News - Montana Wildlife Federation

Montana Wildlife Conservation 2020 Celebration Agenda

October 13, 2020October 7, 2020 by Sonya Smith

Register for the Montana Wildlife Conservation 2020 Celebration!

Yes, it’s virtual. Yes, it’s global. Yes, it’s free.

Because of the impacts of COVID-19, we shifted the 2020 Montana Wildlife Conservation Celebration to a free, global, virtual gathering October 15-20. In making this celebration our most accessible ever—we’re also re-imagining our celebration entirely to ensure that you get the most from every minute.

Be sure to check out our packed agenda and register. By registering you register for all events. We will send out an email several days before the Celebration begins with private link and password. Each day you will receive an email with a reminder of the days events and links to join!

Check out our Packed Agenda!

Thursday, October 15, 4:30-5:30 PM

Saving Our Herds: Containing the Spread of Chronic Wasting Disease

Chronic Wasting Disease is an always-fatal neurological disease found in members of the deer family. It has been in North America for several decades but was first detected in Montana in November 2017. Montana wildlife biologists have a goal of keeping the disease below 5 percent prevalence, and this year are implementing new carcass disposal rules to work to prevent further human-caused spread. Join Quentin Kujala, Chief of Staff, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and Emily Almberg, FWP Wildlife Biologist along with Nick Gevock, Conservation Director for Montana Wildlife Federation to talk about how hunters can do our part in this fight.

Thursday, October 15, 6:30-7:30 PM

The Last Cast: Climate change and fly fishing in Big Sky Country

Join Alec Underwood, Federal Conservation Campaigns Director for Montana Wildlife Federation and Sara Meloy, MWF Board Member for a brief presentation on the impacts of climate change on Montana’s world renown trout fisheries and enjoy a screening of MWF’s short film, The Last Cast.

Friday, October 16, 4:30pm-5:30pm

Affiliate Round Table

Join MWF staff, board members, and affiliate leaders for a roundtable discussion about the future of the MWF affiliate program and how to continue growing this partnership. Citizens invested in wildlife management were critical to our previous accomplishments and are critical to our continued success. Our network of affiliate organizations throughout the state in addition to our strong member base helps us stay heavily engaged in key issues affecting wildlife at the local, regional, and statewide levels. Led by Marcus Strange, Partnerships Director for Montana Wildlife Federation.

Friday, October 16, 6:00-7:00 PM

Public Access to Public Lands, Opportunities

Access to public land – everybody’s for it. But often, the solutions to landlocked or large blocks of public lands that are inaccessible to the public are complex. There are a host of state and federal programs that help acquire land that is mixed in with public land, or open easements to those lands. But in other cases, the solutions are more complex. Join John Salazar, MWF Board Member and Treasurer and Nick Gevock, Conservation Director for Montana Wildlife Federation to talk about an effort in the east Crazy Mountains to increase access, as well as other measures MWF is pursuing to help increase public access.

Saturday, October 17, 7PM- 9PM

Hunting Film Tour Virtual Movie Night

Join your fellow MWF members for a virtual movie night! MWF is partnering with the Hunting Film Tour to share a series of fair chase hunting films that are sure to inspire your next adventure. Sit back and enjoy a lineup of films from the comfort of your own home that showcase a series of epic adventures that are guaranteed to entertain and inspire.

Sunday, October 18, 4-5 PM

Legislative Preview in Helena and Washington, D.C.

Every session of the Montana Legislature and U.S. Congress, numerous bills come forward that affect our public lands, waters, fish and wildlife resources. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks needs to craft a budget that meets the needs of those resources, as well as all Montanans who enjoy wildlife, fish, and our state parks in numerous ways. In addition, MWF will be discussing the impact of the legalization and conservation funding ballot on Habitat if the funding measures are approved by Montana voters. Join State Sen. Tom Jacobson (Great Falls), Quentin Kujala, Chief of Staff for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Nick Gevock, Conservation Director for Montana Wildlife Federation and Frank Szollosi, Executive Director for Montana Wildlife Federation for a look at what are likely to be the biggest issues in the upcoming state and federal legislative sessions.

