If you are not a Montana resident, your access to outdoor recreation is under attack.
In the most recent legislative session, Montana’s Outfitters and Guides Association (MOGA) fought more than a dozen bills intended to limit the ability of non-residents to hunt and fish in the state.
Montana Outfitters and Guides advocacy program, the Hunter Angler Defense Fund, is the only organization representing the interests of the Montana outfitting industry and preserving the opportunity to hunt and fish for the clients they serve.
From drastically limiting non-resident bird hunters to a permanent 90/10 split between residents and non-residents for all waterfowl, upland, lions, bears, wolves, and turkeys, the increase in anti-out-of-state rhetoric is rising and the outdoor recreation industry is facing more restrictions, making it more challenging to serve non-resident clients.
A small sampling of bill Titles from 2023 Legislative Session:
- Revise laws related to nonresident hunting and fishing
- Revise nonresident license laws related to harvesting mountain lions
- Revise nonresident bird hunting
The fight to preserve access will continue through the FWP Commission Season Setting Process this winter. MOGA is advancing several commonsense proposals that will:
Address conservation issues for mule deer
Expand resident and non-resident big game hunting opportunity
Distribute hunters across the landscape to reduce crowding
Ensure that non-resident hunting tourism industry remains viable
