Flathead Reservation proposed non-resident price increases

[missoulafish]

Propised fees increases have been approved.

[coldcreekchris]

https://www.montanaoutdoor.com/2022/02/new-fees-for-flathead-reservation/


New rates for those for are interested.

[JH57]

If I'm reading it correctly you do not need the $100 rec permit to fish the south half of flathead.  That is a standalone fee of $21, but you are limited to fishing only on the south 1/2 of flathead lake (no skiing, no swimming, no camping, no other reservation access)

[coldcreekchris]

If I'm reading it correctly you do not need the $100 rec permit to fish the south half of flathead.  That is a standalone fee of $21, but you are limited to fishing only on the south 1/2 of flathead lake (no skiing, no swimming, no camping, no other reservation access)

They probably don't want to discourage anything to take away from their resort and their gambling. Or their Mac $. I would like to hear the rationalization of that. I found it somewhat puzzling. Or maybe its just the Polson eco influence? Who knows? I am sure they had their reasons.

[missoulafish]

Yup... Somebody made deals somewhere and I bet it it has to do with keeping mitigation $$.

[Kokehead.]

Its a No for me dog.

[missoulafish]

FLATHEAD RESERVATION — The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Council voted to increase prices for non-tribal members to camp and recreate on tribal lands at a Jan. 4 meeting. Tribal council also approved a reduced-price sale of recently acquired hay for tribal members.

The most contentious decision was to increase the recreation prices. Staff from the tribe’s natural resource department noted that much public comment had been received on the proposed increases, and most of the comments were against the price increase.

The proposed increases included an increase in price from $20 to $100 for a camping stamp. Nontribal reservation residents will pay $40 for conservation licenses, doubled from the previous $20 cost. Disabled conservation license prices will increase from $17 to $37 for reservation residents, and $100 for nonresidents. Nonresidents will now have to pay $100 for a conservation license, up from $26.

Some commenters noted that those increases are steep, especially for families that would need to buy multiple permits for multiple nontribal family members.

“It’s kind of one of those things where at first there’s a revolt and then after a while you get back to it,” said outgoing fish and wildlife division manager in the CSKT’s Natural Resources Department Tom McDonald. McDonald was sworn in as a tribal council member and elected tribal chairman on Jan. 6. “We’re going to be revisiting the issue of solitude for the membership on their own property again in certain areas.”

The increases were proposed in response to usage, and in some cases, an upswing in abuse, like graffiti.

“The pressure on our resources is definitely apparent if you try to go up in the summer and try to find a place to camp at Twin Lakes,” Council Member James Steele Jr. said. “As a kid you could pretty much go and go do that, but now it’s a little more of a challenge. I think the increase in fee reflects that. There’s increased usage. There’s increased desire to access our lands and I think these fees correspond with that increased usage and increased staff and manpower that’s needed to take care of those resources.”

At times in the past, tribal members haven’t been able to access certain areas on holidays because of overcrowding by nonmembers, McDonald said. Steele Jr. also noted that non-tribal members are not guaranteed the ability to recreate on tribal lands.

“It’s a privilege for them to be able to access our tribal lands and that’s the way I think we need to remember it as a tribe,” Steel Jr. said. “We are allowing these folks to utilize our lands and that is a privilege, and it is not a right. The only one who has that right is the enrolled members of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.”

CSKT Fish and Game Chief Dan McClure noted that representatives from the Lake County’s attorney’s office supported the changes. McClure said the attorneys were in favor of tribal enforcement officers issuing citations for criminal trespass. Trespassing fees increased in Montana in 2021 to $500, with possible jail time of up to a year,

“It’s good to know that the court system is watching this as well, and I feel that at this time we have their support,” McClure said.

In other business, the tribal council also voted to sell 220 tons of hay to tribal members at a reduced price. The hay was included in the recent purchase of a ranch property by the tribes.

Tribal staff noted that skyrocketing hay prices have created a brutal market for producers. The going rate is about $350 per ton, staff noted.

Tribal Council approved selling limited quantities of hay to tribal members at discounted rates on a first-come, first-serve basis, with the caveat that the hay goes to livestock, and not for brokering purposes.

[G fish]

This is great news. Maybe people can relax and just enjoy the same hobbies.

I’ve changed my mind after reading through the proposals. I do believe this is not the right answer but maybe things will change. It would not surprise me if they made the Flathead River a draw permit to float.
If they’re worried about graffiti which has probably been on Sloan bridge for many of years I don’t get it. 
I have noticed over the years the amount of litter increasing on the river mostly Budweiser and twisted tea. Haha. Litter bugs suck.
I know it’s far from possible but if everybody boycotted the Salish Kootenai land for one season they would be broke.
I also would like to see a report for next year on the amount of money generated off of this proposal. Compared to last year.

We are Sportsman’s and should not be punished for something that love to enjoy there definitely was better options for them.

[G fish]

From what I got it will cost 125 for me to fish. $100 for conservation $23 +2 dollars for fishing and aquatics or invasive species.  The link is in ColdCreekChris Post.

[coldcreekchris]

I thought raising the disabled license was particularly cold blooded. If you find any info on revenue from licenses G  i would love to see it. I have been looking for years and have never seen any.

[MT-Trout Slayer]

You could boycott the tribe until Flathead Lake dried up and they won't be broke. They're the richest reservation in Montana and probably many states. If you read into the water compact - I have no criticism so don't don't start throwing darts - they will be getting millions of dollars to buy land from signing the water compact. They regularly buy and sell real estate on the reservation. They are diversified with many business generating jobs and income. The price increase and lack of non-tribal members is of no concern. My opinion is they are only being neighborly allowing anyone else to use the reservation lands and it would be nearly impossible to police so why not collect some fee. Again, they are making more money than you would believe harvesting lake trout from the utility companies and I'm sure that number is in the hundreds of thousands or maybe millions - especially over the length of the program. Where do you think they get the cash to pay out for prize money - hence the only reason they discounted the Flathead Lake license. Remember - don't complain about the lake trout fishing if you're participating in the tournaments. You are the reason the fishery is in decline. Most of the species in Flathead Lake, the lower flathead river system and probably untold numbers of other water bodies on the reservation are non-native species and there's no special programs to get rid of them and now a price increase to catch them. You can derive the logic from that and earn a gold star....

[missoulafish]

Ya the graffiti excuse is bs.

[BigSage]

There is one reason, and one reason only….They do not want non-members recreating on their land

[JH57]

I figure if it cuts the purchases of the tribal rec use permit by 50% the tribe is still doubling their money.  The hit won't be to the tribe though, it will be to the vendors in the area losing sales - from fuel to food. 

My interest is more bird hunting than fishing on tribal lands.  There are a lot of hunters and too few birds to go around.  Maybe this will help, maybe not.  Personally I don't think I'm going to pay the added $77 to hunt birds all day and not get more than one or 2 shots.  I'll save my money and go east.  I have been thinking about trying to get back up to Flathead lake and do more of the Lake Superior Whitefish fishing, and it doesn't look as though thats really changed.  I don't particularly care about the macs, they are fun to catch, but they are not all that great to eat.

[missoulafish]

Imagine the hit on Polson if everyone that uses that half of the lake would have to pay what the rest of us will now be paying.