Manitoba Waterfowl Regs for future



Thanksgiving in Canada is always a treat, have enjoyed many. Also the once a week local banquet to "Thank The Hunters" at the local hockey rink. I always make sure I had something to donate to that banquet. Gawd forbid if we missed that weekly banquet even though we stayed for many weeks.

The many small towns that we stayed/stay at always counted on the Hunters to help out the economy and we Did. First thing we did after buying our licenses was to make the rounds buying "provisions" and visiting friends. Just the amount of $$$$ we spent on gas and goodies was something that was always important. An when yer in the Grain Belt, a stop at the local bakery and eatery a daily routine. How about bottle buy back day (Tuesday) at the liquor store? Pick em up trucks loaded full waiting in line out front. I always gain weight the first week or two, but after that I drop the pounds and get in the program. Gotta be in shape prior to the upland birds of Montana. All "Freelance" on the road, and if ya don't have a cracked windshield and busted up truck & SUV when ya get home ya did not do it right. Man that's Livin'. Five stars mean ya got 5 buckets to catch the water when it rained... and then it's Loon $hit time.

Missing that opportunity cuz of new regs & rules is not a enjoyable thought no matter how old ya are.
 
I am pretty sure this bill died this year in Montana, but Senate Bill 0388 in MT was designed to put a limit on how long an upland bird hunter can hunt in MT. At first the proposal was only for two weeks. Then I believe the proposal was amended so that a person could have two, two week licenses. Pretty sure it died but there is a push to limit non-resident upland bird hunters in MT now. I am not entirely sure where it is coming from other than people being upset that the NE corner of the state often has lots of out-of-staters, many with LOTS of dogs that stay all season.

I get there are pluses and minuses to both sides, but just be aware if you like bird hunting in MT, there may be changes coming in the future for upland bird hunters as well.....
 
Dani said:
I am pretty sure this bill died this year in Montana, but Senate Bill 0388 in MT was designed to put a limit on how long an upland bird hunter can hunt in MT. At first the proposal was only for two weeks. Then I believe the proposal was amended so that a person could have two, two week licenses. Pretty sure it died but there is a push to limit non-resident upland bird hunters in MT now. I am not entirely sure where it is coming from other than people being upset that the NE corner of the state often has lots of out-of-staters, many with LOTS of dogs that stay all season.

I get there are pluses and minuses to both sides, but just be aware if you like bird hunting in MT, there may be changes coming in the future for upland bird hunters as well.....
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I'm not surprised on Montana, it has been going on for decades that trainers have had big gangs of dogs there for months - again commercial activity screwing over the freelancer. I heard some grumbling in South Dakota last year about trainers moving in and having a big footprint on public land flying under the radar with their commercial status.

It will come to all of us who like to hunt public land sooner or later. It is already over the tipping point in many ways for big game, upland and waterfowl is following suit.
 
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Tod

That does seem to be the trajectory we are on. Every time public hunter access is reduced it creates more traffic and crowding somewhere else. At some point the lack of opportunity and aggravation of crowds is too much, diverting people to other pursuits and with them goes the base to fund and preserve. Greed is an insidious thing.

Eric
 
Eric Patterson said:
Tod

That does seem to be the trajectory we are on. Every time public hunter access is reduced it creates more traffic and crowding somewhere else. At some point the lack of opportunity and aggravation of crowds is too much, diverting people to other pursuits and with them goes the base to fund and preserve. Greed is an insidious thing.

Eric
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And sadly on top of all the greed and the direct effects we are seeing, all the interest and crowding is nurturing hard feelings by the residents of those locales, who then support limitations on non-residents. Limitations either pushed by the guides to direct customers their way or stand-alone limitations granting residents enhanced benefits as residents.

Can't beat them, join them. [wink].
 
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tod osier said:
And sadly on top of all the greed and the direct effects we are seeing, all the interest and crowding is nurturing hard feelings by the residents of those locales, who then support limitations on non-residents. Limitations either pushed by the guides to direct customers their way or stand-alone limitations granting residents enhanced benefits as residents.

Can't beat them, join them. [;)].
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The move in many states to restrict NR and reward residents is especially bothersome. Most egregiously on federal lands and navigable water.

