Guest Profile

Access in the Crazy Mountains of south-central Montana has been a problem for many decades, but this week Montana hunters, anglers, and recreational users gained another access point into a key area. 

The state Land Board gave final approval to an easement agreement with the Lewis and Clark National Forest and the McFarland-White Ranch along Big Elk Creek in the northeast corner of the Crazies. The agreement establishes an easement across the private lands on the ranch that is open to horse and foot traffic, as well as administrative use for management by the Forest Service. 

The ranch, owned by Mac White, will gain access to its lands that are mixed with the Forest Service parcels in a checkerboarded pattern. The issue of access to the area has been disputed for well over a decade. 

The three-mile easement will cross one section of state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation land and two miles of the McFarland-White Ranch. It gains about 400 feet of elevation over that distance. 

Once on the National Forest, the area offers excellent hunting opportunities for elk, mule deer, and black bears, as well as mountain grouse. It also has a fishery on Big Elk Creek. The agreement calls for the state DNRC to build a parking area in the northeast corner of its section, which sits along a county road. 

This access will require some sweat equity to get to the public land. But it also opens up some incredible opportunity in an area that was previously inaccessible. 

The Montana Wildlife Federation testified in support of the agreement this week before the Board. We thank the Board, the Lewis and Clark National Forest, state DNRC and the McFarland-White Ranch for working to create this new access point into the north Crazies. It’s just another step in our efforts to improve public access into the Crazies and expand public hunting, fishing, and recreation in this incredible area.

Hunters and anglers across Montana can now celebrate the acquisition of more than 21,400 acres in conservation easements by the Dept of Fish, Wildlife, & Parks (FWP). This week, the Fish and Wildlife Commission endorsed the Lone Tree, Ash Coulee, and W-Bar easements thereby protecting critical wildlife habitat in perpetuity.

Collectively these conservation easements permanently protect critical habitat for mule deer, antelope, and upland game birds in addition to numerous non-game species. These projects – located in Blaine, Valley, and Wilbaux counties – each have their individual characteristics, however, they are all immeasurably valuable for wildlife and public access in eastern Montana.

In Blaine County, the Lone Tree easement consists of shrub and prairie grasslands intermixed with forested breaks on 11,285 acres leading to the Missouri River. Iconic game species such as bighorn sheep and elk frequent this diverse landscape and provide excellent hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities.

The Ash Coulee easement located in Valley County, while similar to Lone Tree, is smaller at 3,400 acres yet it protects critical prairies and breaks along the Milk River. The Milk River Valley is a quintessential eastern Montana landscape and this easement will protect the amazing wildlife viewing, hunting, and recreation opportunities found there.

Finally, the W-Bat easement in Wilbaux County totals out at 6,751 acres of native grasslands, shrublands, riparian areas, and hardwood draws. Situated firmly along the state line with North Dakota, this area supports deer, antelope, upland game birds, and even the occasional elk. Habitat for 24 non-game Species of Greatest Conservation Concern is found here as well as a high-quality warm-water fishery.

These projects are all made possible due to the essential funding from Habitat Montana as well as the strong partnership between hunters and landowners. While these lands will remain in private ownership as working agricultural sites, they will also provide public access to a region of Montana with far fewer public lands. It’s a win-win that shows how important conservation easements, Habitat Montana funding, and hunter/landowner relationships are to Montana’s outdoor way of life.

I have long said my dream job is to be a naturalist. Yet for many years, my outdoor recreation style was speedster. I was always looking to travel quickly and get a good workout. Then, in my late 20’s, I started hunting. I learned I had to move or sit quietly to have any hope of seeing animals before I spooked them. I began to appreciate slowing down and paying attention.

Outdoor Education

I have always loved outdoor exploration. As I paid more attention, my fascination with the complexities, interactions, and beauty of the natural world increased. Still, being a naturalist seemed about as likely as riding the range—a romantic, historical enterprise. Fast forward about a decade, and I stumbled across the Montana Natural History Center website. I found they offer and administer a course and certification called Master Naturalist. The focus of the program is to increase knowledge of Montana natural history and develop a corps of citizens dedicated to conservation education and service. It seemed too good to be true.

I researched further and found additional course options throughout the state, including Bozeman, Helena, Billings, Glacier National Park, and Swan Valley. Some condensed the 40-ish hours of instruction into one week, while others had weekly meetings over the course of several months. At the time, there were no options nearby, so I took a week of vacation time and attended the course in Missoula.

