News - Montana Wildlife Federation

Blackfoot River at risk!

April 10, 2026April 2, 2026 by Frank Szollosi

A foreign-owned mineral company is proposing to commercially mine the headwaters of the Blackfoot in search of gold. This has the potential to devastate the river, the fishery and all the economies and communities downstream.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is accepting comments until April 13, 2026 on an environmental assessment of the project. However, for a project of this magnitude, with this level of concern, in this location, a simple environmental assessment is wholly insufficient.

Please join the Montana Wildlife Federation in expressing your concerns over this proposed mine and insisting that the DEQ initiate a full environmental impact statement (EIS) to fully analyze the potential impacts and weigh risks before proceeding.

Take action now using this customizable letter. Please use your own words or add your own stories or connection to the Blackfoot River to help strengthen your comments.

Click here to customize and generate a letter to Montana DEQ:

https://secure.everyaction.com/g6FHmD5nlk2X23y8ZKFdDw2

Nominate a Montana conservation champion today

April 2, 2026March 1, 2026 by Frank Szollosi

For decades, the Montana Wildlife Federation has recognized the contributions of Montanans who make a difference for wildlife, habitat and public access. As part of our 90th anniversary celebration this year, we are inviting ALL of our members to consider submitting a nomination of people they know who make a difference.

Please review the breadth of awards we’ve given below and use this form to submit a nomination today.

Reach out to MWF Board Director Jim Vashro who is leading the awards committee again this year via his email at jsjvash@montanasky.us or contact MWF Executive Director Frank Szollosi at frank@mtwf.org. We welcome email attachments that provide greater context for the nomination.

Awardees, and everyone, are invited to our Annual Meeting May 16th, 2026, which is taking place in Lewistown this year. We also make arrangements to present awards at time and place convenient for awardees.

As an incentive, anyone who submits a nomination by March 16th will be entered into a raffle for one of two $100 Capital Sports of Helena gift certificates.

Use this form to submit a nomination today!

Montana Wildlife Federation Awards

Heritage Award

Special recognition of an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding lifetime of dedication to conserving the wildlife and wild lands and waters of Montana

Conservation Communicator

For outstanding achievement in effectively conveying the natural resource conservation message and creating public awareness of conservation issues in the news media.

Conservation Educator

Individual who has shown outstanding achievement in educating others in natural resource conservation. Education process may be formal or informal of persons at any age level. May be leadership which, by example or demonstration, aids in the natural resource education of others.

Conservation Legislator

The legislator with exceptional achievement and efforts in support of sound natural resource conservation in Montana.

Conservation Organization

The organization which has most effectively promoted natural resource conservation in Montana.

Don Aldrich Conservationist of the Year

The outstanding conservation effort in Montana of an individual for the previous year. Selection will be based on the scope and amount of personal commitment to the conservation of Montana natural resources relevant to the Montana Wildlife Federation.

Fred Carver Sportsman of the Year

The MWF affiliate club member who has contributed most significantly to the promotion of club activities and sportsmen interest.

Les Pengelly Conservation Professional of the Year

This award recognizes wildlife professionals who embody excellence in scientific research, mentorship and community outreach.

MWF Affiliate of the Year

The MWF affiliate club that has contributed most significantly to the promotion of sportsmen’s interests, natural resource conservation and the Mission of MWF.

Outfitter of the Year

Outfitter or outfitting business that provides exemplary services enhancing the public’s ability to equitably enjoy the resources held in common by all people

Special Achievement – Landowner/Sportsmen relations

In special recognition of an individual committed to improved landowner/sportsmen relations.

Special Achievement – Legislative/lobbying

In special recognition of an individual’s outstanding work, dedication and contribution to legislative lobbying efforts that promote the conservation of wildlife, wildlife habitat, and continued public recreational opportunity.

Special Conservation Achievement

Special Conservation Achievement Award

Youth Conservationist

The youth who has demonstrated outstanding ability, leadership, and accomplishments in natural resource conservation. Youth groups working together in a conservation program are also eligible. Limited to youths that have not reached the age of 21 during the contest year.

