Guest Opinion: Shoulder seasons not meant for public lands

In Montana, private-land elk hunting is moving toward 11 weeks for people who can pay thousands of dollars for trophy bulls, while others are left to hunt cows in deep snows and bitter cold when they’re struggling to survive the winter.

That’s the proposal of the Gianforte administration, a proposal that extends “elk shoulder seasons” through Feb. 15 each year and extends them onto your national forest in 19 hunting districts. This proposal is ill-conceived, premature and not in the interest of elk hunters, landowners and all Montanans who enjoy this incredible creature.

When Montana hunters a...