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Join MWF in February, Win An RTIC Cooler

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FEB Member FB 1 You know how hard the Montana Wildlife Federation fights for Montana’s wildlife, public lands, clean waters, and access to the outdoors. We can’t do it without support from our thousands of members – and if you’re not an MWF member yet, there has never been a better time to join than today.

If you join MWF during the month of February, you will be entered in a drawing to win a high-performance soft-sided cooler from RTIC. This cooler holds ice for up to five days, and it is rugged enough to go anywhere in Montana’s great outdoors. It will keep your favorite beverages frosty, whether you are chasing wild trout in July or sitting around the campfire on a warm early season hunt.

The Montana Wildlife Federation can only do what we do because of our grassroots members. MWF works tirelessly to protect our hunting, angling and outdoor way of life and it is no accident that our outdoor way of life is protected. MWF has been fighting for Montana’s outdoor heritage for 80 years and that work continues today!

The need to speak up for Montana’s wildlife and outdoor way of life has never been greater. The 2019 Montana Legislative Session is underway and we are already facing several attacks on our wildlife, public lands, and clean waters. Special interests are already pushing lawmakers to sell off Montana’s public lands, roll back protections for fish and wildlife, and close off public access for hunting and fishing.

Montana’s outdoor way of life is also under attack at the federal level with the Department of Interior leasing important habitat for oil and gas drilling and the Environmental Protection Agency looking to remove protections from wetlands and streams across the state.

MWF needs your help to reach out, educate, and mobilize people to speak up for our fish, wildlife, and outdoor heritage. Joining MWF today will make a real difference for our work to protect wildlife, habitat, and our outdoor heritage.

Legislature Week 4

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IMG 3011 Montana has always been at the forefront of ethical, fair chase hunting and fishing. We’ve led the way to set the standard that other states strive for, and this week we heard a bill that would continue that legacy.

SB 127, sponsored by Sen. Jill Cohenour, D-East Helena, would bar the sale of coordinates about specific game animals, a trend we’ve seen in other states that runs completely counter to our sporting tradition of fair chase hunting. It would help Montana get ahead of this trend and maintain our hunting heritage. MWF Central Field Representative Marcus Strange and board member James Wyatt testified in support of the bill. To support the bill, please sign our petition.

Wolf Licensing

HB 280, would have added a free wolf license onto the sportsman’s with bear license. That would have depleted the wolf management account. However, a proposed amendment would make the wolf license an option for $10. MWF supports having ethical hunters in the field and will support the bill with the amendment to ensure that the wolf management account is kept intact so Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks can continue wolf monitoring and management.

Weed Management

MWF also supported HB 142, sponsored by Rep. Joshua Kassmier, R-Fort Benton. This bill would help create integrated weed management plans that take a long-term view on how to manage weed infestations, helping boost the up to $2 million of sportsmen dollars invested yearly through the WHIP act that passed last session to help improve wildlife habitat on public and private land.

Other Bills Moving Forward

Numerous bills affecting licensing and other aspects of management and funding continue to move forward through the Legislature.

HB 239, sponsored by Rep. Marilyn Marler, D-Missoula, would allow hunters to donate to the Block Management program any refunds from game drawings. The bill was amended to not kick in until 2022 when FWP projects having its new automated licensing system running. It passed out of the House FWP committee and moves to the full House.

HB 205, sponsored by Rep. Ray Shaw, R-Sheridan, is a good bill that updates the requirement for private fish pond licenses. It passed the House FWP committee.

The Senate Fish and Game committee this week passed SB 79, Sen. Steve Hinebauch, which clarified how hunters applying as a party are awarded bonus points, and SB 144, Sen. Tom Jacobson, which moved the application date for non-resident big game combination licenses back to April 1 to give people more time to apply. MWF supported those bills.

Looking Ahead

Next week will be another very busy one at the Legislature, with bills allowing crossbows during the archery season for some hunters coming, bills affecting the licenses for military members and more.