Our Senators Seek To Eliminate Public Land Protections for 100,000 acres

February 5, 2026February 5, 2026 by Frank Szollosi

In the final few weeks of 2025, Sen. Daines reintroduced his bill to remove protections from three Wilderness Study Areas in Montana, his fourth such attempt since 2017. Sen. Sheehy immediately joined as a cosponsor, with Rep. Downing also voicing his support.

In total, these landscapes consisting of the Middle Fork Judith, Hoodoo Mountain, and Wales Creek Wilderness Study Areas account for more than 100,000 acres of wild public lands, places where we hunt, fish, and find solitude.

The effort is misleadingly named the Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act, though it’s not supported by most sportsmen, and does the opposite of conservation. The bill would remove landscape protections that keep these places off-limits to development and motorized use. The threats this effort poses to productive habitat for big game are even greater now combined with the proposed rescission of the Roadless Rule.

While the Montana Wildlife Federation agrees that it’s time to find long-term management solutions for Montana’s Wilderness Study Areas, allowing D.C. politicians to ram through a decision rather than listening to local voices is the wrong way to proceed. Instead, we support and call for local, collaborative conversations and meetings to determine the future of these and other wilderness study areas.

The first three times Sen. Daines tried this, Montanans reminded him how unpopular this is. Today is no different.

2024 polling by the University of Montana shows that 75 percent of Montanans would actually prefer increasing protections or keeping them the same rather than removing them (just nine percent want them removed).

More recently, during the 2025 legislative session, a resolution by Sen. Tezak (R – Ennis) to encourage Congress to remove protections from Montana’s wilderness study areas was swiftly defeated by state lawmakers with a bipartisan 9-4 committee vote.

While this bill has received support from the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association, it’s deeply unpopular with public land hunters across the state who know that these are some of the best security habitats for elk and deer; removing these protections and opening the door for development, roads and more motorized use will only drive more elk off of public lands and onto private ranches. It’s time to remind our federal delegation – again – that we don’t want D.C. bureaucrats making these decisions on how to manage our public lands; Montanans know best.

Take action using this link to send messages asking Senators Daines and Sheehy to withdraw their bill, and to ask Congressmen Zinke and Downing to oppose this effort in the House.

(photo credit: Lisa Ballard)

Public Lands Rule – Comment Now

October 2, 2025 by Kevin Farron

Our Bureau of Land Management lands are public lands of many uses; the Department of Interior doesn’t think that conservation should be one of them.

To appease oil and gas special interests, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced on September 10th that they intend to rescind the Conservation & Landscape Health Rule, more commonly known as the Public Lands Rule.

Championed by conservationists when implemented just last year, the Rule seeks to acknowledge conservation as a legitimate use and value of our shared public lands. This is increasingly important as Montana and the West grapple with significant challenges like growing recreational use, invasive species, wildfires, and droughts.

With this signaled action from the Administration, the Public Lands Rule won’t even be given a chance. Big oil and gas will win again, while hunters, anglers and those who value healthy wildlife habitat and undeveloped wild places will lose.

Why should we care?

245 million acres of public lands are managed by the BLM, with 8.3 million of those acres in Montana. Right now, these lands are open to public recreational use, but can also be leased by private interests for oil and gas development, grazing, and timber extraction.

The 2024 Public Lands Rule would have added an additional use: conservation. By allowing tribes, states, and/or conservation districts to pay to lease BLM lands – not for the traditional extractive uses, but rather – for conservation, the Public Lands Rule directed the DOI to weigh conservation, recreation, and public access in the same way they consider traditional and extractive uses like grazing, timber, mining, and oil and gas drilling when developing their resource management plans. Additionally, the new rule requires the BLM to consider local input in its decision-making, something we can all support.

With the Public Lands Rule, our federal public lands continue to generate direct revenue while also allowing these lands to recover or remain as they are, thereby supporting the $1.2 trillion outdoor economy that heavily relies on our public lands. It was a win-win.

However, without this rule, these lands will once again be on an all-you-can-lease buffet for oil and gas, logging, and grazing, with no one else involved, and without your say. Millions of acres of public lands – and our outdoor pursuits, small businesses, and gateway communities that rely on them – will suffer.

What can we do about it?

