Guest Profile

Working farms and ranches are good for our state’s agricultural economy, good for wildlife, good for hunters and ultimately good for Montana.

Keeping traditional farm and ranch families on their land benefits is a tough proposition. Market swings in commodity prices, weather, and development pressures – it all adds up to plenty of reasons why it’s a challenge today. But one tool that gives farmers and ranchers a boost and helps them pass their operations onto future generations is a conservation easement.

One such project just sailed through the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission in a unanimous vote to use Habitat Montana funding to purchase a conservation easement. The Horse Creek Complex conservation easement would protect more than 15,000 of ranch land in eastern Montana. And combined with public land that is inside the boundary and adjoins the ranch, nearly 20,000 acres of land would be opened up for public hunting access.

This property is a hunter’s dream. It’s a mix of rolling hardwood draws and native grasslands, badlands, and large-scale sagebrush grasslands. An easement on the property would protect these lands from development, and maintain the incredible habitat that supports an abundance of wildlife.

The ranch holds mule deer and white-tailed deer in the bottoms, antelope, and occasional has elk pass through. It’s excellent habitat for upland game birds, including sage grouse in several areas that includes leks. And it’s strong habitat for numerous non-game species of native wildlife, including songbirds.

That kind of intact, native habitat equals hunting opportunity. The landowners commit to providing 600 hunter days per year, which would open up land in an area that is largely private property and has limited hunting opportunity for the public.

The easement would cost $6.15 million and be funded through a combination of Habitat Montana hunter license fee dollars, as well as federal Natural Resources Conservation Service funds. These are the kind of public investments that support our agricultural economy, our wildlife, and our hunting heritage.

The project comes before the Montana State Land Board on Tuesday, Feb. 20 in Room 303 of the state Capital in Helena.

Read Montana Wildlife Federations comment letter to Gov. Bullock and the Montana State Land Board Members.

Read the Montana Sporting Coalition’s letter here. 

Comments can be emailed to landboard@mt.gov

Nick Gevock is the conservation director for the Montana Wildlife Federation.

Ravalli County commissioners were forced to move the location of their meeting Wednesday morning as hundreds of public land supporters showed up to voice their concerns about Senator Steve Daines bill the “Protect Public Use of Public Lands Act” (S.2206). The legislation would strip protective status for nearly half a million acres of public lands across the state.

In Ravalli County, the Sapphire and Blue Joint Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) provide for unique backcountry hunting and fishing opportunities and key habitat for fish and wildlife. This secure roadless habitat is important for deer and elk populations that summer there and eventually migrate to lower elevations. More importantly, the clean, cold water that comes from these areas are vital to native trout populations and iconic blue ribbon trout streams like Rock Creek and the Bitterroot River.

At Wednesday’s meeting, over 50 people spoke out against Senator Daines legislation and called for a transparent public process to determine the fate of the WSA’s.  MWF President Bill Geer said “This meeting and hearing should have been held by Senator Daines before it ever got to this point,” referring to the fact that Daines had not held one public meeting in regards to his bill before it was written.

Montanans deserve better than a Washington DC written bill that does not incorporate the voices of sportsmen and other outdoor recreationists. Take action today and visit www.ourlandourlegacy.org to see how you can help.

Alec Underwood

MWF Western Field Representative