Bill > HB106

This bill revises Montana's shooting preserve laws to simplify and update regulations for private hunting preserves. The bill requires shooting preserves to be located entirely on private property and increases the shooting preserve license fee from a tiered structure to a flat $250 fee, valid for five years. It removes previous restrictions on the number of acres for a preserve and eliminates quantity requirements for bird releases, allowing preserve operators more flexibility in managing their hunting areas. The bill changes reporting requirements, replacing the previous tagging system with a department-provided harvest reporting form, and removes specific game recovery limits. Shooting preserve operators can now establish their own shooting limitations, with the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks retaining the ability to impose restrictions to protect native bird populations if necessary. The bill also clarifies offenses related to shooting preserves, maintaining penalties for hunting without a license or improperly reporting harvests. Key changes streamline administrative processes and provide more operational freedom for shooting preserve owners while maintaining basic regulatory oversight to protect wildlife resources.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0516