Sunday, October 18, 6-7 PM

The Future of Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge and Bison Reintroduction

The Great Plains of Montana once sustained millions of bison herds, but the population was devastated by development, human encroachment, and habitat loss. At more than a million acres, the Charles M. Russell (CMR) National Wildlife Refuge is a unique opportunity to restore a free-roaming wild population to America’s public lands. The National Wildlife Federation has a vision to return bison to their native home in and around the 1.1-million-acre refuge. Join State Senator Pat Flowers (Bozeman), Tom France, Regional Executive Director for National Wildlife Federation, Frank Szollosi, Executive Director for Montana Wildlife Federation, and Mary Zeiss Stange Co-Lead for Montana Artemis Alliance.

See Less

Monday, October 19, 6:30PM -7:30PM

Voices in Conservation

Join panelists Marcia Brownlee, Program Manager for Artemis Sportswomen Alliance, Jimmy Flatt, Hunters of Color Founder, Anna Le, Fisheries Biologist and Environmental Educator, and SJ Keller of Queers and Camo, as they discuss how hunters and anglers are speaking up for wildlife and wildlands while diversifying the outdoors.

Tuesday, October 20, 6PM- 8:30PM

MWF Business and Board Meeting

Join us for the online Business and Board meeting for organizational updates, a policy resolution vote, Board and Officer elections and more.

What Hunters can do to Help Save our Herds

March 30, 2021October 7, 2020 by Guest Profile

Learn more about the panelists:

Quentin Kujala is chief of staff for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. He has previously served as a senior biologist within the Wildlife Division of FWP and as a field biologist working along the Rocky Mountain Front. He has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife science from Montana State University.

Emily Almberg is a wildlife research biologist with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Emily is helping run Montana FWP’s Chronic Wasting Disease program, working to limit the spread of this always-fatal disease and maintain our big game herds. She works from Bozeman and staffs the citizen’s CWD advisory group that meets to review Montana’s statewide CWD management plan.

Nick Gevock serves as the conservation director for the Montana Wildlife Federation. Before that he worked as newspaper reporter in Bozeman and Butte, covering numerous natural resource, wildlife and public lands issues throughout southwestern Montana. He is an avid hunter, angler and outdoor recreationist. He travels throughout Montana with his dog Willow in pursuit of birds, hunts big game and likes to flyfish. Gevock works on key wildlife, habitat and access issues at the local, state and federal level.

The auction and Membership meeting is open to conservationists in Montana, across the country and around the world. Share this invitation widely with your networks! Register today, invite your team, and get ready for some exciting updates in your inbox soon!

Misguided Rule is an Affront to Hunters and Anglers

March 30, 2021August 31, 2020 by Guest Profile

The Trump administration has released its plan to make it easier for companies to drill for oil and gas on U.S. Forest Service lands.

The proposed rule would cut the public out of the process that decides whether and which lands will be opened to oil and gas drilling. It would also give excessive leeway to companies that don’t follow US Forest Service (USFS) laws and weaken that agency’s ability to protect public land from development and degradation.

“This misguided rule is an affront to hunters and anglers, as well as the world-class outdoor recreation values we share in Montana,” said Frank Szollosi, executive director for the Montana Wildlife Federation. “While we should be working to improve our National Forests for fish and wildlife, the Trump Administration continues to prioritize special interests, wants to reduce public participation in the leasing process, and open more precious public land to oil and gas development.”

The proposed rule contains several provisions that would affect public participation including removing the requirement that a Forest Service gives public notice of the decision to approve a Surface Use Plan of Operations, the specific plan for development. It would also allow the Forest Service to skip important and necessary environmental reviews for leasing decisions.

Additionally, the rule would remove environmental considerations as criteria for decisions to approve plans and limit the Forest Service to only protect specific, named natural re-sources, and ignore opportunities to address climate change or protect vital wild places.

“Montanans understand the value of our public lands and the economic benefits they bring our local economy through outdoor recreation,” said Tom Puchlerz, president of the MWF. “Reducing the public’s opportunity to weigh in on decisions affecting our National Forests will reduce transparency and lead to further degradation of our highly valued landscapes.”

Contact: Frank Szollosi— Executive Director, Montana Wildlife Federation 406-417-9909, frank@mtwf.org.

Another Access Into the Crazy Mountains Added

March 30, 2021August 27, 2020 by 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.

Major Conservation Easements are big Wins for Wildlife and Access

March 30, 2021August 18, 2020 by Guest Profile

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.

Jeff Lukas

Conservation Director