For the latest updates on all bills affecting wildlife, habitat and our sporting heritage, check the MWF Bill Tracker. For more frequent and thorough updates, join our Legislative Action Team.

Nick Gevock

MWF Conservation Director

 

Montana’s Wildlife Isn’t for Sale

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Bull Harvest

On Thursday, the Senate Fish and Game committee will hear testimony on another important bill for Montanans and Montana’s wildlife.  SB 127, sponsored by Senator Jill Cohenour, will prohibit the sale of wildlife identification information for the purpose of hunting. In other words, it will outlaw the buying and selling of GPS coordinates and other information to use in locating trophy wildlife.  Simply put, this bill means that private individuals will no longer be able to profit by selling the location of trophy wildlife to the highest bidder.

Montana’s hunting heritage depends on everyone having an equal opportunity to pursue wild game, not just a few who can afford to pay.  SB 127 will also reiterate Montana’s commitment to the fair chase ethic.

The Montana Wildlife Federation (MWF) strongly supports preserving fair chase hunting and our public wildlife heritage. To this end, we are going to be working hard to pass SB127.

MWF will be testifying in favor of this bill at its hearing and turning out volunteers to speak up. If you would like to lend your support contact MWF Central Montana Field Representative Marcus Strange at mstrange@mtwf.org.

Montanans Turn Out to Show Support for Public Wildlife

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MWFBlog 01252019

The 2019 Legislature is now in full swing and with it this week a bad bill for our public wildlife and the people’s ability to have a say in how it’s managed was heard in front of the House Fish, Wildlife and Parks committee on Tuesday.

HB 161, sponsored by Rep. Ron Tschida, R-Lolo, would have limited the input that the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department would be able to consider. In essence, the public would be able to comment, but the agency & the commission wouldn’t be able to consider that input.

The bill had more than 40 opponents. They include hunters, anglers, past directors of state wildlife agencies, wildlife advocates and many more. Those opponents spoke about how much Montanans value abundant wildlife and state parks, but most importantly, they value their ability to be partners in how those resources are managed. The Montana Sporting Coalition, which is made up of more than a dozen hunting and angling groups gave testimony for MWF as well as our partners in the coalition and we sent in this letter to show our solidarity against the bill. A committee vote is expected next week and we are hopeful that the House Fish, Wildlife and Parks committee makes the correct decision and tables this bill.

Other bills with hearings this week as well were HB 29 which came out of the Environmental Quality Council the effects the regulations for training bird hunting dogs. It was meant to clean up a confusing law that made it against the law for everyone who runs dogs on public lands, because of the threat to nesting game birds. The law was the result of good work during the interim study and passed unanimously out of the House FWP committee.

In addition, this week the House FWP committee heard a bill to allow hunters to donate their refund from special permits back to the Block Management program (HB 239), and a bill to clarify the process for obtaining a fish pond license (HB 205). MWF supported both.

Bills are starting to show up on wildlife and public lands issues in force as the engine of the legislature starts to get up to full speed. Check our Bill Tracker on the MWF homepage. For more frequent updates, join our Legislative Action Team.

Sporting Coalition Opposition to HB 161

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BLOG FB The Montana Sporting Coalition is made up of more than a dozen hunting and angling organizations, collectively representing tens of thousands of Montanans. We come from all walks of life and every corner of the state.

We share a deep commitment to our sporting heritage, the habitat that provides our opportunity and to Montana’s fish and wildlife. Perhaps most importantly, our coalition values our constitutional right to work with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) through public comment and our ability to present our positions, opinions and biological take on specific issues related to fish & wildlife management.

With that in mind, the Coalition strongly opposes HB 161. Montanans deserve to be honestly heard and respected. As a Montanan who cherishes our wildlife, state parks and just as importantly, your ability to exercise your constitutional right to have your input matter in decisions made by your government, we ask you to please oppose HB 161. 

 

Jeff Lukas – MWF Elk Campaign Manager

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.