New Membership Renewal Membership Youth Membership

Wildlife Management Areas

Grant Marsh addition would benefit all Montanans

by

Grant Marsh Addition EA 1-24-2017 (1)

With much of eastern Montana under private ownership, quality public land around the Billings area is highly valued by hunters, anglers and wildlife enthusiasts. Grant Marsh, a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks public Wildlife Management Area located 50 miles southeast of Billings near Hardin, provides public hunting and fishing opportunities to thousands of Montanans.

The wildlife management area, nestled alongside the Big Horn River and surrounded by agricultural lands, provides hunting opportunity for white-tailed deer, pheasant, sharp-tail grouse and waterfowl. On the many occasions I’ve gone searching for a September grouse, I have also come across families taking advantage of the area to introduce their young children to fishing.

Now we have a chance to build on this great area to benefit all Montanans. Montana FWP is proposing to use Habitat Montana dollars to purchase 425 acres to add on to the Grant Marsh WMA. Habitat Montana uses sportsmen’s dollars to acquire conservation easements, leases and select purchases suitable for game, bird, fish restoration, propagation or protections and for public hunting, fishing or trapping areas.

The proposed 425 acres borders the south end of the current 141 acre WMA, creating a large block of wildlife habitat. If approved, the pieced-together parcels would create the largest block of public land along the Bighorn River and provide a boat launch, ponds, hunting opportunities and wildlife habitat for thousands of Montanans to enjoy.

Quality public wildlife habitat that provides hunting and fishing opportunities in eastern Montana is becoming rarer. We have a unique opportunity to increase public land, water and access while providing quality habitat for future generations to enjoy. Having places open to the public where future generations can go to experience the best of what of Montana has to offer is something we can all get behind.

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the purchase this week, and it goes to the State Land Board for final approval on Monday, April 17. We are hopeful our public officials see the value in adding to our wildlife and public lands heritage and approve this worthy project.

John Bradley is the Eastern Montana Field Representative for the Montana Wildlife Federation. Contact him at jbradley@mtwf.org

Forget the rhetoric: in Montana we know public lands mean access and habitat

by

NLWMA-Bulls Elk graze on newly acquired WMA lands

Last week, while a bunch of all-hat, no-cow rebels were vandalizing public property and hogging national media attention in Burns, Oregon, the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission quietly approved a few projects that show just how popular public land really is.

Montanans bought more public land for public access and wildlife habitat.

That’s right – Montanans purchased land from willing sellers to add to our state Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). The purchases included key winter range for elk west of Missoula, wetlands along the north shore of Flathead Lake and a key wildlife link between Nevada Mountain and the Garnett Range near Helmville. The projects were funded by the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Habitat Montana program.

In total, 1,156 acres were added to the public estate. These are places where all Montanans – and all Americans – can go to hunt, fish, hike, birdwatch, etc. All three were additions to existing WMAs, places that were already protected by hunters and anglers who had the foresight to set land aside for wildlife.

The projects were partially paid for through Habitat Montana, which uses a small fee on hunting licenses to purchase conservation easements, fishing access sites, lands for wildlife, access and sporting opportunity. Habitat Montana is essential because it is often matched with federal and private foundation dollars to complete projects. These projects also included funds from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, which is funded by a portion of offshore oil drilling revenue.

The Oregon occupiers – and the extremist politicians who support them – vilify national forests, wildlife refuges and other federal lands, and hold up state management as a panacea. But then they turn around and oppose funding for state public land programs like Habitat Montana.

Instead of the political rhetoric, we should be working together to support more public land and more public access at every level. Instead of pitting federal government versus state government, we should support programs like the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Habitat Montana that protect land for people and wildlife.

The truth is that public lands – state and federal – contribute to local economies. The habitat and access that public lands provide are essential to sustain Montana’s $6 billion outdoor recreation economy. State and federal agencies also make payments to counties to offset the lost property tax revenue.

Montanans know these places are even more important than dollars and cents. They’re essential to our very way of life – a big if not the biggest reason people choose to live here.

So let the blowhards in Oregon who think they’re entitled to our national birthright continue to spew their nonsense while they tear down fences and destroy public property. The vast majority of Americans know the real value of our public lands and will fight fiercely to protect them.

Nick Gevock is the conservation director for Montana Wildlife Federation.

Jeff Lukas – MWF Elk Campaign Manager

Jeff Lukas

Elk Campaign Manager

Jeff Lukas is a passionate conservationist who has been fishing and hunting his entire life. Whether it’s floating a small stream chasing trout, pursuing elk in the high country, or waiting in a blind for ducks to set their wings, Jeff is always trying to bring more people afield to show them what we are trying to protect. He loves being in the arena, and he will never shy away from conversations about the beautiful and unique corners of Big Sky country.