I loved it! We spent some time in the classroom investigating skull characteristics and insect orders. The bulk of our time was in the field though, watching, identifying, exploring, and sketching in our notebooks. The level of instruction was geared toward the layperson, matching my favorite definition of natural history:

“The study of the whole natural world, especially as concerned with observation rather than experiment, and presented in popular rather than academic form.”

Master Naturalist

Now that I’m a Master Naturalist (how cool does that sound?), I enjoy the outdoors even more. I like the opportunity to share knowledge with others and contribute to citizen science. To maintain certification, I annually complete 20 hours of volunteer service, plus attend 8 hours of continuing education. I refer to the Montana Natural History Center’s website for clarifying information and resources.

With COVID-19 we all have been forced to slow down. In some ways that’s a good thing. It’s worth taking the time to appreciate our surroundings. We can develop a sense of connection that extends beyond the human world…and develop relationships with our fellow Montanans too.

By Megan Martinez

MWF is strongly supportive of the proposed reintroduction of American martens (M. americana or M. caurina) to the Little Belts Mountains of central Montana. With the previous extirpation of this species from island mountain ranges across the west, it is imperative that we take the necessary actions to restore martens to their
historic range. This action directly follows the objective to “increase species diversity and facilitate marten range expansion back into the mountains of central Montana” as stated by the Fish & Wildlife Commission in 2014.

As stated in the draft environmental assessment (EA), there is significant quality marten habitat found throughout the Little Belt Mountains as well as adjacent mountain ranges. However, this species is notoriously poor at dispersing across unsuitable habitat, and therefore it is unlikely natural recolonization will occur. Thankfully there is a precedent for success in translocation and reintroduction attempts, such as this effort, as seen in other successful marten reintroductions in similar mountain ranges. We at MWF would like to thank
Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks (FWP) for following the examples set in similar reintroductions across the west when developing the procedures in this draft EA.

MWF commends FWP for taking the initiative to restore the historic biodiversity found in central Montana. Thank you for the opportunity to comment and voice support for this project. If you have any questions, please contact Eric Clewis, our Western Montana Field Coordinator, at (832) 444-6976 or eclewis@mtwf.org.

It is with great excitement that we announce the introduction of legislation by Senator Jon Tester, calling for the permanent protection of the Badger-Two Medicine as a Cultural Heritage Area.

As you know, the Badger is one of the wildest, most wildlife-rich regions of the continental United States and is the only part of the Rocky Mountain Front that hasn’t been

legislatively protected. The Badger provides hunters and anglers with a truly wild, backcountry experience. The watersheds provide critical habitat for native trout, and for time immemorial, hunters have been coming to the region to pursue elk, mountain goat, and moose. The next generation should have the same opportunity hunters and anglers of the past have had to experience this special place. 

The permanent protection proposal for the Badger is an important step toward ensuring that traditional land-uses are protected. The Cultural Heritage Area designation will: 

1. Protect and enhance public access, wildlife, and habitat. Hunting and angling opportunities will remain unchanged.
2. Celebrate and safeguard cultural and traditional uses of the area and guarantee Blackfeet’s existing treaty rights will be honored.
3. Establish a formal Tribal consultation with the U.S. Forest Service, allowing the Blackfeet Nation to contribute to future management decisions.
4. Create a diverse citizen advisory group made up of tribal and non-tribal stakeholders, to help the U.S. Forest Service develop long-term management guidelines for the area.
5. Provide job opportunities to conduct trail maintenance and other contracted forest work.
6. Continue non-commercial timber harvest for forest health, wildfire response, and private property protection.
7. Preservation of headwater streams that are an important source of clean water for agricultural operations and communities both on and off the reservation.

Not only is this proposal the right thing to do, but it also ensures continued economic growth in Montana, where hunters and anglers contribute more than $1 billion annually to the state economy. It is time to ensure a future of certainty for the Blackfeet, this treasured landscape, and hunters, and anglers from all walks of life who care deeply for the Badger. While some places may change, hunters and anglers agree that some places are too special to be compromised.

Thanks for all you do for conservation, hunting, and fishing. You now have a unique and historic opportunity to help protect the Badger-Two Medicine forever, preserving hunting and angling traditions and opportunities for unborn generations. To lend your support, visit  www.protectthebadger.org and take action today! If you have any questions, contact MWF Program and Partnership Director, Marcus Strange, at mstrange@mtwf.org.