PLPW Recommendations Deserve Sportsmen Comments

November 7, 2006

Dear Email Sentries and Leaders:

Since the mid-90s the Private Land / Public Wildlife (PLPW) Council has met to deliberate on issues relating to private land and enhancing Montana hunters' opportunities to get access to our public wildlife. Each legislative session, PLPW forwards their recommendations for laws that will further enhance relationships between the ranching and sporting communities. With the help of MWF and you, the everyday hunter and angler, our Block Management Program emerged from deliberations just like these. It is the responsibility of all parties, especially the sportsmen and women to provide input into the process.

The Private Land/Public Wildlife Council adopted the following 4 DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS at their August, 2006 meeting.

1. Support legislation to direct more of the money resulting from FWP fine restitution back to FWP to fund needed special investigator positions;
   -Up to $300,000 may be collected annually from FWP fine restitution; of this total, only $60,000 is directed to FWP for education and enforcement, while the remainder is directed to the State General Fund.
2. Support legislation to increase the penalty for providing outfitting services without a license;
   - Currently, a person cited for providing outfitting services without a license is subject to a fine of merely $285. Violators are inclined to consider a small fee like this as a simple cost of doing business.
3. Support legislation modifying FWP Upland Game Bird Habitat Enhancement Program to terminate pheasant release provision and use that funding to enhance habitat;
   - Currently, at least 15% of the funds collected for the Upland Game Bird Habitat Enhancement Program must be set aside each fiscal year for upland game bird releases. Released birds do provide limited sport but more likely end up as coyote food ; pen-raised birds are usually not well adapted to survive Montana's harsh conditions.
4. Consider introducing legislation to add antelope, bison, and mountain lion to the list of species for which Supertag chances are sold;
   - Unlimited chances are sold for 1 Supertag each for 5 species: moose, sheep, mountain goat, elk, and deer. In 2006, approximately $325,000 was generated through Supertag sales. Supertags originated with PLPW and passed in the 2005 session; all collected revenue must be used to fund access programs and enforcement. In general, MWF does not support the supertag program.

MWF needs your help to add a missing component in the PLPW recommendations. The Bridge Access Partnership Bill defines the Attorney General's decision regarding public access at bridges and is wholly appropriate to PLPW's charge; MWF has spearheaded this effort. Please ask PLPW to add the Bridge Access Partnership Bill to their list of recommendations.

PLPW needs to hear from the hunter/angler constituents. Public comment regarding these recommendations is needed before November 17, 2006.

Submit your written comments to:

FWP – PL/PW Council,
Field Services
PO Box 200701
Helena, MT 59620

or by email to Alan Charles at acharles@mt.gov

Thank you for all you do for Montana's public lands, wildlife, and fair-chase hunting and fishing heritage.

Montana Wildlife Federation, with nearly 7,000 members, is the largest and oldest statewide nonprofit wildlife conservation organization of hunters and anglers who work to protect Montana's lands and waters and its hunting and fishing heritage.

To learn more about MWF, go to www.montanawildlife.com.

This message is brought to you by the Montana Wildlife Federation ... Montana's largest, statewide wildlife conservation organization with over 7,000 members.