Ales for Access

Last week the Montana Wildlife Federation hosted Ales for Access at Thirsty Street Brewing Company. A diverse group of hunters, anglers, and conservationists showed up to support the Habitat Montana program. Habitat Montana is our state’s premier habitat protection and access program and has opened up thousands of acres of private and public land to public hunting and wildlife watching. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park are working on several quality conservation easements and important land purchases throughout Montana to continue to build on our conservation legacy. These include the Antelope Coulee project near Hysham and Sunday Creek north of Miles City.

These deals open up land for public hunters, improve wildlife management and create opportunities for public wildlife watching and fishing. In short, Habitat Montana is vital to our state. But these advances in access aren’t celebrated by everyone. Currently, Legislators and sitting Land Board members such as Corey Stapleton, Matt Rosendale, and Elsie Arntzen are looking at ways to weaken Habitat Montana or steal funding to pay for other programs. It’s critical that hikers, hunters, anglers, and birders show support for Habitat Montana as we move closer to the 2019 legislative session.