Montana Outfitters and Guides Association on the Future of Senate Bill 143

The Montana Outfitters and Guides Association (MOGA) issued the following statement regarding the future of Senate Bill 143, sponsored by Senator Jason Ellsworth (R-Hamilton), after it passed a second reading in the Senate earlier last week with a substantial amendment that significantly altered the bill:

“While the amendment introduction might have been well intended, it will ultimately have a negative effect on Montana resident hunters and small business owners and will take away money specifically directed to programs that increase public access to blocked public lands,” said Chuck Rein, MOGA’s president. “We’re disappointed in the direction this bill has taken, but we will continue to work with members on both sides of the aisle to try to improve this product to achieve the original intent of helping small businesses, resident hunters, and programs to increase access to blocked public lands.”

SB 143 with the Jacobson amendment passed last week:

• Eliminates funding for increased access to blocked public land, including: PAL Act agreements, Block Management Access programs, the Future Fisheries Program, the purchase of easements through private property to access otherwise inaccessible public lands, and licenses for disabled veterans.

• Creates an “early bird” application phase for all out-of-state hunters between December 1st-31st, which is expected to lead to an increase of out-of-state public land hunters in Montana, more “hunt clubs,” an increase in leased land, and less outfitted customers. Generally, Montana’s outfitting small businesses seek clients at trade shows in the early months of the year after the window would be closed. Outfitted tourism is the fourth largest tourism-related industry in Montana, behind food, fuel, and lodging. The University of Montana Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research reports that outfitted, out-of-state visitors spend five times more locally than that of a non-outfitted visitor.

• More out-of-state public land hunters will mean more competition with resident hunters on our public lands.

SB 143 without the Jacobson amendment (bill passed the Senate Fish and Game Committee last week):

• Historically, outfitters utilize about 40 percent of all out-of-state deer and elk tags. SB 143 would place up to 39 percent of tags in a Limited Outfitter Pool during an “early bird” window of January 1st – March 15th to provide more stability earlier in the year for one of Montana’s key tourism industries without increasing the number of out-of-state hunters. If the tags weren’t utilized in this window, they would go into the general lottery.

• Increases the out-of-state application fees to generate between $1.5 million-$2 million annually in additional revenue for Fish, Wildlife & Parks that will be used to develop access to blocked public lands, through 25 percent each to: Public Access to Lands Act agreements, Block Management Access program, the Future Fisheries Program (with a priority given to funding projects that provide public access through private property), and the purchase of permanent easements through private property to access otherwise inaccessible public lands.

Montanans are encouraged to read more about the bill at SB143FACTS.com