Kyle Jones

Review of Montana Outfitters and Guides ...

Montana Outfitters and Guide association is sponso...

Montana Outfitters and Guide association is sponsoring a bill that severely limits non-resident hunters to hunt the state of Montana on their own while forcing non-residents to use their members services and paying an additional fee. This fee and the fact that it only applies to non-resident hunters is how they are selling this bill to State lawmakers pitting hunters against hunters. This is a short sighted social welfare issue that only benefit outfitters in this state on the backs of their primary clients (the non-resident hunter). It will further negatively impact the value that non-resident hunters get from participating in the Montana hunt as the State is already the most expensive and difficult to participate in. To be clear, there is no value of this whatsoever to the non-resident hunter.

The outfitter's association seems to believe that they are doing us (non-residents), a favor because they can help us poor dumb non-residents navigate the complicated Montana system.

Using a guide certainly has a value for many as it can provide certain types of adventure that can't be found otherwise and especially / specifically for those hunts that evolve heavy logistical considerations. Sometimes the hunter just does not wish to go through all the planning, scouting and purchasing specific equipment for the hunt and in the end Outfitter provides an invaluable service. However, the employment of those services should be based on reputation and perceived need, rather than on unfair, unwanted forced government regulation.