When the Public Lands Rule was proposed in 2023, a whopping 92% of the public comments favored this new approach. Now, just two years later, we need you to weigh in again to prevent it from being scrapped.

COMMENT NOW

Please join the Montana Wildlife Federation in urging the DOI to reconsider this rescission and to instead leave the Public Lands Rule in place. Let’s give conservation a seat at the table; Montana’s outdoor economy, our rural communities, and our sporting traditions depend on it.

The 60-day comment period ends November 10, 2025.

Photo credit: Lisa Ballard

Now is the time to speak up for Montana’s backcountry, wildlife & fisheries

October 21, 2025September 7, 2025 by Frank Szollosi

The administration gave the public just three weeks to weigh in on a proposal that will negatively impact the management of 6 million acres of Montana backcountry. The proposal threatens to disrupt elk distribution, compromise the headwaters of our blue-ribbon trout streams and clean drinking water, and fragment habitat for Montana’s wildlife that depend on undisturbed backcountry, such as bighorn sheep, mountain goats, grizzly bears, lynx, wolverines, Harlequin ducks, bull trout, and more. Three weeks simply isn’t enough time for hunters, anglers, local communities, and conservationists to have our say.

Here’s what we need to do right now:

1. Ask the USDA to extend the public comment period, which is scheduled to end on September 19th. Submit your comment directly through the Federal Register here. Tell USDA to keep the Roadless Rule in place, extend the comment period, and protect the public lands and wildlife that define our way of life.

2. Call Montana’s congressional delegation. Tell them to stand up for YOUR backcountry and headwaters and Montana’s wildlife.

Senator Steve Daines (406-245-6822)

Senator Tim Sheehy (202-224-2644)

Representative Ryan Zinke (202-225-5628)

Representative Troy Downing (202-225-3211)

You can also use the form below to send a note to your Congressional delegation and demand they take action.

Your federal elected officials are also influenced by Montana’s County Commissioners. Use this link to look up the contact information in your county, and ask your County Commissioners to take action.

Now is the time to speak up to keep Montana’s backcountry open, intact, and teeming with fish and wildlife.

Here are some facts to counter misinformation.

Opposition to the Roadless Rule comes from misinformation that roadless areas “lock up” these areas and prevent management. This is false. Here are the facts about USFS roadless areas in Montana:

The Roadless Rule was enacted in 2001 after 430 public meetings with more than 23,000 people attending. More than 1.6 million public comments were received, and 95% of these comments supported roadless lands protection.

Since the 2001 roadless rule went into effect, more than 188,393 acres of hazardous fuels treatments have been conducted in roadless areas in Montana. This is 20% of the hazardous fuel treatments in Montana since 2001.
93% of summer elk habitat is within roadless areas. These roadless lands are critical to the health of our elk populations in Montana. Roadless lands provide secure habitat that allows us to have 5-week elk seasons in Montana. Withdrawing the roadless rule will require the shortening of Montana’s elk season to the detriment of all elk hunters.
Many roadless areas are open to motorized trails and use by ATVs and other such motorized uses. In fact, 32% of the motorized trails on USFS lands in Montana are in roadless areas.
Roads negatively impact trout and trout streams through sediment, pollution, and altered stream channels. 79% of roadless lands in Montana are home to native trout like Westslope cutthroat trout, bull trout, and Yellowstone cutthroat trout.
Roadless lands provide secure areas from human-caused forest fires because 78% of human-caused fires on USFS lands occur within a half-mile of a road. 85% of all wildfires are human-caused.
Grazing allotments are an important factor in Montana roadless areas. 2.2 million acres of grazing allotments occur in roadless areas in Montana – this is 33% of all grazing allotments on USFS lands in Montana.
More than 90% of roadless areas in Montana are recognized as having low or very low potential for energy development. The 2001 roadless rule recognizes valid existing rights for oil and gas development, and it does not prohibit new leases.
There are already more than 370,000 miles of existing roads on National Forest lands. The USFS currently has $8.6 billion in deferred maintenance on existing USFS roads. This means the USFS cannot come close to maintaining all the roads they currently have, never mind building new roads.

Use the form below to send a message to Steve Daines, Tim Sheehy, Ryan Zinke, and Troy Downing

Elk photo credit: Mathew Schwartz