| If
you disagree with Montana's Buffalo hunt there is a simple
and
effective way to show your opposition, and save one of the
last wild buffalo from being hunted down on their winter range.
Starting Friday, September 14th and ending Thursday, October
4th, The Montana Department of Fish Wildlife And Parks (FWP)
will take applications on their website for the lottery for
tags in this years Buffalo hunt. If you are then lucky enough
to get drawn in the lottery and don't use your tag, that is
one less Buffalo killed this year.
You do not have to be a hunter, or even a resident of Montana
to take part in this.
To apply for the lottery log on to the FWP online licensing
system at https://app.mt.gov/Als/Index
and follow the steps to sign in to the licensing system (be
sure to fill out all information accurately or you will be
disqualified). The two districts to chose from are 385 Gardiner
Area & 395 - West Yellowstone Area, either district is
a good choice, since both are wild buffalo migration hot spots.
To go to the State of Montana Hunting Regulations page Click
here.
Download the 2007 Montana
Bison Hunting Regulations (4 pages, PDF- 132kb)
Once you are in the licensing system scroll to the bottom
of the page to the section labeled Applications, select Bison
Permit, enter 1 for the quantity, then hit submit. You will
then be taken to a page to select a season to apply for, choose
any of them(it doesn't matter which one you choose), then
proceed through the next pages to pay for your application.
The drawing should happen within a few weeks after the lottery
closes, and if you have been lucky enough to get drawn you
will be notified by mail of your success (you can also check
online at http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/licensedraw/results.aspx).
To claim your license you will have to take a bison hunter
education class. If you are in Montana you will have to attend
one of several classes offered around the state during the
fall. If you are from out of state you will have the option
of physically attending the class, or receiving a video tape
of the class to watch.
Once you have completed the class your tag is claimed, there
is no need to purchase the tag.
Sometime in the early spring you will likely receive a call
from a FWP employee conducting a survey about your Bison hunting
experience, this is your chance to let them know what you
think of their hunt. Be sure to mention that bison have no
habitat, and are not treated as wildlife in the state of Montana. |