Then there's this, my daily rant. Living my entire life on the East coast, it's hard for me to embrace the term "freelancing". I see it as a pejorative for what we've always called "going hunting". The term freelancer brings to my mind a game pirate, googan or other undesirable, rather than a self-reliant sportsman/hunter. Probably why the term is perpetuated, implying that guiding is an honorable profession while "freelancing" is a quasi-legal activity to be viewed with suspicion. In contrast to my concept of a hunter, is the guided sport, purely a shooter rather than hunter. When I'm crowned King, everybody buys their own gear and figures it out for themselves. Hunting the old fashioned way.
 

I'm very concerned about the future of Freelance hunting & fishing for young folks that have the same passion for it as many of us. I meet many of them often in the outdoors. The North American Freelance Road Trip is a right of passage, and by Gawd a right we all should have. The length of time, as long as the $$$$ holds out, then ya go home mebbe. Some outgrow it, and others do not until age catches up with ya.

I do not begrudge guides and guide services for they provide what sooner or later we all may need. Somehow a balance has to be met to satisfy all involved or we be in Big Trouble.

ND & SD have had time limits on non resident upland bird and waterfowl licenses for many years. It was only a matter of time before it spread elsewhere. The reasons vary, as we become more fractured as a society.

Long ago I went "All In" on upland bird and waterfowl hunting cuz I knew I'd never have the $$$$$$ or be able to spend as much time going Big Game hunting. Upland birds and waterfowl was much more bluecollar friendly, but the tug for Big Game was strong. Once I made the decision I stuck with it for better or worse.

The sad thing now a days is Hunting = POSTED Don't Even Ask, or jump through this hoop and that hoop and good luck. No wonder so many folks are playing Pickle Ball.
 
I hunted MT from 1995 until 2000. Private access was easily attainable for only a knock on the door or catching the rancher in the field and politely asking for permission. Hunting ducks, pheasant, Sharptails, Huns and Prairie Chickens was incredible. Treating the ranchers land and livestock with respect, sharing game after the hunt and they were tickled to death to have us back out for coffee, homemade bread and chokecherry jam.

I saw the handwriting on the wall when a MD goose guide was invited out West with us by a buddy. (during the East coast goose restrictions / limitations) He saw the "potential" for leasing up private ranches for upland and waterfowl "rights". "$100 bills was all it would take"

Personally, I don't understand the need to prostitute wildlife for profit and it would suit me fine if ALL guiding for wildlife was banned.
 
SJ,

As a East Coaster I also am not familar with the freelancing term either. It is just going hunting. East Coast Mid-Atlantic we have to deal with loss of waterfront and habitat due to over development of the coast. On top of then we have the new residents complaining of the birds on the lakes.

Since game is a mobile resource won't restrictions in one area open more opportunities in another? Less hunting in Canada leads to more game flying south?

Rick
 
Rick

In my vernacular "freelance" hunting is simply unassisted hunting done on public land. No clubs, private land, leased land, guides, state lotteries and the like. Just a person or group of people hunting on public lands of their own accord.

Eric
 
Thanks, that is just hunting in the Wildlife Management Area's to me. Other then waterfowl I don't know of guided hunts for anything like deer they are just so prevalent in Southern New Jersey, DelMarVa area.

Rick
 


Waterfowl are very sensitive to hunting pressure. The less the hunting pressure the longer they stay where they are, and Canada has plenty of areas where they can do that. Not to factor that into "why aren't the birds here?" during waterfowl seasons in the USA makes no sense at all. Canada and waterfowl related agencies and Canadian hunters found that out during Covid one would think. The light bulb went on.

The time was Canadian farmers would ask non resident hunters to PLEASE hunt, as the crop losses from waterfowl was very costly. That Thunder Across the Prairie got the birds moving & educated and kept them moving. Unless you have heard that Thunder you have no idea what it sounds like, nor the impact it has. It is a learning experience for the waterfowler that is not forgotten. Carbide Canons can only do so much to deter the birds, unlike the Thunder.
 
Enjoy your hunting privileges while you can. We as hunters who enjoy the outdoors for many reasons are becoming the minority.
Australia is trying to ban duck hunting. This might be their last season right now.
 
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