The opportunity to hunt shouldn’t just be for the wealthy. So why should Montana’s special, statewide tags be any different?
This was our pitch to the Fish & Wildlife Commission last summer. We argued there was a better, more equitable way than auctions to raise funds for conservation efforts: a raffle.
Montana offers five highly prized statewide tags: bighorn sheep, elk, mountain goat, mule deer, and Shiras moose. They’re valid for any open season, any legal weapon, and anywhere in the state, including limited-entry districts. Proceeds go back to FWP for the ‘substantial benefit’ of that specific species. Historically, these had always been auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Montana Backcountry Hunters & Anglers argued for a more equitable allocation of the resource and convinced the Commission to let us try something different.
About Jake Schwaller
Hunter, fisher, lawyer, lover of my home state.