A couple of weeks ago we posted a short reminder about the upcoming close of a comment period on proposed fishing and hunting license increases in Montana.
Simple enough. We supported the concept and still do.
In response, Bozeman based guide Josh Stanish brought up a point we’ve long discussed, and is even perhaps more pertinent on the day this post was written (Saturday the 23rd right before a 40 hour drive West) – the very day the Madison-Gallatin TU Chapter and local shops have hosted yet another drive to go out and pick up trash off and out of the Lower Madison.
I don’t have an issue with anglers and hunters paying more to play in the outdoors.
I do believe that we need to see other users of our FWP access sites start to pay their share as well. There are a lot of recreational users that are not contributing to our resource management. You can visit any boat ramp right now and see a mix of anglers, rafters, tubers, canoe enthusiasts, etc. at the ramps.
Currently anglers are the only users who are contributing to cleaning the toilets, repairing the roads, and supporting the entity that provides us the opportunities we have. Simply requiring every user (except kids) to purchase a conservation license to use the sites will provide for some equity among users and increases for the continuing operation of a treasure we have available to us in Montana.
While I personally loathe just about every pay-to-play, privatized fishing and hunting resource I’ve ever seen (the exception being Montana’s handful of sweet, carefully managed spring creeks – pay to play yet open to all), it’s half an hour past high time all river and land recreational users financially supported stewardship of the resources they’re enjoying, just as anglers and hunters do.
Fishers and hunters have been doing it for years. It’s easy. New contributors, you won’t feel a thing other than maybe skipping tomorrow’s latte and croissant to pay your share.
There’s always a danger in painting with too broad a brush when singling out a group, however there’s a subset of the summer recreational river floater crowd that does multiples more damage than the rest of the year’s users combined.
I really want those asshats to pay up (their fair share coupled with actually cleaning up all the crap they leave behind).
Please make it so Montana legislature.
[Addendum – Josh, appreciate the comment. Based on prior tussles (over Ted Turner I believe it was) I have a feeling we’re probably from different ends of the political spectrum, though love for and stewardship of Montana’s resources transcends that nonsense. You’re welcome at our campfire anytime. – M]
