Tony Schoonen will be remembered for a lot of things – his blunt speaking style, his neverending advocacy and his love of the outdoors. But Schoonen would want to be remembered for one thing the most – that he never stopped fighting for the rights of everyone in Montana to get out and enjoy the outdoors.
Tony’s lifetime of advocacy led to an impressive list of wins for wildlife conservation, public access, and public hunting and fishing opportunities. The Tony Schoonen I knew was never afraid to get out there and speak his mind for what was right. He loved the outdoors, and he understood that it took people to stand up and fight for these public resources. He was often the tip of the spear in those efforts and led the way, building a large constituency of citizen activists that would become a powerful movement on key issues.
That led to the strongest, pro-public stream access law in the country, and access to our state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation lands. And it also led to the Public Land and Water Access Association, the group willing to do the tough work when people were purposely blocking off the ability to get to public land.
But Tony wasn’t just concerned with access. He also had a strong conservation ethic. He knew that while getting to public land was important, it was also vital that we protect key areas so that big game and other wildlife could thrive there. He fought to ensure that the Forest Service didn’t build too many roads or clearcut lands in important big game habitat. And he worked to support the Habitat Montana program to protect important big game winter range, as well as open it to public access.
His contributions to access and wildlife conservation will be felt by generations still to come. The Tony I knew would be happy just knowing that a youngster gets out and enjoys those public resources.
Kathy Hadley is a board member and past president of the Montana Wildlife Federation.
Last week, Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester joined other members of the Senate Appropriations Committee to offer an amendment that would secure full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund in FY2020.
Since 1964, LWCF has provided Montana with over $600 million in funding to improve access to public lands and waters, as well as conserving public parks, trails, wildlife refuges, and more. MWF applauds our Senators on their efforts to provide full and dedicated funding for LWCF to protect public lands for future generations. Click here to see the amendment on the Interior Appropriations bill.
Take action and tell Congressman Greg Gianforte to join his fellow delegates and work to provide the full and dedicated funding that LWCF needs.
MWF member Annie McLaughlin and friends hike the Crazies.
The Montana Wildlife Federation supports keeping two sections of quality wildlife habitat in the south Crazy Mountains that sit along Rock Creek in public ownership. These lands have public access to them and offer incredible sporting opportunities. These lands are too special as wildlife habitat to give up. Read our letter to the Custer-Gallatin National Forest over the proposed South Crazies land exchange here, and tell the Forest Service to keep sections 4 and 8 along Rock Creek.
The continents birds are disappearing at an alarming rate according to a new study in the journal Science. In the United States and Canada, bird populations have declined by 29 percent since 1970. That is a total loss of nearly three billion birds. The most loss has been seen in grasslands, boreal forests, and western forests, exactly what makes up the entirety of the state of Montana. Grasslands have suffered the most, losing a total of 717 million birds since 1970. The key culprit for these dramatic loses is habitat loss, closely followed by the use of pesticides.
This study shows just how much we do not know about our changing climate. These staggering numbers and percentages surprised scientists throughout the world. According to the article in the journal Science, “Extinction begins with loss in abundance of individuals that can result in compositional and functional changes of ecosystems” and that is exactly what we are seeing today.
This is why the Montana Wildlife Federation’s attempt to certify the city of Billings and other cities throughout Montana as community wildlife habitats is more important than ever. With the decline of habitat throughout North America, it is still possible to make essential habitat in your own backyard or on your deck. Providing habitat for birds is easier than it sounds. All you need is food, a birdhouse, and a source of water. It is quite simple to build your own birdhouse or purchase one at a local store. Bird feeders and bird food including suet are great for birds, especially through winter. Creating a wildlife habitat in your own yard is a great way to take this issue into your own hands and do what you can to help mitigate the destruction of bird habitat and the staggering decline of bird populations.
The Garden for Wildlife Program encourages community spaces, businesses, and at-home gardens to become certified wildlife habitats. In order for a garden to become certified, it must have food, water, cover, places to raise young, and it must use sustainable practices. One of the many sustainable practices that can be used is the avoidance of the use of herbicides and pesticides, which is the second-largest cause of bird population decline.
