Mont. Admin. R. 12.9.101 - BIG GAME MANAGEMENT POLICY
(1) In
order to properly manage the big game resource of Montana and to allow full
hunter harvest of the recurring crops of big game, the following policy,
outlining some of the primary objectives in big game management, is adopted:
(a) to produce and maintain a maximum
breeding stock of big game on all suitable lands of Montana, public and
private, in harmony with other uses of such lands, and consistent with the
available forage supply, and to utilize, through public hunting, the available
crop of big game produced annually by this breeding stock;
(b) to maintain for big game the best
possible range conditions by keeping populations in balance with their forage
supply with due consideration given to multiple land use, conflicting use, and
other interests;
(c) to encourage
harmonious relationships between landowners and hunters in order that big game
can be produced and harvested on private lands, consistent with the capability
and uses of the land;
(d) to permit
the harvest of surplus big game and to control populations causing appreciable
damage to cultivated crops and forest or range lands, by regulated public
hunting when possible, and/or by permit hunting;
(e) to manage big game on the basis of
natural forage without recourse to artificial feeding; the artificial feeding
of big game will be discouraged and resorted to only in extreme
emergency;
(f) to work out with
interested parties an equitable allocation of forage for big game and livestock
where conflict or competition exists; and thereafter to regulate big game
populations according to such agreements insofar as possible, and which
agreements may be subjected to future review and revision;
(g) to encourage big game predator control
chiefly on understocked ranges or on ranges where hunters are able to fully
utilize the annual harvestable crop of animals, or on ranges where the rarer
species of big game (such as mountain sheep) are being introduced or remnant
bands are being encouraged;
(h) to
make impartial, objective surveys and investigations of big game populations
and their range in order that authentic information may be available to guide
the establishment of hunting regulations and other aspects of big game
management;
(i) to encourage sport
hunting and recreational use of the big game resource and public access to
hunting areas;
(j) to keep hunting
regulations clear and concise, consistent with requirements of the laws and
regulations necessary to benefit the greatest numbers of hunters and conduct an
orderly hunt. Regulations will be directed primarily to accomplish objectives
of management.
Notes
Sec. 87-1-301 MCA; IMP, Sec. 87-1-201, 87-1-301 MCA;
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
No prior version found.