23. COMMENTS ON GAME POPULATION, SIZE OF BULLS/BUCKS, COW/BULL 

 RATIO. 



Cut the elk tags back by half for a few years during rifle season 

 or better yet every 6 years give the elk a brake by leting one 

 session go by without hunting them. (If we did that yo boys 

 would probalby go a do something stuped like double the amount of 

 tages and double the sesson time on the five years we would hunt 

 them.) Our grandchildren are in trouble. 



The elk populations in NW Montana have been steadily decreasing 

 for several years . I used to at least see elk every day I was 

 out but now I only see elk once every 10 times I'm out. We need 

 to somehow rebuild our elk population in northwest Montana. 



The elk numbers in NW Montana have continued to increase. Hunter 

 success is due to this increased population density. Big bulls 

 and branch antlered bulls are out there. Heavy timber and rough 

 terrain protects them. 



Should let elk in 380 grow. Both elk I shot at were only 3 

 points . 



Part III - Elk hunting (question 13). If my hunting districts 

 would allow me to shoot at spike bulls, I would not pass up a 

 chance to shoot at a spike bull, instead of waiting for the 

 possibility to shoot at a branch antlered bull. 



I would like extent the archery season. I would also like to 

 have a bigger bull population because their isn't enough. I 

 would also like to the Fish and Wildlife cut down on chasing the 

 elk, because they are running elk through our fences. Thanks for 

 listening. 



I believe there are more problems with rifle hunting laws than 

 archery. We need to implement some changes such as - people 

 drawing cow permits may only take cows, issuing a few more cow 

 permits, and perhaps going to branch antlered bulls only in more 

 districts. From what I've seen, bull to cow ratios are low and 

 getting lower. 



I hunt with a bow because I can take either sex animals, but I 

 would like to see trophy opportunities more available to hunters, 

 especially elk. 



Where I hunt (370) too many hunters using guns during archery. 

 Very few bulls at all. Two different bunches of 75 - 100 herd I 

 saw this fall. There were 6 spikes in one bunch, 1 raghorn and 3 

 spikes in the other. Many elk seen during rifle season but only 

 1 spike. I have huntedthis area for 30 years and it is 

 deplorable to see what has happened - road access, too much 

 grazing, poaching, landowner conflicts. 