Our grassland ecosystem here in Billings is on the brink of collapse, and so are many ecosystems throughout Montana and the world. Making a wildlife habitat in your backyard is a visible step you can take to help make a difference in our community, our state, and our world.
Check here for more information about certifying your garden.
Read a powerful short story about hunting in the Lewistown Planning Area written by MWF member Eric Wendt from Billings, MT
The Missouri Breaks has a special place in my heart. This area, with miles and miles of breaks, coulees, cottonwood draws, sagebrush, and short-grass prairie was instrumental in forming my view of what hunting in Montana involves. The Breaks, which include thousands of acres of undeveloped, wild, and public land along the Missouri River corridor is under the Lewistown Resource Management Plan (RMP) from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Lewistown RMP encompasses a stunning, intact river-to-prairie ecosystem that holds some of the best big game populations in the world. Big game needs big country, and this area has it.
I drew my first antlerless elk tag in this area when I was 14. My experience in the breaks includes gumbo, lots of greasy mud that can make for a long trip if you aren’t careful. On the drive in I had to hop out of the truck multiple times to turn in the hubs to engage the four-wheel drive, luckily for us, we made it to camp in one piece. On opening day we woke up at 5 am, even with the heater on in the camper I could see my breath. After a steaming bowl of oatmeal, my first of many elk hunts began. Years later the details blur together a bit, but it seemed like we hiked up more hills than down. We saw elk two coulees over and put the sneak on them. By the time we were in shooting position, the elk had disappeared in the topographic maze. I did not mind, the beautiful immense landscape with the big sky overhead were making the hike worth it.
Around 4 pm we decided to head back towards camp. We came across a stand of willows in a bottom where we could hear movement and bugling. My hunting mentor, Mike, positioned himself on a hill at the end of the willows and signaled for me to walk through the middle. I did not come from a hunting family so my hunting experience was extremely limited. This was the first time I was on my own. Being an avid reader, I had come across the term “buck fever” and told myself that this would not happen to me. Boy was I wrong. I was shaking like a lone leaf in a Big Timber wind storm. As I weaved in-between the willows I came upon a clearing. Forty yards away five cows and a bull were stock still staring at me. I fumbled my .270 into position, the world froze. And I squeezed the trigger. The world came rushing back in an instant. My cow stumbled but was looking like it could run forever. The next thing I knew I was viewing the world through my scope and it was slow again. The second shot rang true and as I looked up and there she was on the ground. I cannot describe the feeling adequately beyond it was intense and awe-inspiring and like I was in a daze. Through the haze I heard Mike shouting, asking if one was down. He showed up some point later and proceeded to show me how to dress her. We went back to the truck and grabbed our “game cart,” really an old rusted out wheelbarrow. It took us about four exhausting hours to get her back to the truck. I doubt I have ever slept so well.
I was able to draw the same tag in the following years and had similar luck. After that, I went to college out of state and was unable to make it home to hunt. Now, three unsuccessful elk seasons since graduation, I realize how spoiled I was in my youth with amazing places to elk hunt. I am grateful for my first few seasons hunting when I was able to fill my deer, elk, and antelope tags and gain confidence as a hunter. It is our duty to provide these same hunting opportunities to the next generation. I would not be the hunter I am today without the Missouri Breaks. The wild character of this landscape and our big healthy populations of big game is the reason why so many people choose to live, visit and hunt here. Elk, deer and other wildlife need wide open, quiet spaces, native range flora, and healthy watersheds. The BLM must prioritize those needs in their plan, to ensure that hunters, young and old, have the same quality habitat to chase game that I did.
The Lewistown RMP comment deadline has passed, but the final RMP and EIS will be coming out in the next few months. We are yet again going to need everyone’s help during the protest period that follows the release of the final plans. Stay tuned and be ready to get involved.
Jeff Lukas
Conservation Director
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.
