addition, hunters can also apply for a special permit for hard-to-get tags, like in the Missouri Breaks or for a late season bull near Gardiner.

The new system widens options, but doesn't assure a freezer overflowing with elk steaks.

"This will not guarantee access or easy elk hunting," Herbert said.

Some of the commissioners worried that offering the extra tags would draw more hunters.

Both biologists and commission members said it's hard to estimate how the public will react to the idea.

A series of public meetings will be held in January to explain the proposal and take public comment.

A representative of the Gallatin Wildlife Association, a Bozeman-based hunting and environmental group, said his organization supports the proposal.

Some districts are at or near FWP's population objective for elk, said Kurt Alt, regional biologist in Bozeman, but some have thousands of animals above desired levels.

"We're trying to get our hands around this beast called elk management," and do it in a new way, Alt told the commission.

If the commission gives a final approval after hearing public comment, success or failure will be measured in the field.

"We don't have a crystal ball," Commissioner Tim Milligan said. "We're going to be finding out how it works and then adjusting accordingly."

Scott McMillion is at scottm@dailychronicle.com

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