Bill > HB417

This bill introduces the Montana Hunters First Act, which focuses on addressing challenges in the state's hunting landscape by establishing a comprehensive nonresident hunting impact study and implementing mandatory hunting activity reporting. The bill requires the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to conduct an in-depth study by December 1, 2026, examining nonresident impacts on deer and elk hunting across the state's administrative regions, analyzing data such as hunter days, harvest rates, hunting pressure on public lands, and population trends. Additionally, the legislation mandates that all hunters report their hunting activities for game animals before being eligible to purchase a new hunting license in the following year, with the department authorized to create rules regarding reporting systems, deadlines, and potential penalties. The study aims to provide a detailed assessment of current hunting pressures, responding to observed trends like declining private land enrollment in hunting access programs, increasing nonresident license sales, and decreasing hunter success rates, with the ultimate goal of informing future wildlife management and hunting season strategies while ensuring that Montana's wildlife resources are sustainably managed for all citizens.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1662