BigGameHoundsmen.com

I may try and drop in on it

Since the committee hearing is Thursday, maybe it would be a good idea to call or email those serving in the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee, since they are the ones that will decide if this bill even reaches the house floor for debate. If it's killed in committee, then the story ends there. I am going to place some calls and emails before Thursday's hearing. If anyone wants to do the same, here are the phone numbers and emails of all the state legislators serving on the Fish Wildlife and Parks committee that will control the fate of this bill:

Cydnie Boland HD 23 cboland@mt.gov
Pat Connell HD 87 connell4HD87@yahoo.com 406-370-8682
Virginia Court HD 52 vjchd52@yahoo.com 406-259-5099 406-860-4644
Robyn Driscoll HD 51 rdriscoll@peoplepc.com 406-534-4874
Kelly Flynn HD 68 hideaway@mt.net 406-266-3322
Bill Harris HD 30 bharris@midrivers.com 406-429-2900 406-366-6775
Douglas Kary HD 48 dougkary.hd48@gmail.com 406-698-1478
Dan Kennedy HD 57 dan@votedankennedy.com 406-839-7117
Austin Knudsen HD 36 austinforhouse@yahoo.com 406-539-4268
Cleve Loney HD 25 cloney@q.com 406-761-4144 406-788-8053
Mike Miller HD 84 mike4hd84@blackfoot.net 406-793-5860
Jesse O'Hara HD 18 jesse59404@yahoo.com 406-781-3333 406-761-0088
Mike Phillips HD 66 mikephillips@montana.net 406-599-6857
Jean Price HD 21 jl_price@bresnan.net 406-452-9315
Dan Skattum HD 62 skattumd@wispwest.net 406-223-0545
Ted Washburn HD 69 ted@tedwashburn.com 406-388-1901
Franke Wilmer HD 64 franke.wilmer@gmail.com 406-599-3639

I'd be willing to bet Kelly Flynn is all for it, some pretty shady things go on during lion season on his outfitting ranch. Gotta save those deer ya know

Lets hope all Houndsmen Asso. have reps. there to oppose this bill.

Anything on that new law they are trying to pass

Ringo wrote:Anything on that new law they are trying to pass

Yeah, did anyone make it to the Thursday hearing?

The bill is not dead yet, its still under controll of the commitee.

Unfortunatly I wasn't able to make it. It does sound to me though that the ones who did make it and speak did a great job! Supposidly there was 100% opposition to the bill including our FWP. Most likely the bill will not get to the the senate.

I would like to say thanks to anyone who took the time to write a comment to our local representatives. Even if it was just a sentence or two, every little bit counts!

i felt that it went well. nobody there was for the bill other than the orgininal representative. everyone there came in ready to give examples and their reasons why they love to run lions. the president and vice president of the Montana Federation of Hounsmen where there supporting houndsmen.

According to the Legislative website it was tabled in committee today, which means its dead. I was keeping an eye on this bill since January but I didn't get to excited about it as I figured it wouldn't get anywhere.

I question how much those legislators listen anyway as in January I e-mailed several of them to try to get a bill introduced to legalize the use of hounds for bear hunting and none of them ever replied to my e-mail. They could have at least replied and given me some kind of excuse rather than just ignore me.

dhostetler wrote:According to the Legislative website it was tabled in committee today, which means its dead.

Congrats to everyone on the defeat of this bill. I think the odds were in our favor, as dhostetler said, but I think it's better to be safe than sit the sidelines. Although I didn't get very involved like some of you, I enjoyed the process . . . and was surprised when some representatives even returned my phone calls. I imagine that reps get emails all the time from constituents and can't imagine them replying to every single email. I'd hate for this thread end on a note of discouragement, especially since our opponents get blown out of the water so badly. Because this was so one-sided, and a lot of people got involved, maybe it will cause the lawmakers to think twice before introducing bills against houndsmen.

I question how much those legislators listen anyway as in January I e-mailed several of them to try to get a bill introduced to legalize the use of hounds for bear hunting and none of them ever replied to my e-mail. They could have at least replied and given me some kind of excuse rather than just ignore me.[/quote]


Was this something a group of houndsmen were attempting to accomplish or was just you own effort. I wish I would have known, I would have been up for supporting a new law like that for sure. I do think that getting that accomplished, (allowing black bears to be hunted by use of hounds in Montana) is going to take a massive push from all groups of sportsman. Would definatly be a huge win for our hunting rights in Montana.

Im interested in the bear with hounds deal. Does anyone no anything on that. how far it was pushed or why its never gone through.

Sorry I didn't check this forum for a while. Regarding Bear Hunting in Montana, a year or so ago there was a long discussion in the Bear Forum about Bear hunting in Montana. As far as I know there is no group pushing for it. The way to get it allowed is probably through the legislature as MTFWP doesn't seem to be interested in any changes unless forced by the legislature. The current legislature session will be over in several weeks and won't convene again until 2013. I didn't start pushing this until January and I should've started last fall before the current session started.

Our Montana Hound Associations are a big joke with most of the members having a deafist attitude and focused on protecting there rights versus trying to acheive new rights. States the allow bear hunting have stronger Hound Associations with I believe comes from the average bear hunter is more dedicated than the average cat hunter.

With the current conservative climate I believe the time is ripe to really push for this.

couleeking wrote:I question how much those legislators listen anyway as in January I e-mailed several of them to try to get a bill introduced to legalize the use of hounds for bear hunting and none of them ever replied to my e-mail. They could have at least replied and given me some kind of excuse rather than just ignore me.

Was this something a group of houndsmen were attempting to accomplish or was just you own effort. I wish I would have known, I would have been up for supporting a new law like that for sure. I do think that getting that accomplished, (allowing black bears to be hunted by use of hounds in Montana) is going to take a massive push from all groups of sportsman. Would definatly be a huge win for our hunting rights in Montana.[/quote]

I don't really think this would need such a massive push. We need to find someone with influence on the FWP commission or else have a legislator introduce a bill.

Below is what I sent to several legislators in January that I never got a response from.


Chas Vincent

I hope the current legislature has started on a good note.

I was wondering if you would consider submitting a bill to allow the use of
hounds to pursue black bears. Many western states that allow the use of hounds
for mountain lion hunting also allow the use of hounds to pursue black bears.
This would create more hunting opportunties and allow fish and game to issue
tags that we would have to buy to pursue bears thereby increasing revenue for
the fish and game.

Most states that allow hounds for bear hunting also generally throughout the
summer have a pursuit only season. Areas where bears are regullarly pursued by
hounds have a lower rate of problem bears due to more interactions between
humans/hounds and bears.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Duane Hostetler Rexford, MT

check out the wisconsin bear hunters assn, they getterdone.