Opinions of out of state hunters (leases, home, camper)

[magoomafoo]

Yes I know-opening a can of worms. Good for the economy bad for local hunters. They do contribute alot of money to our state each year, but is it worth it to give up say....taking your son out to where you got your first buck at? Not that everyone else is as sentimental as I am. My biggest problem is that I don't like to run into Tom Dick Harry and Sally when I'm out hunting and have them treat me like I am the intruder. Case in point--last year, left three days before hand into the Bob Marshall. Had a first time hunter (12 year old) with. Trying to make this a memorable hunt for him. Spent two days spotting, tracking, you know the fun stuff. Got the kid up to shooting distance from a great first bull and BOOM!!! It wasn't from the kids rifle. From an out-of-stater who hired an outfitter to bring him and all the comforts of home in and get him up to a bull. Then he had the nerve to tell the kid "tough luck kid mabey next time" and then asked me what I was doing coming into HIS hunting territory. Hello, in the middle of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, last time I checked, it didn't belong to this one guy. Felt so bad for the kid. I know, I know, thats how hunting goes. But does it chap anyone elses behind?

[Rickers]

I'm not a hunter but I like to fish, mostly floating down rivers on my fishing kayak. I have several good deep fishing holes that I'll dwell at for a while when I'm float fishing. I get a bit peeved when all the best fishing holes are being hogged by rich tourists in drift boats who paid a bundle for a guide to chauffeur them to the various spots on the river. These dudes are generally very rude and unfriendly.
At least my favorite float-fishing river isn't open to outfitters and I generally have the whole river to myself, one of the few perks of living on the rez. The picture below isn't very good, I was fishing from a plastic jon boat and drifted past an elk feeding her calf. click on the thumbnail to enlarge it. I took the picture while drifting backwards and the calf had already finished nursing.

[steelhorse]

Yes you are opening a can of worms..America is called that for a reason .. the land of the free..you can not judge all of us be some guy screwed his son out of a shot..he must be a self centered sob.. I my self live on the east coast and I do come to montana every year to bird hunt with my son..yes he does live in montana..but you can not judge all of us by one persons act

[BennyPhoenix]

How do you know he was from out of state?
Are you telling me that no hunters from montana are rude?

[8 SNAKE]

Originally Posted by steelhorse

you can not judge all of us be some guy screwed his son out of a shot

Respectfully, I don't see how the out-of-state hunter screwed anyone out of a shot. I hate that the 12-year-old missed out on the chance to take the bull, but I didn't get the impression that the other guy knew the kid was there before he fired the shot. The risk in hunting any public ground is that someone else could be out there looking at the same game that you are. Everyone's equally entitled to be there, so I don't see much room for hard feelings over that issue alone.

I will agree that the guy was a bit cavalier in his attitude toward the kid, and that's the real shame. Adults should introduce kids to the outdoors and do everything in their power to make those times enjoyable. This guy obviously failed at that, and that's where I believe he was wrong.

[mark6052]

out of state hunters are paying those in state business men called outfitters. when I returned from overseas, (viet nam) I swore that as an american I can come and go in any of the 50 states with no restrictions. they are not seperate countries! I come and go as a free man. nobody has a right to act as this is mine and you cant be here for every story about out of state hunters you have, believe me Ive seen how the "locals" hunt. headlites come to mind.

[marmac]

I think many posters are overlooking that key word in the OP's post--------"outfitters"

Therin is what differntiates locals from out of staters and is the cause of the trouble
Money to be made $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[marmac]

outfitters---------Back in the late 60's a friend of mine (Vietnam vet who got wounded in Vietnam) would go every year out to North Dakota alone pulling a small camper. He made friends with a small general store owner in the middle of nowhere who allowed him to park his trailer on his gravel lot and he bought groceries , supplies. and gas from him while hunting there and considered him a good friend.

He made friends with a few landowners and also hunted on public land. He stayed a week and said that was the greatest week of the whole year for him.

One year, when he got there, the old store owner seemed rude and crabby

He then stated his son-in-law had become a "goose guide" (outfitter) and my friend could no longer park there unless he went through the son-in-law and paid big bucks for the outfitter services.

The old man told my friend his son-in-law-- had already contacted the local land owners and had exclusive leases with all in the area.

My friend went back home never to return to North Dakota goose hunting.

I guess resident "outfitters" saw big bucks to make $$$$$ and they need to attract non-resident hunters willing to spend big bucks $$$$$$$$$

[Rickers]

The kid learned a very important lesson -- "Life isn't always fair" I'm not into hunting but I do a lot of fishing, (fish hunting I call it as I don't just sit with the bait soaking), but if I was into hunting I sure wouldn't go all the way into the Bob to hunt.

[bigtrees]

When I lived in Montana, I had the same disdain for out of state hunters as everyone else in the state did. Same went for tourists.

Now that I've grown up and am older and wiser, I recognize that the United States is very unique that we can travel anywhere in the country without receiving permission from the government or having to have special papers. Even in our neighboring country of Mexico they have border walls and border stops setup between every state within the country. A guy can't just travel as he pleases without dealing with the government. So today I recognize that we should celebrate out of state tourists as part of the freedoms that we have in the United States.

(As I say that I still have disdain for tourists.)

The other way a guy can look at it is the unfortunate incident happened on the Bob Marshall Wilderness, which is part of the US Forest Service. Since it's owned by the federal government, it's owned by all Americans and not just Montanans. The elk and deer and grouse that feed off of the land should be available for hunting by all Americans as well, even though as a loyal Montanan I'd like to think they are there for "Montanans only."