RECOMMENDED LEGISLATION 



Special Noii-Resident Deer aii«l Antelope 

 Permits 



The Thirty-Fourth Session of the Legisla- 

 ture enacted a law authorizing the Fish and 

 Game Commission to issue special non-resident 

 deer and antelope permits. This authorization 

 expired on December 31, 1956. The Legisla- 

 ture was requested to extend this authority 

 because there was yet a need to direct hunt- 

 ing pressure into areas where resident hunters 

 were not exerting sufficient hunting pressure 

 to control deer or antelope populations. The 

 Thirty-Fifth Session extended the authoriza- 

 tion until December 31, 1958. 



During the past three hunting seasons, the 

 following numbers of special $20.00 non-resi- 

 dent deer and antelope permits were issued: 



1955 1956 1957 



Non Resident Deer 2623 6445 5038 



Non Resident Antelope 3495 5033 2895 



There is a need for directing additional 

 hunting pressure into certain areas of the State; 

 therefore, it is recommended that the Legisla- 

 ture grant authorization for the Commission to 

 continue the issuance of special non-resident 

 deer and antelope permits. 



Revision of Law Limiting Eligibility of 



Moose, Mountain Sheep, Bison 



Permit Holders 



Present statutes prevent persons who have 

 received a moose, mountain sheep or buffalo 

 permit from applying for a permit to hunt the 

 same species for a succeeding ten-year period. 



It is recommended that this ten-year limi- 

 tation on the eligibility of any person to have 

 a moose, mountain sheep or buffalo permit be 

 amended so that the ten-year limit applies 

 only to permit holders who kill an animal 

 under such license or permit. The return of 

 an unused moose, mountain sheep, or buffalo 

 permit at the end of the hunting season would 

 restore the hunter to the list of persons eligible 

 to apply in following drawings. 



Hunting Merriam's Turkey 



The Montana Fish and Game Commission 

 has been successful in introducing the Mer- 

 riam's turkey in several areas of the State. The 

 original transplants have increased in numbers 

 to the extent that a portion of the turkeys 

 may be harvested by hunting. Because of the 

 limited numbers of wild turkeys, it will be 

 necessary to issue permits in a limited number. 

 Therefore, it is recommended that the Legis- 

 lature grant authority to the Commission to 

 issue special turkey permits under a drawing 

 system if there are more applications for tur- 

 key permits than the number to be issued. 



Reclassification of Fox, Canada Lynx 

 And Black-footed Ferret 



It is recommended that fox be removed 

 from the fur-bearing animal list and be classed 

 as a predatory animal. 



The fox population has increased in east- 

 ern Montana. The pelt, however, has little 

 commercial value and the fox is considered by 

 most people as a predator. 



Because fox are now listed as fur-bearing 

 animals, persons must possess a trapper's li- 

 cense to legally kill them. The Montana Fish 

 and Game Commission has declared an open 

 season on fox throughout the entire year for 

 the past three years. 



The Canada lynx and black-footed ferret 

 are rare animals in Montana. Montana is one 

 of the few states which still has a few black- 

 footed ferret. These species have never been 

 a problem to either livestock or poultry oper- 

 ators. In order to prevent these species from 

 being exterminated, it is recommended that the 

 Canada lynx and black-footed ferret be placed 

 on the regulated fur-bearing animal list. 



Repeal of Non-Resident Game & Fish 

 Shipping Regulations 



For several years Montana law has re- 

 stricted the removal by non-residents of fish 

 or game to a single bag limit. This limitation 

 was intended to prevent out-of-state shipment 

 of fish from one or two areas in the State 

 where it was believed non-residents were de- 

 pleting the fish population. Subsequent study 



