Guest Profile

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) has proposed the purchase of about 9500 acres of Montana Department of Natural Resources Conservation (DNRC) inholdings in the Sun River, Beartooth, and Blackleaf Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). The acquisition would be funded by the Habitat Montana program.

While this sounds like just a bureaucratic exchange of land between two government agencies, it will protect wildlife habitat, improve public access and enhances management efficiency. The project represents yet another example of how Habitat Montana is good for wildlife, good for hunters, and good for all Montanans.

DNRC Trust lands are an important part of many wildlife management areas, and they comprise 17 percent, 17 percent, and 6 percent of the Sun River, Beartooth, and Blackleaf WMAs respectively.

However, DNRC inholdings can challenge long-term management. DNRC is required to maximize revenue from their lands, which means FWP is required to pay lease fees for their use – and DNRC is always under pressure to increase fees in the future. There is also the risk that other bidders could come in with uses of inholding lands that might be inconsistent with habitat values and public hunting opportunities.

These three WMAs are tremendously important for wildlife and Montana’s outdoor heritage. The Sun River Game Preserve was created through bipartisan action of the Montana Legislature in 1913. The Sun River WMA, purchased in 1947, was one of the first WMAs in Montana. The Rocky Mountain Heritage Act, adopted through bipartisan action of Congress in December 2014 culminated years of effort by local landowners and hunters to secure the spectacular Rocky Mountain Front for future generations. The Blackleaf WMA to the north provides important habitat for elk, mule deer and grizzly bears coming off the Front. Continuing to the south, the Beartooth WMA provides core security habitat for a unique collaboration of agencies, hunters and landowners known as the Devils Kitchen Group to manage area wildlife. These WMAs provide key year long and seasonal habitat for a variety of wildlife species. They also provide seasonal grazing habitat to wildlife such as elk and mule deer to relieve depredation on adjacent private lands.

This acquisition is a real investment in protecting habitat and ensuring public hunting opportunity on these iconic wildlife management areas. Montanans are truly lucky to have the Habitat Montana program to preserve our wildlife and hunting heritage for future generations.

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MWF Letter of Support for Sun River Beartooth and Blackleaf March 2016

Today, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed removing grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem from the federal Endangered Species list. The Montana Wildlife Federation is pleased to see progress in recovery of this iconic species and urges state and federal officials to work together to ensure that grizzly populations stay strong over the long term.

“The recovery of the grizzly bear in Montana is a conservation success story,” said Dave Chadwick, executive director of the Montana Wildlife Federation. “When conservationists, wildlife managers, farmers and ranchers, and other interests work together to protect habitat and prevent conflicts, we can bring back an iconic species like the grizzly bear.”

“Now as we move toward state management, it’s vital that we don’t retreat and that we remain committed to the conservation measures that have allowed this iconic species to recover and expand its range.”

Grizzly bears in the region in and around Yellowstone National Park had fallen to fewer than 200 animals in the 1970s. The bear was listed as endangered in 1975, just two years after the ESA was passed. But bears continued to struggle.

In the early 1980s key federal land and wildlife officials joined with state wildlife agencies to adopt strict conservation measures to help bears. These included protecting key habitat areas, implementing food storage rules and proactive steps to avert bear-livestock encounters.

Today there are an estimated 717 bears roaming the three state region in and around Yellowstone. Bears continue to expand their range and grow in numbers as they move into historic habitat in the three states.

Chadwick said while grizzlies have come a long way, it’s important that we keep enacting strong conservation measures so bears can continue to grow in numbers in appropriate habitat.

“Removing a species from the Endangered Species list is not the end of the process, it’s just the beginning. It’s important that we move very thoughtfully ahead with state management and continue all the conservation efforts of the past few decades so bears will keep expanding their range into suitable habitat.”

Contact: Nick Gevock, MWF Conservation Director ngevock@mtwf.org>

To educate and inform the general public about hunting ethics, fair chase, and values; to perpetuate the sport of the hunt through efforts to conserve habitat and wildlife; and to stimulate the recruitment, mentoring, and involvement of youth in hunting and conservation activities.

The Phil Tawney Hunters Endowment honors the memory and perpetuates the legacy of the late Phil Tawney, lifetime sportsman and conservation leader. Phil’s passion and commitment to protecting Montana’s fish and wildlife and their vulnerable habitats began and grew as he chased waterfowl in the Bitterroot Valley and elk in the Great Burn and Cinnabar Basin, and cast his fly in the blue ribbon waters of the Big Hole River and Rock Creek.

Phil understood the complexities involved with keeping these and other resources healthy and, with each outing, rededicated his own conservation efforts. In keeping with the spirit of Phil’s legacy, the Phil Tawney Hunters Conservation Endowment offers $1,000 scholarships to students at accredited colleges or universities in Montana who exhibit a similar commitment to our outdoor heritage.

2016 Tawney Scholarship Application