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.
Business owners, landowners, hunters and anglers laud Rep. Greg Gianforte’s decision to introduce two bills that will protect Montana’s public lands, waters, and outdoor economy. The Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act withdraws minerals rights from federal land in Paradise Valley, while the East Rosebud Wild and Scenic Rivers Act would conserve a portion of the creek north of Yellowstone.
His introduction of the two bills come with broad support throughout Paradise Valley, Gardiner and Livingston, Red Lodge, and Billings. Many local businesses rely upon the integrity of the landscape, abundant wildlife, pristine watersheds, and the unspoiled scenic beauty. In introducing the bills, Gianforte said “In some areas, the best use of our natural resources and treasures is conservation and recreation.”
The Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act is a companion bill to a bill introduced earlier this year by Senator Jon Tester. It would withdraw mineral rights on federal land in Paradise Valley, banning new mining operations.
“The Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act mean cold, clear water for trout, boaters and irrigation. It means elk and bighorn sheep can keep migrating in and out of the park. It recognizes the Yellowstone River as the pulsing, living main artery of Paradise Valley,” said John Salazar, MWF Board Member and Livingston resident. “Our ranches, our recreation, our families, our jobs, if not our very souls rely on clean water and access to our public lands.”
The East Rosebud Creek bill would preserve in perpetuity this incredibly scenic, glacially carved valley with high granite faces, alpine lakes, large waterfalls, and snow-capped peaks. East Rosebud Creek offers white water rafting opportunities and is a blue ribbon trout fishery.
“Montana’s Paradise Valley and the East Rosebud Corridor are crucial pieces of the Montana conservation puzzle,” said JW Westman, MWF Board Member. “Gianforte listened to local stakeholders and introduced common sense bills, Congress should pass these bills and protect these areas for all to enjoy.”
MWF strongly supports the two bills, and applauds Gianforte for standing up for Montana hunters, anglers, local businesses, and booming outdoor economy. Visitors come from around the world every year to the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem to experience the pristine land and water, and marvel at the abundance of fish and wildlife. Rep. Gianforte’s bill will help ensure that future generations will be able to have the same experience. That is something that Montanan’s support and Congress should get behind!
Facing a repeal of federal sage-grouse conservation plans, the Montana Wildlife Federation led a coalition of Montana sportsmen groups in penning a letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and BLM Acting Director Brian Steed to save the sagebrush steppe landscape, an iconic bird, and 350 other species that calls this unique ecosystem home.
The 2015 Federal Sage-Grouse Plans were developed by local stakeholders in Montana and across the West to conserve sagebrush habitat, keep the sage-grouse off of the Endangered Species list, and protect habitat for mule deer and hundreds of other species. The Trump Administration is presently considering repealing the plans.
The Montana Wildlife Federation was joined by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Montana Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Montana Trout Unlimited, Anaconda Sportsman’s Club, Laurel Rod & Gun, Hellgate Hunters & Anglers, Montana Bowhunter’s Association, Helena Hunters & Anglers, Gallatin Wildlife Association, and the Mule Deer Foundation. The groups, representing tens of thousands of Montana hunters demanded that the 2015 Federal Sage-Grouse Plans be kept intact, fully implemented, and given the necessary time to work.
In a world where advances in hunting technology seem to be never ending, some of us are experimenting with going in the opposite direction. A small but dedicated group of Montana’s archery enthusiasts are learning and applying skills to make their own primitive archery equipment. There is both challenge and satisfaction in creating our own archery equipment similar to those used by our native Americans and early European ancestors.
Last summer, some volunteers from Traditional Bowhunters of Montana (TBM) organized its first Montana Selfbow Jamboree held near Three Forks. Along with some skilled Montana bow-makers, volunteers from Missouri, Oklahoma, and other states came to help at least 50 of us less skilled or total newcomers in selfbow making. A selfbow is the simplest bow of just a stick of wood fashioned into a bow and an accompanying string. While most of us chose to use the extremely tough osage orange wood native to Midwest, other native Montana woods such as pacific yew, juniper, chokecherry, and serviceberry have been used successfully.
After a selfbow is completed, it can become a goal to use it successfully to harvest an animal. In that case, the next step is fashioning arrows and arrowheads. To replicate Native American equipment, creating a straight shaft from a shrub shoot may be the most challenging step. Straight, rather straight shoots or branches from rose, chokecherry, red osier dogwood need to be cut and dried for months. Once dried, they can be stripped of bark and further straightened by bending over heat. Then notches for fitting onto the string and to accept the points are cut and fletching is attached using sinew from elk or deer hamstring tendons. Again, to be authentic, wing primary feathers from wild birds need to be obtained and modified to be fletching. Legally obtainable feathers can be gathered from your harvested geese or turkeys. Arrowheads can be fashioned from numerous kinds of rock (obsidian, chert, flint) or can be shaped from bone or even hardened wood.
Broadheads made from sharpened bone on arrow shafts from chokecherry shoots.
Making your own primitive archery equipment helps acquire knowledge of using Montana’s plants and animals, as well as giving us a better understanding of how our ancestors were able to develop their hunting tools from materials found in their surroundings. The hunting experience is greatly extended in the lengthy process of making your own equipment and potentially using it to harvest an animal.
Hunting with a primitive bow and arrows also requires the ultimate in getting close to your quarry. A twenty yard shot is likely the furthest most of us would feel comfortable with our primitive equipment. However, some of us love the challenge of self-limiting our hunting effectiveness, forcing us to fully utilize our hunting skills to have close encounters with Montana’s wildlife.
Editor’s Note: This fall, Greg Munther completed his decades long quest of harvesting a big game animal with self-made primitive archery equipment.
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of floating the Smith River, then you know that it is a truly amazing place. Winding its way through rangelands and its iconic canyon, this river gives recreationists an experience that they will never forget, not to mention some amazing fishing. ringing $10 million to the local economy each year, the Smith is a serious economic driver, employing guides, outfitters, and supporting other small businesses. For all of these reasons, it’s easy to see why the Smith is held as one of Montana’s greatest treasures.
Over the past few years the area has been eyed by those seeking a different kind of treasure; copper. Foreign mining company Tintina Resources has submitted their draft mining permit for the Black Butte Copper Project. This proposed mine would be located in the headwaters of Sheep Creek, a major tributary of the Smith.
Last Monday evening, MWF joined other conservation groups at a public scoping meeting in Great Falls put on by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). This was the first of four meetings held by the agency as part of the process in developing the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the project. Over thirty individuals spoke at the meeting, the majority of whom were opposed to the potential negative impacts of the proposed mine.
MWF’s Western Field Representative Alec Underwood outlined the potential impacts to Sheep Creek and the considerations the DEQ should make going forward in the EIS process. “The DEQ should be especially stringent toward any risks to water quantity or quality in the
Sheep Creek drainage”, Underwood said, noting the importance of the creek as a fish spawning tributary and for providing a large percentage of the flow to the Smith River during low water flows. “Dewatering or contamination from mining processes in Sheep creek would likely have detrimental effects on not only fish, but recreational users who float the river during low water.”
In addition to the potential direct impacts of the mine, Underwood and others spoke about the potential for expansion of other mining operations in the area, citing the over 500 additional mining claims in close proximity to the proposed mine.
Now is the time to take action and attend the remaining public scoping meeting in Livingston. For the sake of the Smith River and to all those who will enjoy it in the future, speak up now and let the DEQ know that the Black Butte Copper Project is simply not worth the risk.
For information on the remaining meetings or how to comment on the proposed project, please visit
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.
