Overwhelming public opposition to a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks proposal to reopen a closed section of the Yellowstone River to waterfowl hunting was shot down on Wednesday.
The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission voted unanimously to keep the 66-year-old closure of an 87-mile stretch of the river in Eastern Montana off-limits to duck and goose hunters. The restriction extends from the mouth of the Bighorn River to the Rosebud-Custer county line.
Although the regulation was enacted to protect waterfowl when their populations were lower, the biological necessity of the restriction no longer applies. Consequently, the issue became a social concern that drew national attention.
Region 5 Commissioner Brian Cebull, of Billings, drafted the amendment to alter FWP's suggestion. He said he spent a lot of time talking to hunters, outfitters and landowners — as well as fellow Region 7 Commissioner Bill Lane, of Ismay — regarding the issue and was initially surprised by the public opposition.
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In those discussions, Cebull said he was told the river closure facilitates some of the best field hunting in the region, if not the state. To have sanctuary areas for waterfowl is also good, he added.
Lane said after initially seeing more hunter opportunity as a good thing, he was swayed by landowners living along the river who voiced concerns about an increase in conflicts with hunters.
Commission vice-chair Pat Tabor, of Whitefish, agreed.
"Any time the department or commission is looking to expand opportunity, that's a good thing," he said. "More opportunity spreads crowds out" and benefits the resource.
"But what I've heard through the testimony and all that is that it's going to create a kind of a firestorm, and we're fixing a problem that doesn't need to be fixed," Tabor said.
Jeff Lukas, of the Montana Wildlife Federation, said that after initially supporting dropping the regulation, his group realized the issue was much more nuanced that simply providing more hunter access.
Brian Wakeling, Game Management Bureau chief, said FWP was surprised by the opposition to the idea after presenting it to the public in meetings last year and after sending out a survey that received a low response, most of which were supportive.
That changed this spring when the proposal appeared on the commission's agenda, he said, as strong opposition poured into FWP offices.
"This is a true conservation success story," said Steve Christian, a veteran waterfowl hunters.
Former Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Dan Vermillion said the regulation created incredible field hunting on a "truly special part of the river."
In other waterfowl hunting matters, the commission approved moving the sandhill crane hunting season in northern Stillwater County to an earlier date after it was noted the birds often are gone through the area by the time the season opens. As approved, the opening date will now be Sept. 1, but hunters will need to apply for a permit and will be limited to only two cranes.
The other change to regulations the commission OK'd was to move back the second half of the split season in Zone 2 of the Central Flyway by one week. The goal, as proposed by Cebull, is to allow hunters opportunities for what's perceived as later migration dates. That moves the start of the second half of the season to Oct. 26 in much of southeastern Montana.
The commission also explored the idea of seeking a spring light goose season and what that would entail. Wakeling told the group such a season may be enacted in the Central Flyway in 2025. The officials also weighed splitting the Pacific Flyway, in western Montana, into a north and south zone. Both actions require federal approval.